The Grognard Codes — Software Engineering, AI Coding & Systems

Domain Verification: This deployment serves as the public verification host and origin record for thegrognardcodes.com.

thegrognardcodes.com

Projects & Repositories

A summary of active open-source projects, system refactors, and AI routing configurations.

Realmwise

Local-First Tabletop RPG Book Catalog

A local-first application for cataloging physical tabletop RPG book collections. Engineered to run completely offline on Android, Windows, and Linux desktops from a single shared Flutter codebase.

Local SQLite Core: Database created, managed, and restored locally without mandatory cloud accounts.
Crash-Recovery Snapshots: Periodic database snapshots generated every 10 minutes during active use.
Dual-Source Enrichment: ISBN lookup via OpenLibrary with prioritized RPGGeek taxonomy values.
Multi-Cloud Sync Bundles: Conflict-aware sync via Google Drive (private appDataFolder), OneDrive, or Dropbox.

Flutter Dart SQLite Google Drive API OpenLibrary RPGGeek Cross-Platform

FumBBL Rebuild

Java 8 → 21 Server Modernization & HTML5 Client

Replatforming the Fantasy Football Server/Client (FFB) powering FUMBBL. Migrating a 20-year-old Java engine to modern standards while decoupling presentation from legacy desktop UI.

Server Architecture: Upgraded to Java 21 and Jetty 12 WebSocket server.
HTML5 Browser Client: Browser client built with PixiJS for exhibition and match replay.
Modular Core: Clear separation into ffb-common, ffb-server, and ffb-client-logic.
Characterization Tests: Automated suites verifying strict rule parity against the legacy reference engine.

Java 21 Jetty 12 PixiJS WebSockets PowerShell CI

The Grognards Agent Config

Subagent Architecture & Token-Efficient Routing

Custom agent, subagent, and routing configurations for ChatGPT, Codex, and OpenCode. Focuses on bounded delegation and minimizing unnecessary token burn by routing tasks to specialized model tiers.

Role	Model Tier	Primary Scope
`code-explorer`	Fast / Low Cost	Read-only codebase discovery & structural mapping
`quick-implementer`	Fast / Low Cost	Focused 1-2 file edits with unit checks
`implementer`	Mid Tier	Feature implementation & test coverage
`code-validator`	Mini / Low Cost	Read-only test execution, linting & type checks
`code-reviewer`	High Tier (Sol)	Security, concurrency & public API auditing

Customized fork based on foundational work by nsEytgXm/subagents_configs.

Agentic AI Routing Rules Token Optimization Codex / OpenCode

WEB

the-grognard-codes-dot-com

Static Portfolio, Domain Verification & GCP Host

The codebase for this website. Designed as a zero-dependency static site optimized for zero-cost hosting on Google Cloud Platform with automated TLS and domain validation.

Zero Build Dependencies: Plain semantic HTML5, modern CSS Grid/Flexbox, and vanilla JavaScript.
Zero-Cost GCP Hosting: Optimized for Firebase Hosting free tier ($0/mo) or Cloud Run containerization.
Automated TLS: Automatic Let's Encrypt / Google Trust Services certificate renewal for custom domain.

HTML5 Modern CSS Vanilla JS GCP Firebase Hosting

Technical Blog

Articles on AI agent routing, local-first architecture, system refactoring, and cloud delivery.

AI & Agents • Sep 2026 • 7 min read

The Grognard's Approach to AI Agents: Routing, Tokens, and Pragmatic Delegation

Why monolithic model prompts burn tokens and hallucinate—and how bounded, specialized subagent roles restore classical software engineering discipline to AI pair programming.

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Flutter & Mobile • Aug 2026 • 6 min read

Building Realmwise: Local-First Flutter Architecture for Offline Cataloging

Designing collector-grade cataloging software without vendor lock-in: embedded SQLite, periodic snapshot backups, and conflict-aware Google Drive and OneDrive sync.

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Java & Modernization • Jul 2026 • 8 min read

Modernizing FumBBL: Porting a 20-Year-Old Java 8 Codebase to Java 21 & Web

How to migrate a two-decade-old fantasy football engine to Java 21 and Jetty 12 without breaking deterministic game rules or historical league parity.

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GCP & Cloud • Jun 2026 • 5 min read

Domain Verification & Zero-Cost Static Hosting on Google Cloud

Architecting ultra-low-maintenance portfolio sites: comparing Firebase Hosting, Cloud Run scale-to-zero, and Cloud Storage with automated Let's Encrypt TLS.

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Engineering Principles

Core philosophies governing how software is built, tested, and maintained across these projects.

1. Engineering Discipline Over Novelty

Generative AI is a powerful assistant, not a replacement for sound architecture. Deterministic interfaces, reproducible builds, and regression testing remain non-negotiable.

2. Local-First & Data Sovereignty

Software should operate reliably without an active internet connection. User data belongs in local, open formats with cloud synchronization as an optional layer.

3. Right Tool, Right Model

Avoid burning frontier reasoning tokens on mundane mechanical tasks. Decompose problems into bounded scopes and route them to appropriately sized models.

4. Respect Proven Systems

Legacy systems persist because they have delivered sustained value. When refactoring historic software, preserve deterministic domain rules while modernizing runtime infrastructure.