The Case for Building at Night
Why some of the best code gets written after midnight — and how to make the graveyard shift work for you.
Every developer has their hours. Some people are up at 5 AM, coffee in hand, ready to crush tickets before standup. Good for them.
I write my best code at 2 AM.
The Science of Night Owls
Research suggests that night owls tend to have higher creative problem-solving abilities. There’s something about the reduced prefrontal cortex activity in late hours that makes lateral thinking easier.
Or maybe it’s just that nobody is pinging you on Slack at midnight.
The Graveyard Shift Toolkit
If you’re going to code at night, do it right:
Environment
- Dark mode everything — your eyes will thank you
- Blue light filter — f.lux or Night Shift, non-negotiable
- Good lighting — a dim desk lamp, not total darkness
- Mechanical keyboard — if your roommates/family allow it
Workflow
- Plan during the day — use your night hours for execution, not planning
- Time-box your sessions — “until I’m tired” is not a plan
- Commit often — tired brains make mistakes, git is your safety net
- Write tests first — your 3 AM self will thank your 11 PM self
Fuel
- Water — more than you think you need
- Coffee — but stop 4 hours before you want to sleep
- Actual food — not just snacks
The Tradeoff
Night coding isn’t for everyone, and it’s not sustainable without good sleep habits. The key is shifting your schedule, not skipping sleep. Eight hours is eight hours whether it’s 10 PM to 6 AM or 3 AM to 11 AM.
The graveyard shift works because it’s focused time, not because sleep deprivation is a productivity hack.
Find Your Hours
The real lesson isn’t “code at night.” It’s “find when you do your best work and protect those hours.” For us, that happens to be the graveyard shift.
Your mileage may vary. Your hours are valid. Just make sure you’re using them well.
Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s 2:47 AM and I have a bug to squash.
— The Caretaker