# nevzheng

Project notes and things I'm learning.

This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles.

## Beyond Inline Values: Evolving Strata's Storage Engine

DevFeed: [Beyond Inline Values: Evolving Strata's Storage Engine](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/beyond-inline-values-evolving-strata-s-storage-engine-39413.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://n8z.dev/posts/beyond-inline-values/>)

Author: Nevin Zheng

Published: 2026-06-03T00:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [nevzheng](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nevzheng.md>)

Topics: [Rust](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/rust.md>), [abstraction](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/abstraction.md>), [SQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sql.md>), [olap](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/olap.md>)

Tags: [abstraction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/abstraction.md>), [block](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/block.md>), [bootstrapping](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bootstrapping.md>), [layout](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/layout.md>), [migration](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/migration.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [repo](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/repo.md>), [rust](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rust.md>), [sql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql.md>), [storage](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/storage.md>), [storage-engine](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/storage-engine.md>), [write-amplification](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/write-amplification.md>)

### AI overview

This architectural decision record proposes replacing Strata's inline value storage with a block-based abstraction. It describes the current Rust LSM storage engine and SQL layer, identifies flexibility and I/O amplification problems, compares options, and records the proposed direction.

### Source excerpt

An architectural decision record: why Strata is moving from inline values to block-based storage.

## Bootstrapping a SQL Catalog on a Key-Value Store

DevFeed: [Bootstrapping a SQL Catalog on a Key-Value Store](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/keys-and-values-are-all-you-need-39416.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://n8z.dev/posts/keys-and-values-are-all-you-need/>)

Author: Nevin Zheng

Published: 2026-05-15T00:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [nevzheng](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nevzheng.md>)

Topics: [SQL](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/sql.md>), [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>)

Tags: [key-value-store](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/key-value-store.md>), [sql](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/sql.md>)

### AI overview

A walkthrough of building a SQL catalog on a key-value store, covering the path from names and UUIDs to system-table rows and durable user records.

### Source excerpt

Bootstrapping a SQL catalog on a flat key-value store, end to end.

## Building an LSM Storage Engine from Scratch in Rust

DevFeed: [Building an LSM Storage Engine from Scratch in Rust](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/building-strata-39414.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://n8z.dev/posts/building-strata/>)

Author: Nevin Zheng

Published: 2026-03-05T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [nevzheng](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nevzheng.md>)

Topics: [Rust](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/rust.md>), [Databases](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/databases.md>), [Data structures](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data-structures.md>)

Tags: [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [compaction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/compaction.md>), [data-structures](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data-structures.md>), [database](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/database.md>), [merge](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/merge.md>), [mvcc](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mvcc.md>), [rust](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rust.md>), [storage](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/storage.md>), [storage-engine](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/storage-engine.md>)

### AI overview

A personal engineering account of building an LSM storage engine from scratch in Rust. The author discusses choosing LSM trees, prioritizing correctness and developer experience, versioning keys for possible MVCC exploration, and considering key-value separation to reduce compaction costs.

### Source excerpt

Building my own perfectly imperfect LSM storage engine from scratch in Rust.

## Error Handling in C, Go, Rust, and Google's Absl

DevFeed: [Error Handling in C, Go, Rust, and Google's Absl](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/ow-my-foot-39417.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://n8z.dev/posts/ow-my-foot/>)

Author: Nevin Zheng

Published: 2026-02-28T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [nevzheng](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nevzheng.md>)

Topics: [Error Handling](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/error-handling.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>), [Embedded Systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/embedded-systems.md>), [Microcontroller](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/microcontroller.md>), [C](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/c.md>), [Go Language](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/go-language.md>), [Rust](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/rust.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>)

Tags: [c](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/c.md>), [embedded](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/embedded.md>), [embedded-systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/embedded-systems.md>), [error-handling](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/error-handling.md>), [errors](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/errors.md>), [go](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/go.md>), [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [microcontrollers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/microcontrollers.md>), [opinions](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/opinions.md>), [rust](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rust.md>), [stm32](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/stm32.md>)

### AI overview

An opinionated survey of error handling across C, Go, Rust, and Google's Absl. The article traces error recovery from hardware status registers, interrupts, watchdog timers, and resets to modern language features and libraries, with particular attention to firmware, embedded systems, and microcontrollers.

### Source excerpt

Errors, opinions, and the rakes I've stepped on.

## Exploring Data Systems and Building with Rust After Leaving Google

DevFeed: [Exploring Data Systems and Building with Rust After Leaving Google](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/funemployment-39415.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://n8z.dev/posts/funemployment/>)

Author: Nevin Zheng

Published: 2026-02-27T00:00:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [nevzheng](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nevzheng.md>)

Topics: [Data Infrastructure](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/data-infrastructure.md>), [BigQuery](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/bigquery.md>), [Google](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/google.md>), [Rust](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/rust.md>), [systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/systems.md>)

Tags: [bigquery](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/bigquery.md>), [data-infrastructure](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/data-infrastructure.md>), [google](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/google.md>), [rust](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/rust.md>), [systems](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/systems.md>)

### AI overview

A former BigQuery engineer describes leaving Google after four years, exploring storage engines and Rust, and looking for a smaller team working on challenging data-infrastructure problems.

### Source excerpt

Left Google, exploring data systems, building things for fun, and figuring out what's next.