The hottest Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Why Companies Become Stuck In Bad Coding Loops—And How To Escape Them

Wisdom over Waves • 219 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Software Coding Tech industry Development Innovation
  1. Companies can get stuck in bad coding loops due to shortcuts taken to meet deadlines and lack of focus on code fitness, leading to slow progress and accumulation of bad-quality code
  2. Two loops of bad coding involve creating technical debt with more code and lowering hiring bar due to pressure, resulting in slower progress and accumulation of bad code practices
  3. To break out of these loops, companies can freeze code hotspots, raise hiring bar, upskill developers, and reduce technical debt through mission-critical task forces

Breaking the Screenplay

Development Hell • 236 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
📚 Literature Writing Development Stories
  1. Rules in screenwriting can be flexible and breaking them can lead to creative breakthroughs.
  2. Working on personal projects without external pressure can allow for creative experimentation.
  3. Challenges and frustrations can sometimes lead to unexpected opportunities and new directions.
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Under the microscope: Iron Man / X-O Manowar in Heavy Metal

Rings of Saturn • 14 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Software Development Cheat Codes Game design
  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.

Extending the demo: The House of the Dead

Rings of Saturn • 29 implied HN points • 31 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Software Development Hardware
  1. The House of the Dead demo lets you play part of the first chapter, but there's a way to patch it to access more content.
  2. Playing the patched demo reveals differences between it and the final game, such as graphics and enemy designs.
  3. With some coding tricks, you can also get infinite health and access menu options in the demo, making gameplay more fun.

The Fastest Way to Run a Typescript Script, with Flags

Jake [Building in NYC] • 59 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Software Programming Development Web Tools Open Source
  1. Bun is a simple tool for running Typescript scripts directly, making the process easy.
  2. You can add runtime flags to your scripts using the 'arg' package, allowing for inputs when the script runs.
  3. The setup involves creating a project directory, installing Bun and 'arg', and then running your code easily with flags.

🤖 I Built a Customizable Chat-GPT Bot. Here’s How to Build Your Own (with screenshots)

Michael’s Newsletter • 216 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🕹 Technology AI Chatbot Development Deployment UI
  1. The AI chatbot can be customized by uploading PDF documents with custom context for different use-cases
  2. The process involves copying OpenAI API key, uploading PDF files, and inputting questions
  3. The app uses Python Flask server, Heroku for deployment, and Bubble as a no-code UI for building the chatbot

LLM Disruption in Chatbot Development Frameworks

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 05 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI Chatbots Natural Language Programming Development
  1. Large Language Models (LLMs) make chatbots act more like humans, making it easier for developers to create smart bots.
  2. Using LLMs reduces the need for complex programming rules, allowing for quicker chatbot setup for different uses.
  3. Despite the benefits, there are still challenges, like keeping chatbots stable and predictable as they become more advanced.

Embarking on the Product Management Journey: Product Research and Discovery

Product Power by Samet Ozkale • 196 implied HN points • 19 Oct 23
💼 Business Product Management Research Innovation Development Framework
  1. Product managers can find ideas through user interviews, trend analysis, personal experiences, and input from internal stakeholders.
  2. Criteria for pursuing an idea include satisfying a need, having a unique selling point, being profitable and in demand, and creating value.
  3. Utilizing the Double Diamond framework can guide product discovery and development by focusing on understanding problems before jumping into solutions.

Nicoll 1 - (2.) Letter to Mr. Bush [1.b] - p.4-8

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 99 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Teachings Development Personality
  1. Religion focuses on developing essence after personality has been formed, aiming for a passive personality so essence can grow.
  2. Man's development involves three stages: first education through life experiences, formation of personality, and making personality passive for essence growth.
  3. Understanding the significance of essence and personality helps in recognizing the different influences in life and the potential for further development.

LLM Renderman

Sunday Letters • 59 implied HN points • 07 Apr 24
🕹 Technology AI Graphics Industry Development Innovation
  1. The early days of CGI faced many challenges, like high costs and limited realism, similar to current struggles in AI development.
  2. Just like CGI evolved to become seamless in movies, AI technology is expected to improve and become a normal part of our lives over time.
  3. Even if some early attempts in AI look flawed, progress is being made, and future innovations will likely succeed where the past struggled.

Remember how Ethereum was supposed to be the 'World Computer'?

Bram’s Thoughts • 196 implied HN points • 05 May 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain Cryptocurrency Development Security Decentralization
  1. Ethereum's 'World Computer' idea with infinite on-chain scaling was never practical.
  2. Current Ethereum performance is lacking due to the limitations of Solidity and EVM.
  3. Ethereum development focuses more on exciting projects rather than addressing critical issues like security vulnerabilities in Solidity.

All Feedback is Projection

The Leadership Lab • 196 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🚌 Education Feedback Leadership Growth Learning Development
  1. Feedback is projection: Feedback you give others reflects aspects of yourself. What you judge in others can reveal your own traits.
  2. New paradigm of feedback: Move away from the old feedback model based on objective truth. Embrace the idea that feedback is a story and an opinion.
  3. Learning from feedback: By asking how feedback is true about yourself, you open up growth opportunities and deepen connections with others.

LangGraph Cloud

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Development Cloud Computing NLP
  1. LangGraph Cloud is a new service that helps developers easily deploy and manage their LangGraph applications online.
  2. Agent applications can handle complex tasks automatically and use large language models to work efficiently, but they face challenges like high costs and the need for better control.
  3. LangGraph Studio provides a visual way to see how code flows in applications, helping users understand and debug their work without changing any code.

Politburo Study Session on new productive forces 新质生产力; Xi and baozi; Security and development; Spring Festival travel weather worries

Sinocism • 98 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Xi Jinping Security Development Weather
  1. Xi Jinping has discussed the importance of new productive forces in Marxist theory
  2. The Politburo Study Session focused on developing new productive forces
  3. Emphasis on promoting high-quality development for strengthening the country and rejuvenating the nation

Python Lists: A closer look, part 11

Mostly Python • 628 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming Data Management Development Python Classes
  1. Copying a list in Python can lead to unexpected behavior if the items in the list are mutable objects.
  2. To create a true copy of a list with mutable objects, use the deepcopy() function from the copy module.
  3. When working with Python lists, consider the nature of the items in the list to decide between using list[:], list.copy(), or deepcopy().

OpenAI Dev Day

Bojan’s Newsletter • 157 implied HN points • 15 Nov 23
🕹 Technology AI API Models Development Future Tech
  1. Key announcements at OpenAI Dev Day included GPT4 Turbo, GPT Store launch, ChatGPT API introduction, new Text-to-speech API, DALL-E 3 API, Whisper 3 unveil, and Copyright Shield.
  2. Developers can create and customize GPTs for specific use cases easily.
  3. OpenAI emphasized gradual AI model advancements and the transformative impact AI will have on various industries in the near future.

Can AI Speed up your Code?

Daniel’s Substack • 3 HN points • 03 Sep 24
🕹 Technology AI Software Programming Development Performance
  1. AI can write a lot of code quickly, but it often makes mistakes. So, it's not ready to fully replace human programmers yet.
  2. Converting Python code to C++ can make it run much faster, especially for tasks that involve heavy string processing.
  3. While AI can assist in code conversion, current tools have limitations and sometimes struggle with complex functions.

A Short History Of Chatbots

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 39 implied HN points • 09 May 24
🕹 Technology AI Chatbots Natural Language Machine Learning Development
  1. Chatbots have changed a lot over time, starting as simple rule-based systems and moving to advanced AI models that can understand context and user intent.
  2. Early chatbots used basic pattern recognition to respond to user questions, but this method was limited and often resulted in repetitive and predictable answers.
  3. Now, modern chatbots utilize natural language understanding and machine learning to provide more dynamic and relevant responses, making them better at handling various conversations.

Swift Tooling: Windows Edition

Speaking in Swift by The Browser Company • 166 HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Development Tooling IDE Debugging Extensions
  1. Swift development on Windows is productive and ready for industry use, with a mature environment for writing code and continuous improvements to the developer experience.
  2. Visual Studio Code is the preferred development environment, offering essential features like building, debugging, auto-complete, error reporting, and more for Swift programming on Windows.
  3. Swift developers on Windows have access to a range of tools like SPM, CMake, LLDB, and Windows-specific debugging tools like WinDbg and Windows Performance Analyzer for efficient building, testing, and debugging of Swift code.

Visual Studio Setup For Unreal Engine 5

Load-bearing Tomato • 2 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Development Gaming Programming Tools
  1. To compile Unreal Engine 5 from source, you need the right version of Visual Studio. The recommended version is 17.6.
  2. Make sure to select specific options in the Visual Studio installer for proper setup. This will help you avoid issues during the compilation.
  3. If you run into problems, it’s likely because the official documentation isn't detailed enough about setups like yours. Following these steps can simplify the process.

False Dichotomies and Overemphasizing Open Source Security

Resilient Cyber • 239 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Software Security Open Source Development
  1. There's a lot of focus on securing open source software, but it's important not to ignore the risks in proprietary software too. Both types of software can have serious security issues.
  2. Most code in applications is actually custom code, not open source, which means organizations should pay more attention to their own code for vulnerabilities. Just scanning for problems in open source might not solve the main issues.
  3. Finding a balance between securing open source and proprietary software is key. We need to focus on the right vulnerabilities and not overload developers with unnecessary work.

Let's get rid of security reviews

Frankly Speaking • 254 implied HN points • 16 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Security Development Software Engineering
  1. The current security review process is outdated and not aligned with modern development practices.
  2. Implementing efficient and effective security measures may involve integrating software engineers with security teams.
  3. Scaling security efforts requires a rethink of traditional security review processes towards more collaborative and contextual approaches.

The Joy of Literate Programming

Rethinking Software • 99 implied HN points • 02 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Documentation Development Coding
  1. Literate programming is a fun way to write and document code. It's like mixing storytelling with coding, making the process more enjoyable.
  2. Using tools like Organic Markdown, you can easily manage and run code alongside your documentation in a Markdown editor. It helps keep everything organized and readable.
  3. This programming style allows for creative flexibility, like rearranging sections of code for better clarity and using command outputs as if they were code. It feels almost magical!

Developer Experience: Cracking The Code For Peak Productivity

Wisdom over Waves • 39 implied HN points • 20 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Software Development Feedback
  1. Achieving a flow state is crucial for peak productivity. Minimizing interruptions like emails, popups and delays helps maintain focus and enhance performance.
  2. Reducing cognitive load is essential. Providing clear domain knowledge and simplifying technical aspects contribute to better understanding and productivity.
  3. Establishing a fast feedback loop is key. Faster identification of issues, learning from failures, and making data-driven decisions lead to better performance and quality.

Understanding Why so Many, Many False Starts in Sub-Saharan Africa...

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 153 implied HN points • 17 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Africa Government Leadership Reform Development
  1. Sub-Saharan Africa faces challenges in creating successful governance systems that align with the population's needs and aspirations.
  2. Building functional and enduring states in sub-Saharan Africa may require reimagining the government structure from the ground up through inclusive conversations within communities.
  3. The ideal government model could be one that focuses on efficient administration and coordinates production processes, as seen in countries like Denmark and Singapore.

Daily bit(e) of C++ | Hardened mode of standard library implementations

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 78 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Security Debugging
  1. Dealing with assumptions in programming can be risky, especially in C++ where a violated assumption can lead to undefined behavior.
  2. Proper engineering practices like good unit test coverage and sanitizers can help catch bugs, but sanitizers may not detect all issues, particularly at the library level.
  3. Using the hardened mode of standard library implementations like stdlibc++ and libc++ can provide safety features against specific attacks and checks without affecting ABI, enhancing development experience.

Getting to the Root of Engineering Improvement with DORA Core

Dev Interrupted • 177 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Development Research Data Analysis Continuous Improvement
  1. DORA Core offers a concise framework of capabilities, metrics, and outcomes to help teams apply research findings.
  2. DORA constantly updates its methodology to keep pace with technological changes and evolving practices.
  3. The DORA Core model shows how capabilities predict performance, which then predicts outcomes, aiding in continuous improvement efforts.

Prospero Pascal for the Atari ST

Goto 10: The Newsletter for Atari Enthusiasts • 78 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Hardware Tools
  1. Prospero Software made compilers for Atari ST and other systems like Sinclair QL and OS/2.
  2. Prospero Pascal was an extensive system with manuals totaling 718 pages, making it one of the most detailed ST development tools.
  3. The integration capability of Prospero compilers allowed for sharing libraries between Prospero Pascal, C, and Fortran, giving a unique advantage in the market.