makandra blog

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with up-to-date, company-specific knowledge without compromising sensitive data. In this article, we show the advantages RAG offers companies and how the approach can be integrated into your own infrastructure step by step.

Team makandra visited the Rails World conference! Once again with a large team – and for the first time – with a booth to support the conference and engage in conversation with as many people as possible.

Local LLMs enable companies and organisations to use AI securely and in compliance with data protection regulations. They harness the potential of your internal company data while maintaining complete data sovereignty.

At first glance, software development and gardening have little in common. But just as some plants need support, test-driven development helps to build code that is stable and reliable right from the start.

How cognitive biases and heuristics influence user experience design and how you can use them specifically to create better digital user experiences.

A barrier-free website: Who is required to comply by 2025? We answer your questions about the BFSG in relation to your company website.

Official support for Rails 2.3 expired in 2013, but many companies were still using the version. A tweet gave makandra the idea to fill the gap. That's how Rails LTS came about.

Digital accessibility is mandatory since June 2025. What does this mean for your company? We explain the most important laws, terms and requirements that you should know now.

AI tools are considered productivity boosters – but do they deliver on their promise? And what does all this have to do with gambling in casinos? We asked our colleagues how they use AI in their everyday work as developers and what advice they would give to juniors on working with AI.

We have always relied on stable, maintainable technologies. Now we are expanding our stack with Next.js, creating new opportunities for fast, interactive applications. Read here to find out what this means for our customers.

It's official since March 17, 2025: Heroku has updated its guidelines for supporting Rails versions. These changes will affect many developers and teams who are still working with older Rails versions that have already reached end of life (EOL).

What really matters when it comes to digital accessibility? We explain the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and their four key principles. You’ll also get five practical guidelines to help you get started with making your website accessible right away.

A modular structure of UI building blocks based on the atomic design principle creates a common language between design and code. In this article, we show you how to use design tokens to create consistent interfaces and efficient development processes – including practical examples.

The CLOUD Act is a US law that allows US authorities to access data stored by US companies. In this article, we take a look at what this means for European companies.

We explain how an on-premises wiki works, what advantages it offers over cloud-based solutions, and how it can help ensure data protection, compliance, and high availability.

Are they the future of software development or will they even make traditional programming obsolete? What you should know about the potential and limitations of low-code and no-code platforms and vibe coding with AI.

Whether you're a startup, an established mid-sized company, or a large enterprise, choosing the right software solution has a lasting impact on your costs, flexibility, and long-term success. We’ll show you what matters – and how to make the most cost-effective decision.

and how it ensures sustainable success.

We compare Adobe Experience Manager with the use of proprietary custom software: Where does each solution score points, and when should you consider custom development?

This article contains general information about LCAs; in terms of legal norms, it is focused on laws of the EU and Germany.

We are introducing our colleagues Lisa, Nino, Katrin and Emma from the software development and DevOps departments.

We asked two of our trainees about their experiences and start at makandra.

At makandra GmbH, we are strengthening our leadership team: Fabian Rimpl joins Dr. Thomas Eisenbarth as Co-Managing Director.

From the perspective of experienced Ruby on Rails developers: Why Ruby on Rails is the best choice for your next web application.

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about MVPs (Minimum Viable Products): Definition, advantages and differences to MMP, Prototype and Full Product.

We are delighted to have been honored with the kununu award for the fourth time in a row.

That was Rails World! We share our impressions and insights from makandra at the Rails World conference in Toronto.

In this article, we show you how to identify and implement optimization potential in your processes.

Google has implemented core web vitals to evaluate and optimize the performance of websites. Here you can find out everything you need to know about this topic.

Challenges with IaC and how you can overcome them. Includes a free white paper.

The new Rails 8.0 brings new features, optimized processes and also marks the end of community support for Rails 6.1 - everything you need to know now.

A glimpse into our company culture and daily work life.

Solutions, ideas, best practices and tips in the field of web development, Ruby on Rails and DevOps.

In this article, we will show you why you should digitize your business processes and how to do it successfully.

Best practices for deciding for or against individual software. Including a free whitepaper (German language) to support your informed decision.

In this interview, Laura Hacker, Head of UI at makandra, talks about the process and the thoughts behind the redesign of our company website.

In this article, we provide a brief insight into the history of Ruby on Rails and highlight the advantages of the framework.

We explain the definition and benefits of IaC, including a free white paper.

Just in time for our anniversary, we give you an insight into makandra's history, our values and the current status quo.

How our self-written desk sharing software makes our everyday work easier.

We explain why we still rely on the Rails framework today and how we actively support the Rails ecosystem.

In this blog article, we provide a practical insight into the development of justclaims.eu - a platform for the automated processing of air passenger claims.

Would custom software be the right choice for us? That's not always easy to decide. Using selected case studies, we show how companies optimize various processes with custom software.

Our focus on sustainable corporate management and on the team is paying off: Handelsblatt ranks makandra among the top 10 in Germany.

Customized trainings for web development, Ruby on Rails and DevOps.