Alok Ranjan Daftuar

Solution Architect specializing in cloud-native systems, scalable architectures, and pragmatic engineering decisions that align technology with business outcomes.

The Technical Compendium

Kubernetes vs Docker Compose: Architectural Trade-offs, Value Principles, and When to Use What

February 06, 2026 • 5 min read

Containerization has fundamentally changed how modern systems are designed, deployed, and operated. While Docker made packaging applications simple and portable, Docker Compose and Kubernetes represent two very different architectural philosophies for running containerized workloads. Although they are often compared, Docker Compose and Kubernetes are not competitors in capability—they solve problems at very different scales and maturity levels. Choosing the wrong one can either introduce unnecessary…

#kubernetes #docker-compose #container-architecture #cloud-native #system-design

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Power of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) and the Architecture Behind Them

February 05, 2026 • 5 min read

In today’s digital landscape, users expect fast, reliable, and engaging experiences—regardless of network conditions or device type. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are a powerful way to deliver these experiences by combining the reach and accessibility of the web with capabilities traditionally reserved for native mobile apps. Originally conceived as a set of progressive enhancement techniques, PWAs today provide offline support, installability, push notifications, and performance…

#progressive-web-apps #web-architecture #react-pwa #service-workers #web-performance

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How pre-baked Docker images can significantly reduce CI setup time and improve reliability.

February 03, 2026 • 3 min read

Modern CI/CD pipelines are powerful, but they are often wasteful by default. If you look closely at most automation workflows, a large chunk of execution time is spent not on actual testing, but on repeatedly installing the same tools:

Node.js Playwright dependencies Browser binaries Cloud CLIs (Azure, AWS, GCP, etc.)

#docker #playwright #github-actions #devops #automation #multi-architecture #software-architecture #developer-productivity

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Boosting Developer Productivity with AI

January 30, 2026 • 4 min read

AI is often discussed as a force multiplier for software development. In practice, the most effective teams are not using it to bypass engineering rigor or accelerate recklessly. Instead, they are using AI to remove friction from everyday workflows—freeing engineers to focus on design quality, correctness, and long-term system health.

#architecture #cloud #system-design #ai

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Architecture Decisions That Actually Matter in Production

January 30, 2026 • 4 min read

Most systems don’t fail because of bad code. They fail because of poor architectural decisions made too early, too late, or for the wrong reasons.

#architecture #cloud #system-design

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5 Effective Ways to Reduce Technical Debt Through Modernisation

January 28, 2026 • 4 min read

Technical debt can silently slow teams down, complicating development and frustrating delivery timelines. When shortcuts accumulate—whether through legacy systems, outdated components, or inconsistent practices—teams inevitably end up spending significant time just to keep systems running rather than innovating.

#technical-debt #software-architecture #modernisation #legacy-modernisation #application-modernisation

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