The hottest Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Nobody Should Write ETL

Data People Etc. • 231 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Consider shifting away from manual ETL processes towards automated solutions.
  2. End-to-end ownership can lead to duplication and inefficiency in data workflows.
  3. Asset-aware orchestration can offer a more efficient and automated approach to managing data pipelines.

Sometimes complicated is clearer

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Complicated things can sometimes be clearer than simple ones. It can help to look at details closely. It's okay to dive deeper to understand better.
  2. Taking screenshots at different intervals can help document changes over time. This can be useful for tracking progress or capturing important moments.
  3. Support from readers can help content creators keep producing work. Subscribing, whether free or paid, can make a difference.

What Is LangChain Expression Language (LCEL)?

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. LangChain Expression Language (LCEL) helps build applications using large language models. It simplifies the process of creating apps by breaking down components into a clear sequence.
  2. LCEL combines pro-code and low-code approaches, making it easier for developers to create reusable pieces of code. This can save time and help manage complexity in applications.
  3. With LCEL, you can run operations like invoking and batching in a structured way. This makes it easier to manage how different parts of an application work together.

When AI Promises Speed but Delivers Debugging Hell

Nick Savage • 40 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Codescribble is a new shared text editor that lets multiple people work on the same document at once. It's designed to be fast and easy to use, similar to Google Docs.
  2. Using AI to help build software can be frustrating and messy, especially if you don’t fully understand how it works. This can lead to a lot of debugging and wasted time.
  3. It's crucial to keep a broader perspective while coding. Getting too focused on small tasks can lead to mistakes and delays, so step back and see the bigger picture.
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sqlmesh test

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Unit tests and data tests are different. Unit tests check if a function works right with set inputs, while data tests check if the data meets certain conditions.
  2. Running tests locally can save costs and speed things up. If you test your code on your own machine, you don’t have to pay for the cloud data warehouse until you’re ready.
  3. Creating external models in sqlmesh can be automated, making it easier to document source tables. You just run a command to generate the necessary files instead of doing it manually.

Breaking and Non-Breaking Changes

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. When making changes to data models, it's important to identify if they are breaking or non-breaking changes. Breaking changes affect downstream models, while non-breaking changes do not.
  2. SQLMesh automatically analyzes changes to understand their impact on other models. This helps developers avoid manual tracking and reduces the chances of errors.
  3. New features in SQLMesh will allow for more precise tracking of changes at the column level. This means less unnecessary work when something minor is modified.

Walking Taipei (part 1)

intellectualinting • 230 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🏝 Travel Development
  1. Taipei is a compact city with efficient land use and tall buildings.
  2. Taipei has transformed from a low development level to a major player in manufacturing.
  3. The city serves as a hub for producing a wide range of goods essential for global living.

Saturn RPG hacking roundup: Grandia Digital Museum, Samurai Spirits Bushido Retsuden, & Marica: The Real World

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Games like Grandia Digital Museum have hidden debug modes that let players access special features. You can enable these modes by changing settings in the game's files.
  2. Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushido Retsuden allows players to activate a debug menu with a patch. This lets them test backgrounds and other game elements easily.
  3. In Marica: Shinjitsu no Sekai, players can unlock a debug screen using a specific cheat code. This screen offers more control and allows visiting different game locations.

Google DeepMind's AI playbook for engineering at hyperspeed | Philipp Schmid

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. AI is changing how engineers work and learn. It's making it easier for new people to start coding and improving team collaboration.
  2. Using AI tools effectively requires continuous learning and adapting. Engineers should stay open-minded and embrace new technology to thrive.
  3. There's still a gap between what leaders expect from AI and what developers actually experience. Just adding AI doesn't guarantee better productivity, so thoughtful integration is key.

Gloves Off

The Radar • 19 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
💼 Business Development
  1. Old ideas and worn-out concepts in talent management must be identified and discarded to allow for genuine progress.
  2. Binary labels like 'hard skills vs soft skills' and 'introvert vs extrovert' are misleading and can hinder accurate talent assessment.
  3. The concept of 'high potential candidate' often introduces bias and leads to poor decision-making, hindering talent development and organizational growth.

What's the next development model?

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 25 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. We’ve seen different development models evolve with technology, like mainframes and mobile, and now we are seeing a shift with AI. Each model has changed how we program and solve problems.
  2. AI brings new challenges in terms of monitoring and managing open-ended behavior in applications. We need to figure out new ways to ensure our AI tools act appropriately and are tested well.
  3. The future of development might see 'codeless' programming, where AI tools can manage coding tasks and teams focus more on their intentions. This could completely transform how we approach software development.

Frontend as part of the engineering culture

Sergiy’s Substack • 4 HN points • 07 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Frontend engineering should be treated as a first-class citizen within organizations, with equal importance and attention given to both design and performance.
  2. Interview processes for frontend roles should focus on problem-solving skills relevant to the job, rather than algorithm memorization.
  3. Maintain a balanced leadership focus on both frontend and backend, communicate the importance of frontend work, and provide resources for learning and appreciation of frontend development.

6 Technologies you Should Know as a Software Engineer in 2023

Implementing • 19 implied HN points • 18 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Importance of continuous learning in the field of web development, especially in mastering foundational concepts like math and computer science.
  2. Key technologies like Docker, Node.js, Git, Elasticsearch, Redis, and React are essential for developers to learn for successful software engineering in 2024.
  3. Utilizing online resources like free YouTube videos, paid courses on platforms like Udemy, and official documentation can assist in gaining proficiency in various technologies.

AI-Native UGC Game Engine, Reasoning VLMs, Kyutai TTS, Collective Intelligence for Frontier AI, pay per crawl, String by Pipedream, Qwen VLo, Ovis-U1-3B, Context Engineering and more

AI Brews • 15 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. A new game engine called Mirage allows players to create and interact with game worlds using AI in real-time. This means players can change the game as they go, making it more dynamic and engaging.
  2. Cloudflare has introduced a new feature called 'pay per crawl' that gives content creators control over how AI accesses their content. This allows them to charge for access or restrict it as they see fit.
  3. Several companies have released advanced AI models, including new text-to-speech technology that works with low latency and open-source models that improve image and language understanding.

The rainbow of disgust and joy

Sunday Letters • 119 implied HN points • 15 May 22
🕹 Technology Development
  1. When working on code, it's common to feel frustrated with the design. It's important to remember that things often need to move quickly to stay competitive.
  2. Finding a balance between speed and maintaining good code is key. Being too perfect can be as problematic as moving too fast.
  3. Emotions about your code can help gauge your progress. Being slightly embarrassed yet moving fast usually leads to better outcomes.

Papercuts: The little fixes that made a big difference at GitHub

Kathy PM • 28 implied HN points • 14 Mar 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Fixing small annoyances in a product can really boost user satisfaction. These little updates can make using the product feel much smoother and more enjoyable.
  2. Keeping a steady flow of updates builds excitement among users. When they see continuous improvements, it motivates them to share more feedback and helps create a positive cycle.
  3. It's important to communicate the changes you're making. Sharing updates on what has been fixed shows users that their concerns are being heard and addressed.

Streamlining Your Database Management: Setting Up PostgreSQL with Docker and pgAdmin

DataSketch’s Substack • 1 HN point • 03 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. PostgreSQL is a great choice for databases because it's reliable, flexible, and open-source. Its advanced features make it suitable for various projects.
  2. Using Docker makes managing PostgreSQL easier by providing isolation, portability, and quick setup. This allows you to run the database without conflicts and move it easily between environments.
  3. pgAdmin is a useful tool for managing PostgreSQL databases. Running it in Docker alongside PostgreSQL gives you a flexible way to interact with your database through a web browser.

Extending the demo: SoulCalibur (Dreamcast)

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 21 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The _SoulCalibur_ demo limits you to two characters and one mode, but a patch can unlock more characters and modes.
  2. This demo is an earlier version of the game, allowing players to explore new features not available in the final release.
  3. Some aspects of the game, like certain modes and features, may crash or behave differently compared to the full game.

The Otonomist - March 2023 Issue

The Otonomist • 59 implied HN points • 31 Mar 23
🔮 Crypto Development
  1. The newsletter discusses options for banking your crypto company, including a new UAE base in Dubai.
  2. Crypto businesses face challenges in opening and maintaining fiat bank accounts due to various factors like government actions and regulations.
  3. OtoCo announces a new entity creation workflow with revised pricing and the launch of a Swiss Association, aiming to provide instant legal containers for entities and DAOs.

The Greenfield Project Trap

Alex Ghiculescu's Newsletter • 169 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Working on greenfield projects may not be as great as perceived because they lack real challenges.
  2. Legacy code and requirements are what make software development interesting and ignoring them can lead to project failure.
  3. Seek out technical challenges that come with real constraints, as they create value for customers and are opportunities for growth.

📝 Guest Post: Evaluating LLM Applications*

TheSequence • 91 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Traditional software development practices like automation and testing suites are valuable when evaluating Large Language Models (LLMs) for AI applications.
  2. Different types of evaluations, including judgment return types and sources, are important for assessing LLMs effectively.
  3. A robust evaluation process for LLM applications involves interactive, batch offline, and monitoring online stages to support rapid iteration cycles and performance improvements.

Faire automates 3,000 reviews each week with AI code review tool

Engineering Enablement • 10 implied HN points • 13 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. AI can improve the code review process by providing instant feedback on pull requests. This helps developers focus on more complex tasks instead of getting bogged down by minor nitpicks.
  2. Building a custom AI solution, like Fairey's code review agent, can lead to better results than using off-the-shelf tools. It's important to tailor the AI to the specific needs of the organization for maximum effectiveness.
  3. Starting to implement AI solutions as soon as possible can bring significant benefits. Even small, connected tools can create big wins for development teams.

Asking the dumb questions

Sunday Letters • 159 implied HN points • 08 Nov 21
🚌 Education Development
  1. When you're new to a situation, it's good to watch and listen first. This helps you learn more about what's going on.
  2. Asking 'dumb' questions can be really powerful. They often bring up thoughts that others on the team might be too shy to voice.
  3. Encouraging new team members to ask questions keeps the team flexible and open to change. Celebrating these questions can help everyone grow.

Don't use functional programming languages

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Functional programming languages can be slow and may not match your thinking style. It's better to use a language that feels natural to you.
  2. Python has a lot of library support and community help, making it easier to find solutions and resources.
  3. While functional programming concepts like map and filter are useful, you can learn them without relying on functional programming languages.

Measuring engineering productivity in the AI era

Engineering Enablement • 11 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. To measure AI's impact on engineering, organizations should focus on three main areas: how much the tools are used, the improvements they bring, and the costs involved. This helps get a full view of AI's value in their processes.
  2. Ensuring code quality in AI-generated work is key. Teams should look at metrics like change failure rates and developer satisfaction to see how AI affects code over time.
  3. Collecting data about AI's use can be done through tracking tool usage, periodic surveys, and quick questions during work. This mixed approach gives a well-rounded picture of AI's role in development.

jDeploy vs jpackage

jDeploy Newsletter • 84 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. jpackage is an official tool for bundling Java apps, dependent on platform tools, and useful for creating app bundles for Mac, Windows, or Linux with embedded Java runtime.
  2. jDeploy is an open source tool that can build and deploy app bundles for all platforms from any platform, offering a smaller app bundle size, auto updates, and deployment through GitHub or npm.
  3. Use jpackage for app store distributions, while jDeploy is great for easy deployment, auto-updates, and quick distribution of internal utilities or PoC apps.

Log invalid values

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Logging invalid values helps in debugging and understanding errors better. By including the actual value in the log, you can see what went wrong.
  2. Using clear and structured logging formats, like JSON, makes it easier to extract useful information later. This can save time and make troubleshooting smoother.
  3. Fast programming techniques and commands can enhance your workflow, letting you focus on coding efficiently rather than getting stuck on minor issues.

OpenAI’s Diwali Week

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 13 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. OpenAI launched GPT-4 Turbo, which can read and understand a lot of text at once—up to 300 pages. This makes it much stronger for handling large amounts of information.
  2. The launch event included a marketing collaboration with Coca-Cola, showing how OpenAI is connecting with big brands.
  3. OpenAI introduced new open source models and tools, aiming to improve its offerings and compete better in the AI market.

How to crush your Daily Standups[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 12 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Give detailed updates in your daily standups, including your decision-making process, collaborators, important information, and technical details.
  2. Involve more stakeholders by discussing how your work impacts others, inviting collaboration for better projects.
  3. Understand and express the 'why' behind your tasks, which provides context for creating thorough solutions and requires knowledge of both Computer Science and project economics.

The Mathematical Capabilities of ChatGPT.

Deep-Tech Newsletter • 39 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Recently published research suggests that ChatGPT's mathematical abilities are below those of an average mathematics graduate student.
  2. There is skepticism that large language models like ChatGPT will lead to Artificial General Intelligence due to their poor mathematical reasoning performance.
  3. ChatGPT has been subject to criticisms and shortcomings, with some considering it less innovative and revolutionary compared to expectations.

The Tech Buffet #11: Ruff - A Blazing Fast Linter and Code Formatter For Python

The Tech Buffet • 19 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Ruff is a Python linter and formatter that is much faster than other tools, making it great for big projects. It can speed up how developers work on their code.
  2. It works well with modern Python and supports a lot of rules, which helps keep code consistent and error-free. Plus, it can fix issues by itself.
  3. Ruff is easy to install and use, and you can set it up with your project settings. If you want a better coding experience, Ruff is a tool to consider.

Technically Monthly (July 2025)

Technically • 12 implied HN points • 02 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. AI models are evolving to think and reason more like humans. This change could make them more useful for complex tasks, beyond just predicting words.
  2. Code reviews can slow down development significantly. Understanding their impact might help teams find ways to speed up this process.
  3. Multi-tenant architecture lets multiple customers share the same server resources. This can make services cheaper and easier to manage.

Mercury chat diffusion LLM, Gemini CLI, Magenta RT, Hunyuan-A13B, Multimodal Reflection, OmniGen2, Matrix-Game, Warp 2.0, Anthropic's Desktop Extensions, Hailuo & HeyGen's video agents and more

AI Brews • 12 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Mercury is a new chat-focused AI model that is really fast and works well, just like other top models. This makes it a great choice for users who want quick responses.
  2. Many companies are releasing new AI tools that can do things like edit photos and generate text or images. These tools are making it easier and cheaper to create high-quality content.
  3. There's a focus on building interactive AI apps that let users easily create and run AI projects without needing to manage complex setups. This opens up more possibilities for creativity and automation.

Abundance mindset (not LinkedIn cringe)

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. An abundance mindset helps you think creatively and work faster by focusing on possibilities instead of limitations. It's about believing that resources, like time and tech, are plentiful.
  2. A scarcity mindset can slow you down and lead to poor decisions, like overcomplicating simple tasks. Thinking that everything is limited makes you hesitant to create and innovate.
  3. In today's tech world, many resources are cheap and accessible. With advancements like AI, we can keep creating without worrying too much about waste or pollution.

The short outburst of activity during Ruby Changelog preparation—2025 edition

zverok on lucid code • 28 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Ruby releases a new version every year on December 25th. This has been consistent since 2013, which makes it easier for developers to plan their updates.
  2. A changelog is created that details all the noteworthy changes in the Ruby language. This includes explanations and examples to help developers understand the updates better.
  3. The changelog process helps improve Ruby's documentation and sometimes identifies issues that need to be fixed before the new version is released.