The hottest Coding Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics
Rod’s Blog 19 implied HN points 19 Apr 23
  1. The author has been exploring Azure Open AI ChatGPT and its security implications, highlighting the importance of understanding security when implementing new technologies.
  2. A simple command-line Chatbot utilizing external files for configuration data and questions was created to demonstrate the possibilities with Azure Open AI ChatGPT.
  3. To use the command-line Chatbot, access to Azure Open AI, Python, and specific Python libraries is required.
Data at Depth 19 implied HN points 11 Jun 23
  1. Using GPT-4 for prompt engineering simplifies Python coding for complex data visualizations by providing concise instructions and reducing troubleshooting time.
  2. GPT-4 allows focusing on implementing solutions rather than dealing with lower-level coding details.
  3. Integration of GPT-4 with Python streamlines the process of creating interactive data visualizations, making it faster and more efficient.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 30 Sep 22
  1. The problem focuses on designing a class to find the kth largest element in a stream, emphasizing it's the kth largest in sorted order, not distinct element.
  2. The implementation includes initializing the class with k and a set of numbers, then appending values to the stream to return the kth largest element.
  3. The constraints for the problem include specific limitations on the range of values and number of calls that can be made.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 23 Sep 22
  1. The problem involves finding the longest substring with the same character after changing up to k characters. It can be seen as Leetcode problem 424.
  2. The examples provided illustrate the concept, showing how replacing characters can change the length of the longest repeating substring.
  3. Constraints like string length and character types are important to consider when solving the problem.
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Technology Made Simple 19 implied HN points 24 Mar 23
  1. The problem discussed involves finding the number of unique paths a robot can take to reach the bottom-right corner of a grid by moving only down or right.
  2. Grid traversal, dynamic programming, and recursion are key concepts used to solve this problem efficiently.
  3. The test cases provided ensure that the answer is less than or equal to 2 * 10^9, with constraints on the grid size.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 20 Sep 22
  1. A good solution that can be deployed quickly is often better than an extremely complex optimal solution.
  2. Introducing mutations and heuristics can be beneficial in finding solutions, especially when working on heuristics instead of provably optimal solutions.
  3. Combining ideas from multiple domains can lead to innovative and valuable solutions in computer science.
Technology Made Simple 59 implied HN points 29 Mar 22
  1. Graphs can be seen from various perspectives: charts and plots (stats), maps with complex algorithms (graph theory), and adjacency lists for coding. Understanding these perspectives is crucial for effective use of graphs.
  2. Identifying whether a problem could be a graph problem involves recognizing the entities (nodes), relationships (edges), and weights in the context of a system. This spotting framework helps in solving graph-related problems efficiently.
  3. Practicing graph spotting as a skill involves starting with easy problems to identify graph components quickly. Familiarity with graphs and the ability to spot them easily is crucial for solving graph problems in interviews.
Sunday Letters 79 implied HN points 17 Apr 22
  1. It's important to learn new tools and technologies to keep growing. Having a variety of skills helps you adapt to changes in your field.
  2. While it's good to be comfortable with familiar tools, relying on them too much can make you stuck. Balance old and new tools to stay current and efficient.
  3. Look for tools that work well together and can be reused. This way, you can get more value out of what you learn and build over time.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 17 Aug 22
  1. The problem of searching a 2D matrix, like Problem 52 with Microsoft, requires logical thinking rather than complex algorithms.
  2. In the problem, diligently understanding the matrix properties and basic algebra can lead to a solution.
  3. The problem scenario involves searching for a specific value in an integer matrix with sorted rows, making it crucial to spot the required insights for efficient searching.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 10 Aug 22
  1. The problem highlighted focuses on determining if a number is a happy number through a specific process involving the sum of squares of its digits.
  2. A happy number reaches 1 through the process described, whereas some numbers loop endlessly without reaching 1.
  3. The post also mentions a newsletter aimed at helping individuals succeed in tech interviews by providing valuable resources and techniques.
The Schematic 3 HN points 19 May 24
  1. Software engineering is here to stay, despite claims that AI will replace coding jobs.
  2. AI has limitations in generating code and may not fully understand project contexts, making it less helpful in many real-world scenarios.
  3. Coding is a means to an end for software engineers, and increasing code production does not reduce the need for developers.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 02 Aug 22
  1. In graph traversal, reducing memory usage by marking spots as visited instead of using a set can optimize your code and help you move from O(n) space complexity to O(1) complexity.
  2. This technique is straightforward to implement, takes no extra space, and can be a significant improvement in graph traversal algorithms.
  3. When implementing this technique, be cautious about the value used to mark visited cells and always confirm with your interviewer about input data type to avoid conflicts.
Technology Made Simple 59 implied HN points 23 Feb 22
  1. Given a non-negative integer as a string, you can remove k digits to form the smallest number.
  2. Removing specific digits strategically can create the desired smallest number, as illustrated in the examples.
  3. It's important to consider string manipulation, integer typecasting, and a greedy approach when solving this type of problem.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 21 Jul 22
  1. Understanding the concept of valid parentheses is crucial in coding interviews to solve classic problems like determining if a string of brackets is valid.
  2. Key rules for valid parentheses involve closing the brackets in the correct order and ensuring that the opening and closing brackets match.
  3. Developing an algorithm to validate parentheses involves utilizing the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle with stacks to track opening and closing brackets.
Technology Made Simple 59 implied HN points 09 Feb 22
  1. Create a basic sentence checker that validates sentences based on specific rules like capitalization, punctuation, and spacing.
  2. The sentence must start with a capital letter, have proper lowercase letters, separators, and terminal marks, and contain single spaces between words.
  3. Validation criteria include starting with a capital, having proper case usage, correct punctuation, and spacing. The sentence must end with a terminal mark following a word.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 05 Jul 22
  1. Knowing when to sort your input is crucial in certain coding problems. The Chocolate Milk Rule helps in identifying when sorting can lead to the solution.
  2. The Chocolate Milk Rule works when the solutions can be filtered based on ordering and when solutions are generated from input subsets. It can be applied in various scenarios like 3 Sum, 2 Sum Sorted, and even Search.
  3. Sorting the input makes it easier to filter solutions based on their magnitude. This simplifies the process of finding solutions to coding problems.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 04 Jul 22
  1. The solution to complex problems often combines ideas from multiple domains, similar to how problem-solving in software engineering works.
  2. When faced with intimidating problems, remember that breaking them down into smaller components and using various techniques is key to finding the solution.
  3. Techniques used in math and coding interviews are often similar, such as using small test cases, analyzing functions, and reducing problems to previously solved cases.
Recommender systems 26 implied HN points 20 Jan 24
  1. Reducing selection bias and popularity bias in ranking is important for recommender systems.
  2. An advocated approach is to factorize user interaction signals to account for biases originating from power users and power items.
  3. The proposals for causal/debiased ranking involve factorization, mutual information, and mixture of logits to improve the ranking model.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 14 Jun 22
  1. The post discusses a list of questions to enhance your array problem-solving skills. It emphasizes coding each solution for beginners and mentally solving for advanced readers.
  2. There is a reminder to use a specific system to maximize learning from each question presented.
  3. The publication includes a special request to show support by completing a form to feature the newsletter on Substack.
Basta’s Notes 40 implied HN points 04 May 23
  1. Always validate the types of values your API accepts to prevent potential security vulnerabilities.
  2. Be cautious with regular expressions to avoid performance issues like ReDoS (Regular Expression Denial of Service).
  3. Check and handle subdomains and domain name validation to prevent unexpected bugs or failures in your application.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 08 Jun 22
  1. Analyzing inputs and breaking down problems into different cases can help in solving coding problems more effectively.
  2. Practicing the technique of case-by-case analysis can improve problem-solving skills, especially in software engineering and Leetcode questions.
  3. By breaking down complex problems into easier subproblems and solving them individually, one can pick low-hanging fruit, find clearer next steps, and get hints on solving harder cases.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 01 Jun 22
  1. Using bit fields can significantly reduce storage requirements for tracking user preferences. A technique by Vimeo engineers allowed O(1) space compared to the traditional O(k) method, making the solution far more efficient.
  2. Bit fields utilize bitwise operators to represent content filters, enabling quick comparisons in constant time. This approach is memory and time-efficient.
  3. Implementing bit fields for tracking user preferences allows for efficient filtering of content by performing a bitwise AND operation between the user's and video's bit fields. This results in a quick eligibility check for the user.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 26 May 22
  1. Identifying a 'celebrity' in a group where everyone knows them but they know no one involves a logic puzzle with time complexity considerations.
  2. A key to solving the 'celebrity' problem efficiently is using the 'knows' method and a strategy to identify the person in O(N) time.
  3. Engaging with the author's content can involve liking posts, participating in surveys, or supporting them via Substack features.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 13 May 22
  1. Identifying the pattern in graph problems can help simplify the solution - like finding adjacent letters in a grid.
  2. Using the correct graph traversal algorithm is crucial, like choosing DFS for visiting every node in a graph.
  3. Implementing backtracking in DFS can help efficiently solve problems - like removing unnecessary nodes for optimization.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 10 May 22
  1. Recurrence relations are crucial in Computer Science and Discrete Math, defining the basis of Time Complexity.
  2. Understanding recurrence relations makes it easier to analyze code efficiency and computational requirements.
  3. By practicing common functions like sorting, searching, and analyzing their recurrence behavior, you can easily compute time complexity.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 06 May 22
  1. Maximizing the area of a container with water involves maximizing both its width and height, which leads to utilizing a technique like Two Pointers for an optimized solution.
  2. For the container problem discussed, starting with two pointers at the ends and progressively moving them towards each other to increase width helps in filtering out low width and height combinations.
  3. A key optimization technique known as 'Artem's Rule' states that if a > b, then a > all numbers lesser than b, which can be a foundational concept for various interview problem optimizations.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 04 May 22
  1. The Single Responsibility Principle in software engineering emphasizes that classes and modules should have only one distinct responsibility. This helps in making code easier to maintain and understand.
  2. Implementing the Single Responsibility Principle can lead to benefits such as easier code changes, simplified debugging, and smoother testing processes.
  3. In coding interviews, applying Single Responsibility by breaking down complex problems into smaller, focused components can help in solving questions methodically and efficiently, boosting problem-solving abilities.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 29 Apr 22
  1. Practice the skills mentioned in your interviews frequently to make problem-solving easier.
  2. Understanding the properties of numbers like knowing how values affect the sum can help in solving coding problems effectively.
  3. Sorting the input array can be crucial in solving problems where solutions need to be filtered based on certain properties of the input.
Technology Made Simple 19 implied HN points 15 Dec 22
  1. The problem discussed involves generating random numbers based on given probabilities. For instance, if given numbers are [1, 2, 3, 4] and corresponding probabilities are [0.1, 0.5, 0.2, 0.2], the function should return 1 10% of the time, 2 50% of the time, and 3 and 4 20% of the time.
  2. The post includes information on job opportunities like a remote Machine Learning Engineer position and features a free weekly summary of AI and Machine Learning updates. There's also a call for sponsors for the newsletter.
  3. The textual content suggests subscribing to a resourceful newsletter for problem-solving tips and techniques in areas like Logic, Problem Solving, and Math. It also shares links to platforms where the author's content is available, such as YouTube and LinkedIn.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 22 Apr 22
  1. The problem involves identifying safe nodes in a directed graph, which are nodes where all paths lead to terminal nodes. These safe nodes cannot be part of a cycle.
  2. The algorithm for identifying safe nodes can utilize DFS (Depth First Search) to traverse the graph efficiently and detect cycles or terminal nodes.
  3. Traversing the graph step-by-step, checking if each node is safe based on its neighbors, and building the solution methodically is key to solving the problem effectively.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 21 Apr 22
  1. The problem discussed involves finding safe nodes in a directed graph where every path from the node leads to a terminal node. It's important to identify safe and terminal nodes in the graph.
  2. The solution to the problem should return an array of safe nodes sorted in ascending order. It's crucial to sort the output for easy analysis and comparison.
  3. By focusing on graph exploration techniques like reachability and cycle detection using DFS can help in solving similar problems efficiently. These techniques are essential for navigating through complex graphs.
Technology Made Simple 39 implied HN points 20 Apr 22
  1. Understanding recursion is crucial for coding at top tech companies, and it's a powerful concept in Computer Science.
  2. To improve at recursive programming, practice more recursion by solving specific types of questions such as sorting, list operations, and classic recursive functions.
  3. Getting exposure to Functional Programming can significantly enhance your recursive programming skills by encouraging a purely recursive way of thinking.