The hottest Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

May Progress Prizes and Updates to Tooling

Vesuvius Challenge • 9 implied HN points • 13 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The Vesuvius Challenge team is improving their tools for handling scroll data. They're making it easier for people to process large datasets without needing advanced tech skills.
  2. Philip Allgaier made significant updates to the VC3D tool, including fixing memory issues and making it easier to install and use. This will help users have a smoother experience.
  3. New features like freehand drawing and better options for data analysis have been added, which will boost productivity for those working with the VC3D tool.

In C++ We Rust

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. C++ is becoming less popular, with many developers focusing on newer languages like Rust and Python. It’s like learning a language that’s not used much anymore.
  2. The only people still learning C++ seem to be those interested in its history or looking to write books about it. Most developers just want to get their work done quickly.
  3. Having complete knowledge of C++ is seen as a bold claim nowadays, as many believe that there are more relevant skills to focus on in programming today.

Santa's Souped-Up MEGA65

Dan’s MEGA65 Digest • 22 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The MEGA65 community is thriving with exciting new projects and downloads, showcasing the talent and enthusiasm of its members.
  2. New tools like SidPlay65 and COPA65 enhance the music and text editing experience on the MEGA65, making it more fun and user-friendly.
  3. Projects such as full-color video demos and powerful file browsers show that innovation continues to grow in the MEGA65 ecosystem.

Low-Code Won’t Replace You | Camunda’s Bernd Ruecker

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Low-code tools help developers focus on more complex tasks instead of repetitive ones. They make it easier for non-tech users to build applications too.
  2. Understanding when to use low-code solutions versus custom coding is important. Each has its strengths, and using the right one can save time and effort.
  3. Despite the rise of low-code, experienced developers are still needed. The role of developers is evolving, but they won't be replaced anytime soon.

30 Days of Creative Programming

polymathematics • 19 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Creating something new every day can really boost your skills. It helps you learn and grow quickly.
  2. Setting a specific challenge pushes you to be more creative and disciplined. It makes you more productive in your work.
  3. Sharing your projects with others can inspire them too. It builds a community of learning and support.
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New IntelliJ Plugin for jDeploy

jDeploy Newsletter • 56 implied HN points • 01 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. New IntelliJ plugin for jDeploy simplifies creating desktop apps with automated releases on GitHub.
  2. Plugin creates project locally and sets up GitHub repo for easy downloading and installing of app.
  3. Integrates jDeploy GUI into IntelliJ IDE for convenient access to settings.

Attentional Blindness [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 22 May 22
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Inattentional blindness is when your mind filters out certain stimuli to focus on what it deems important.
  2. Biases like inattentional blindness can help you focus but also cause you to miss important connections and ideas.
  3. To counter attentional blindness, consider gaining diverse experiences, taking a step back, and pausing to reassess.

Why it is so damn hard to get approved for Meta Graph API

Graph API Explorers • 4 HN points • 31 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Getting approved for Meta Graph API can be extremely challenging, even for straightforward use cases, due to strict permissions and review processes.
  2. Understanding the complexity and legacy technical debt of Meta's Graph API can be a hurdle for developers, especially those without a background in Meta engineering.
  3. The API review process can be hindered by outsourced contractors with limited understanding, leading to scripted responses and unnecessary requirements.

A new chapter

Optimism (for the web) • 6 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. AI is changing how software is built, making it much faster, but it can also create confusion for beginners.
  2. Many new developers rely on AI tools without understanding how they actually work, leading to problems when those tools don't deliver results.
  3. There is a big need for better education on AI fundamentals so developers can succeed and solve their issues effectively.

Composition to the Rescue

FREST Substack • 17 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Current software systems are often too complex and difficult to modify, which makes them less user-friendly. We need simpler ways to build software that anyone can change easily.
  2. Many businesses often overcomplicate software development, focusing too much on rigid structures instead of creating flexible systems. Instead, we should aim for systems that work like Excel and FileMaker, where changes can be made swiftly.
  3. A new approach to software composition is needed, one that allows everyone to understand and manipulate tools. By focusing on natural relations and simple queries, we can create software that is accessible to all, not just a select few.

Defining Mock Data Using OpenAPI Overlays

The API Changelog • 6 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Mock data is important for making good API documentation and for testing. You can use random data or tools like Faker to make it look realistic.
  2. Adding too much mock data can make your API documents very large. Using overlays lets you keep the original API document clean while still providing examples.
  3. Overlays can add, change, or remove information in your API definition without affecting the main document. This way, you can customize it for different needs without causing issues for users.

Why the boring tech is the best for starting a startup

The Tech Bubble • 3 HN points • 25 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Consider using boring technologies for starting a startup as they are reliable and stable, having been tested by many companies.
  2. Stick with what you know when choosing a tech stack for an MVP to avoid inefficiencies from trying new tools.
  3. If you're not a developer, options for building a product include using no-code tools, paying for development, or partnering with a technical co-founder.

Goal versus Process

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 02 Oct 22
💼 Business Development
  1. Focusing on goals helps teams and users create better outcomes. It's important to understand what problem we're solving instead of just following a strict process.
  2. Being adaptable is key. Just like driving, we can make adjustments along the way, which leads to a more effective journey toward our goals.
  3. Users care more about reaching their goals quickly than about the steps involved. Designing with their goals in mind makes them happier and more productive.

All The DNA Sequencing Companies

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 17 Feb 25
🔬 Science Development
  1. There are many active DNA sequencing companies, and the list is always changing. Some companies that were once popular are now gone.
  2. Significantly, more DNA sequencing companies are now based in China than before. The landscape has shifted with around 15 out of 40 companies being Chinese.
  3. It's essential to stay updated about these companies as new ones emerge and old ones disappear. Sharing information can help keep track of these changes.

Today’s Top 5 HN posts

Top 5 HN Posts of the day • 2 HN points • 26 May 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Cloudflare took down a site demanding $120k within 24 hours - a shocking story that highlights issues with online service providers.
  2. Home Assistant is being used for protection against missile and drone attacks - showing the diverse applications of technology for security purposes.
  3. Hurl, an Exceptional Language, is a topic of interest on HackerNews - showcasing the community's curiosity about new programming languages and tools.

Should managers still code?

The Engineering Manager • 13 implied HN points • 28 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Managers should definitely be involved in the code, meaning they need to understand how their team's code works and participate in reviews. This helps them stay connected to the team's work.
  2. It's not always necessary for managers to write code themselves. They can focus on strategic tasks that only they can do while still being engaged with the technical side.
  3. When managers do want to write code, it should be in a structured way, like setting aside specific time for it or pairing with team members. This keeps the balance between management duties and coding.

Google's reasoning model, New open-source physics AI engine, Odyssey's Explorer, OmniAudio, AI phone calling, FACTS Leaderboard, Meta Apollo, Global Talent Network, Falcon 3, Veo 2,DeepSeek-VL2 & more

AI Brews • 17 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Google has launched a new reasoning model called Gemini Flash Thinking that shows its thoughts, making it better at reasoning. It has top scores on the Chatbot Arena leaderboard.
  2. There is a new open-source physics simulation platform called Genesis that can help with robotics and AI applications by creating detailed, dynamic worlds.
  3. Meta has introduced a family of models called Apollo that can efficiently process long videos, and other companies are also launching new AI tools for audio and video generation.

The Most Insane Week in The History of AI

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. This week, AI made some amazing advancements, surprising everyone with new possibilities. It shows how quickly technology is changing and evolving.
  2. Microsoft and Nuance launched a new AI tool for healthcare that automatically documents clinical notes. This tool utilizes the power of GPT-4 to make the process easier and more efficient.
  3. These developments highlight how AI is transforming industries and pushing the limits of what we can achieve with technology. It's an exciting time for innovation!

Maximize your coding productivity with ChatGPT using these tips

The Future of Life • 19 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Break down tasks into smaller steps to help ChatGPT understand better. It’s like taking one small bite at a time instead of a huge chunk.
  2. Keep past conversations handy so ChatGPT can give you better suggestions over time. It’s easier to work together when you both remember what’s been said.
  3. Always double-check the code ChatGPT gives you before using it. It might not always be perfect, so reviewing is important!

Salvador as a startup state

Gray Mirror • 57 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Development
  1. Creating a startup state in El Salvador involves rebooting the government with a new executive authority to transform the country efficiently.
  2. A maximal state model, like classical monarchism, is proposed for poorly governed countries to centralize and nationalize reforms.
  3. Utilizing concepts like turbocapitalism and microacceleration can rapidly advance sectors like coffee, tourism, pest control, and medical research in El Salvador.

Elaboration of the PostgreSQL sort cost model

Conserving CPU's cycles ... • 1 HN point • 01 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Column order matters in the PostgreSQL sort cost model, impacting execution time significantly. Choosing the optimal order of sorting columns can vastly affect computational efforts.
  2. Proposed modifications to the cost model aim to consider the number of columns in the sorting tuple and the number of duplicates, providing additional tools for query plan optimization.
  3. Adjusting the PostgreSQL optimizer's cost model involves balancing costs for various operations, taking into account factors like extended statistics, column order, and the complexity of sorting.

The Startup CTO's Handbook | Zach Goldberg

Dev Interrupted • 37 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The core sections of The Startup CTO's Handbook include Management Fundamentals, Technical Leadership Concepts, and Hard Technology Decisions.
  2. Conducting career history interviews when hiring can reveal a candidate's mindset and how they handle challenges.
  3. Engineering leaders can stay technically relevant by reviewing pull requests and taking courses, even when not coding regularly.

The 2FA app that tells you when you get `012345`

Jacob’s Tech Tavern • 35 HN points • 19 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The app's creator derived inspiration for the 2FA app from spotting interesting patterns in the codes, like counting sequences and repeated numerical patterns.
  2. The concept was proven through a proof of concept demonstrating local code generation and push notifications for rare interesting codes.
  3. The app development process included tackling challenges like storing multiple 2FA accounts securely, implementing interestingness features, and improving performance with optimized processing tasks and notifications.

Under the microscope: Iron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal

Rings of Saturn • 14 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The game Iron Man / X-O Manowar for Saturn has cheat codes that can give players cool powers, like invincibility and unlimited weapons.
  2. There are special sequences you can enter when the game is paused to unlock fun features, like showing the development team photo or making Iron Man tiny.
  3. Players can also access a cheat menu that lets them skip levels and change their character, making the game more exciting.

The Cobus Quadrant™ Of Conversation Design Capabilities

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Conversation design focuses on creating the flow of dialogue between users and AI. It’s about defining how users interact and how responses are managed.
  2. Different AI platforms offer unique features for conversation design, like dialog flow management or visual design tools. Some tools are easier to use while others provide more advanced capabilities.
  3. Keeping the user experience in mind is crucial for successful conversation design. Understanding what the user needs helps to create smoother and more effective interactions.

Episode 37: Better Built By Burkhard

burkhardstubert • 19 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Choosing the wrong hardware, like an outdated HMI terminal, can lead to costly delays and complications in projects. It's important to think carefully before making these choices.
  2. Sticking with old software can create big problems. It can require more workarounds and ultimately slow down production, affecting overall business performance.
  3. Investing a bit more money upfront in quality hardware and software can save a lot of time and money in the long run. Planning ahead leads to easier work later.

Me vs Unity and Microsoft

Kevin’s Substack • 3 HN points • 15 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Creating software can come with unexpected challenges, even when using popular tools like Unity and Microsoft.
  2. Unity's rules against uploading executables can lead to complexities and rejection when trying to submit software to their platform.
  3. Dealing with antivirus software like Windows Defender can pose significant hurdles, impacting the distribution and acceptance of software products.

Saturday 25th March, 2022 - Aftermath

Mark Smith’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 25 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. The newsletter focuses on web development links and tech content instead of finance.
  2. Updates to the static site generator involve a new plugin and recursive plugin nesting for simplification.
  3. Various podcast and link recommendations cover topics like podcast apps, clean energy transition, and AI art protection.

Anthropic's Claude Code has a High Ceiling

Machine Economy Press • 9 implied HN points • 25 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Claude Code is a powerful new tool that helps developers code faster by understanding their code and assisting with tasks like fixing bugs and managing version control.
  2. The latest updates to Claude, especially version 3.7, enhance its ability to handle complex coding tasks efficiently, making it a valuable asset for startups looking to scale quickly.
  3. With strong backing and advanced features, Anthropic's Claude Code is likely to lead in the AI coding space, offering a reliable alternative to other existing tools.

Pascal: The language that almost took over the world part 2

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Pascal programs have a structured format with specific sections for constants, types, and variables.
  2. Free Pascal supports multiple dialects which can be specified using mode directives like OBJFPC and DELPHI.
  3. In Pascal, functions and procedures are declared with keywords like constructor, function, and procedure, and variables are prefixed with T and F.

Three percent more Monaco: Links in Progress, infrastructure edition

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. A new airport opened in Nuuk, Greenland, making it easier for larger planes to land and boosting travel from locations like New Jersey.
  2. Vietnam is planning an impressive high-speed rail line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which will cost around $67 billion and open in 2035.
  3. Monaco is expanding its land area by reclaiming land from the sea to build a new district, highlighting its ambition to develop upscale real estate.

Resolving Mac Appstore rejections due to deprecation

jDeploy Newsletter • 28 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Be mindful of using non-public or deprecated APIs when developing Mac Appstore applications as it can lead to rejections.
  2. One way to fix dependencies on deprecated APIs is by building and inserting a custom version of the deprecated framework into the app bundle.
  3. Changing bundle IDs when necessary and updating dependencies in dynamic libraries using tools like install_name_tool can help in resolving issues and getting the updated version accepted on the Mac Appstore.

CQ4DS - Python project from scratch with poetry, black, ruff, pytest, pre-commit-hooks and GitHub Actions in 15 minute tops

Laszlo’s Newsletter • 43 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Data scientists benefit from automating project setup for better workflow convenience.
  2. Tools like Poetry, Black, Ruff, pytest, pre-commit-hooks, and GitHub Actions can be set up in just 15 minutes for long-term project benefits.
  3. Setting up version control, testing, automation, and remote deployment are crucial for a well-structured Python project.

Do you Really Want to Be a Development Team Leader?

kelsey’s Substack • 2 HN points • 16 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Development
  1. Consider the responsibilities and changes in work-life balance when transitioning from a developer to a development team leader.
  2. As a development team leader, tasks like coding, documentation, meetings, communications, delegation, and mentoring become essential parts of the role.
  3. Having strong communication skills, enjoying the responsibility of delivering solutions, and being involved in the entire software development life cycle are crucial qualities for success as a development team leader.

The Evolution of MCP

The API Changelog • 3 implied HN points • 31 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Development
  1. MCP, or Model Context Protocol, aims to standardize communication between large language models (LLMs) and external APIs, making it easier to integrate them without worrying about the technical details of the LLM itself.
  2. MCP exposes three key components: tools for executing actions, resources for accessing data, and prompts for guiding model interactions, which all help improve the usefulness of LLMs.
  3. The future of MCP includes better documentation, enhanced security features, and the ability for LLMs to dynamically discover MCP servers, all aimed at making it more user-friendly and effective.