Tell the decision
What product or workflow did you replace, build, buy, or return to? Explain the original constraint and who used the system.
Reader submissions / channel in preparation
What did you build?
What happened next?
We want documented stories from people who built software and saved money—and from people who built, learned, and returned to an established product.
The digital submission channel is not open yet.
We are publishing the evidence and moderation standard first. Nothing submitted to Code or Buy will ever be published automatically.
Show the timeline
Include prototype time, production work, rollout, maintenance, and the point where the outcome became clear.
Separate the costs
Share subscriptions, engineering time, infrastructure, migration, support, and costs you did not measure. Ranges are welcome.
Support the account
Relevant screenshots, invoices, repository history, exports, or an interview may help. Remove credentials, customer data, and secrets first.
What makes a useful story
- A clear first-person connection to the decision.
- Specific tradeoffs, including what failed or surprised you.
- A distinction between prototype and production use.
- Enough evidence for the important claims to be checked.
- Permission from the appropriate person or company to share it.
Privacy and attribution
We can discuss named, partially anonymized, or anonymous publication, but Code or Buy must be able to verify the contributor privately. We will agree attribution and material quotations before publication. Supporting evidence can remain private unless otherwise agreed.