The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Demystifying GPU Compute Software

The Chip Letter • 6577 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Computing Programming Hardware Frameworks Development
  1. GPU software ecosystems are crucial and as important as the GPU hardware itself.
  2. Programming GPUs requires specific tools like CUDA, ROCm, OpenCL, SYCL, and oneAPI, as they are different from CPUs and need special support from hardware vendors.
  3. The effectiveness of GPU programming tools is highly dependent on support from hardware vendors due to the complexity and rapid changes in GPU architectures.

My Journey into Personal Computer Software Development in 1983

Farrs’s Substack • 125 HN points • 20 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Management Bug Fixing
  1. Personal Computers were gaining popularity in 1983, despite being considered toys by some programmers, and had promising applications developed for them.
  2. Taking a risk to work in Personal Computer Software Development led to a successful job offer and opportunity to solve a challenging memory limitation issue.
  3. Facing skepticism and disrespect at the company, the individual showcased exceptional bug-solving abilities, but ultimately chose to leave due to being labeled unfairly.

Take on the Kubernetes Resume Challenge

Cloud Irregular • 3104 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Programming Training Community
  1. The Cloud Resume Challenge community is launching a Kubernetes Challenge throughout March to help individuals build their Kubernetes skills by deploying a basic e-commerce website.
  2. The challenge focuses on learning the operations of a K8s cluster such as configuration, scaling, monitoring, and persistence, offering guidance to prevent going off track.
  3. Participants will work through the challenge together over 4 weeks in the CRC Discord server, with special incentives for those who complete it.

Redis and Python: 20% of effort, 80% of effects

Bite code! • 1467 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Python Database Programming Web Development
  1. Redis is a powerful companion for Python, used for caching, sharing states, and creating queues.
  2. Redis is easy to use and highly efficient, widely employed in the industry for tasks like caching and inter-process communication.
  3. With basic features like lists, hashes, and sets, Redis has vast utility in tasks such as caches, queues, and inter-process communication.

Unexpected python traps for beginners

Bite code! • 1957 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Syntax Best Practices
  1. Python automatically concatenates strings written next to each other, making it easier to break long strings across multiple lines.
  2. In Python, be mindful of the differences between functions like sorted() and list.sort(), as they behave differently in terms of returning values.
  3. Tuples in Python are created using commas, with parentheses being optional for non-empty tuples, but crucial for tuples of one element to avoid confusion.
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The beautiful theory of TDD and the reality check of practice

Bite code! • 2568 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Development Software Testing Programming Pragmatism Productivity
  1. TDD can make your code more flexible, reliable, and less error-prone by focusing on testing upfront.
  2. TDD may not work well for everyone, as it requires experience, ability to hold complex models in mind, and sustained focus.
  3. Not all projects are suited for TDD, and it's important to assess the cost and benefit of testing based on project needs and constraints.

How To Identify A Good Programmer

Morad’s Substack • 7 HN points • 24 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Programming Learning Intelligence Experience
  1. Passion is a key indicator of a good programmer - they should be enthusiastic about programming, even outside of work.
  2. Good programmers love learning and are self-teaching, constantly exploring new technologies without needing formal training.
  3. Intelligence is crucial for a good programmer - they are smart, have various interests, and usually start programming before university or formal education.

Links: February 2024 edition

Blog System/5 • 493 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software Programming Operating Systems Web Browsers Tools
  1. The post summarizes interesting articles, videos, and projects from February 2024 with added commentary to urge readers to explore the content.
  2. There are discussions on topics like old hardware databases, software development reflections, and the challenges of modern software bloat.
  3. The author explores topics like breaking memory limitations in DOS, DJGPP running GNU programs on DOS, and the creation of a library in Rust for implementing memory vulnerabilities.

What's up Python ? Python, the video game, pyodide on the rise, numpy breaks...

Bite code! • 856 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Python WebAssembly Libraries Updates
  1. A new Python video game, JOY OF PROGRAMMING, is available on Steam for learning programming interactively.
  2. Pyodide, a Webassembly CPython port, now has experimental support from urllib3, enabling Python to run in the browser.
  3. Numpy 2 is set to release soon, with changes that may impact compatibility, so users should prepare by checking and updating dependencies.

Amusing logical errors

Mostly Python • 314 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Programming Bug Fixing
  1. There are two main types of bugs - those that cause code to break and those that are logical errors, which are harder to fix as the code runs without generating a traceback.
  2. Current platforms like Substack and Ghost have limitations in displaying code blocks, lacking proper syntax highlighting and tools for pointing out specific lines.
  3. Developing utility functions to isolate and troubleshoot problematic code can make it easier to maintain and use in larger projects, ultimately saving time and effort in the long run.

[214.] Hello. Happy Anniversary Macintosh!

Hardcore Software • 687 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Computers Software Operating Systems Programming Digital Art
  1. The introduction of the Apple Macintosh in 1984 profoundly changed computing and many people's lives
  2. The Macintosh brought empowerment, elegance, and a sense of mastery to users and developers, setting a new standard in the industry
  3. The Macintosh's impact was widespread, transforming document creation, software development, and user experiences on college campuses and beyond

Testing a book's code, part 6: Testing a Django project

Mostly Python • 314 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Testing Web Development
  1. Testing a Django project in a book involves creating a copy of the project, setting up a separate virtual environment, and ensuring it functions correctly on new Django versions.
  2. When testing a Django project, focus is usually on internal code, but the priority here is verifying functionality on new Django versions due to its frequent updates.
  3. The post discusses developing a single test function for a Django project named Learning Log, emphasizing the importance of testing project functionality as intended.

Console #193 -- An Interview with Alain of Planify - Task manager for GNU/Linux

Console • 531 implied HN points • 21 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Open Source Development Programming Linux
  1. Planify is a task manager designed for GNU/Linux, inspired by popular task managers like Things 3 and Todoist.
  2. Planify's developer, Alain, started the project as a way to create a task manager with a nice design and good functionality for Linux users.
  3. Planify is free to download and is maintained through donations, with a focus on design, detail, and user-friendly elements.

Workshop on Performance Optimizations in Code: The One Billion Row Challenge

Confessions of a Code Addict • 577 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Workshop Optimization Performance Coding
  1. Code efficiency at scale is crucial - data structures and algorithms matter, but execution cost is also important.
  2. Participating in challenges like the 1 Billion Row Challenge can enhance performance engineering skills.
  3. The workshop covers optimization techniques like flamegraphs, I/O strategies, system calls, SIMD instructions, and more.

The very first interview about Linux with Linus Torvalds - Oct 28, 1992

The Lunduke Journal of Technology • 5165 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Interview Linux Operating Systems Programming Open Source
  1. The first interview about Linux with Linus Torvalds was published in a small E-Mail newsletter in 1992.
  2. The newsletter was significant as it was the first written specifically for Linux and contained the first interview ever with Linus Torvalds about Linux.
  3. Linus Torvalds started working on Linux after taking a UNIX and C course at university, and the system evolved from a terminal emulator to a UNIX-like system.

A quick introduction to Memory Pools [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Memory management Software Engineering Optimization Performance Programming
  1. Memory pools are a way to pre-allocate and reuse memory blocks in software, which can significantly enhance performance.
  2. Benefits of memory pools include reduced fragmentation, quick memory management, and improved performance in programs with frequent memory allocations.
  3. Drawbacks of memory pools include fixed-size blocks, overhead in management, and potential for memory exhaustion if not carefully managed.

Testing a book's code, part 4: Testing Matplotlib data visualizations

Mostly Python • 314 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Data Testing
  1. Testing data visualizations programs involves assessing both terminal and graphical outputs.
  2. Automated testing of Matplotlib programs can be challenging due to the appearance of the Matplotlib plot viewer.
  3. One approach to overcome the challenge of testing Matplotlib programs is to modify the files to generate image files for testing.

Console #191 -- Interview with Bernhard of ACID Chess - Chess computer for nerds, by nerds

Console • 472 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Open Source Programming AI Software Development Neural Networks
  1. ACID Chess is a chess computer program written in Python that can analyze the movements of pieces on a chessboard through image recognition.
  2. The creator of ACID Chess balanced working on the project with a full-time job by dedicating time in evenings and weekends while finding it to be a good balance.
  3. The creator of ACID Chess believes AI will simplify various aspects of software development, and open-source software will continue to thrive with challenges in monetization for small developers.

MCU land #11: Linux toolchain for Cortex-M

lcamtuf’s thing • 1166 implied HN points • 13 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Coding Hardware Development Linux Programming
  1. Setting up a Linux toolchain for Cortex-M microcontrollers can be challenging but beneficial.
  2. When setting up the toolchain, ensure to get the Cortex-M cross-compiler, CMSIS library, and Device Family Pack.
  3. Compiling and programming the device requires additional steps like using the newlib C library and flashing the binary onto the chip.

MCU land, part 9: ST7789, the final frontier

lcamtuf’s thing • 1499 implied HN points • 09 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Microcontrollers Graphics Programming Electronics
  1. Driving a 2.8" 240x320 IPS panel with a Microchip SAM S70 Cortex-M7 MCU can be surprisingly simple.
  2. The steps to set up the ST7789 display controller involve minimal and straightforward commands like hardware reset and configuration for color mode.
  3. Generating image data for the display in 16 bpp RGB565 color mode is achievable through tools like ImageMagick.