Introduction
• Talk about how senior engineers don’t wait for full clarity—they make progress while getting answers.
• Example context: You had to integrate Stripe Connect with limited knowledge and partial client info.
1. The Common Challenge
• You’re handed a complex tool (Stripe Connect) with:
• No clear documentation from the client
• Unclear on fees, account types, etc.
2. The Senior Engineer Approach
Don’t Block. Build Forward.
“Instead of waiting for perfect clarity, start with what’s visible and build the backbone.”
• Start with surface-level features:
• Create a donation button (simplest Stripe checkout)
• Build a test checkout session
• Focus on one-time payments before connect accounts
3. Build Isolated, Reusable Parts
• Create:
• A StripeService class with create_checkout_session, create_account, etc.
• Helpers for formatting, handling errors, logging.
• Keep logic clean & modular — you can plug in new info later.
4. Layer the Complexity Later
Once client clarifies:
• Plug in fees, payout delays, etc. in your already-built structure.
• Add destination charges, platform fees, etc.
5. Tips for Working with Complex APIs
• Read official API docs as needed, don’t try to learn 100% upfront.
• Use dashboard + test mode to experiment.
• Write good logs to trace flows.
• Keep questions ready for the client based on what you tried.
6. Final Thoughts
• Being senior is not knowing everything, it’s moving smartly with what you have.
• Work in a way that future changes become just config tweaks.