The hottest Programming Languages Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

A Year In Chips

The Chip Letter • 8222 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Semiconductors Programming Languages Hardware Microcontrollers
  1. The Chip Letter had 75 posts, over 500,000 views, and gained over 7,000 new subscribers in 2023.
  2. Highlighted posts included the story of Erlang at WhatsApp, the disappearance of minicomputers, and a celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Integrated Circuit.
  3. 2024 will bring posts on the history of microcontrollers, Moore's Law, the Motorola 6800, '8-bit', GPUs, TPUs, and more, with a 20% discount available for new annual subscriptions.

Live Session on Performance Optimization Using 1BRC as a Case Study

Confessions of a Code Addict • 360 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Coding Performance optimization Live session Software Development Programming Languages
  1. The live session focuses on learning to analyze and reason about code performance through iterative optimization using 1BRC as a case study.
  2. Attendees will explore various topics including performance profiling with flamegraphs, I/O strategies, and leveraging SIMD instructions.
  3. Prerequisites include a few years of coding experience in languages like C, C++, Java, or others, with a specific focus on Java during the session.
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Compiling History: A brief tour of C compilers

Deus In Machina • 217 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Compilers
  1. The history of C compilers dates back to the early 1970s with the creation of the first C compiler for Unix.
  2. Early C compilers like the PDP C Compiler and the Portable C Compiler laid the foundation for modern C programming.
  3. The development of standards like C89 brought uniformity and clarity to the C language, leading to the evolution of modern compilers like GCC and LLVM.

The future of Scala, Uber logs, and the use of Virtual Threads with PostgreSQL - JVM Weekly vol. 68

JVM Weekly • 78 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Data processing
  1. The future of Scala is being discussed, evaluating its potential and evolution within the programming language landscape.
  2. Uber managed to significantly reduce logging costs by integrating the Compressed Log Processor (CLP) tool with the Log4j library.
  3. Implementing Virtual Threads, like in the case of PostgreSQL TPC-C benchmark using Java 21, can present challenges and unexpected issues that require careful handling.

Console #173 - Interview With Martin of Zammad - open source helpdesk & customer support system

Console • 354 implied HN points • 03 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Open Source Software Development Customer Support Programming Languages
  1. Zammad is an open source user support/ticketing solution managed via various communication channels.
  2. Martin founded Zammad with a focus on open source philosophy and sustainable business models.
  3. The Zammad team aims to enhance the platform, make it widely used globally, and uphold its commitment to open source values.

Lets compile Linux DOOM

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Game Development Software Development Open Source Programming Languages Operating Systems
  1. Compiling the Linux DOOM source code requires setting up the source code from the id-software repository and navigating through different build methods like Make and CMake.
  2. Encountering and solving errors in the compilation process involves making adjustments to data types, structure pointers, and handling variables like errno to ensure successful building of the DOOM executable.
  3. To address color depth issues and display errors while running the DOOM game on modern systems, utilizing tools like Xephyr, setting specific environmental variables, and modifying code sections related to color maps and display resolutions becomes critical.

Racket: The Lisp for the modern day

Deus In Machina • 326 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Programming Languages IDE Documentation
  1. Racket is an advanced modern Lisp with a wide range of features and tools for developers in 2023.
  2. Racket is especially great for beginners, young programmers, and academics due to its simplicity, built-in IDE, and gradual learning curve.
  3. Racket's unique language building capabilities allow for creating domain-specific languages, documentation languages, and more, making it a versatile and powerful tool for programmers.

New Layer of Abstraction, Not the End of Software Engineering

Adam’s Notes • 255 implied HN points • 17 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering AI Productivity Programming Languages Career development
  1. AI tools will enhance software developers' productivity and create new possibilities.
  2. Historically, productivity increases in software engineering have occurred with advancements like high-level programming languages, open-source culture, and cloud computing.
  3. Lower barriers to coding will attract more people to software engineering, leading to new opportunities, growth, and products.

Memory Unsafety is a Culture Issue

Burning the Midnight Coffee • 6 HN points • 03 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Security Programming Languages Software Development Memory management Cybersecurity
  1. Memory unsafety is not just a technical problem, but a cultural issue, requiring a shift in mindset within the software development community.
  2. The convenience factor plays a crucial role in memory safety; even safe languages have pathways to create memory vulnerabilities that may be more convenient to use than safe alternatives.
  3. Prioritizing measures like preventing buffer overflows in languages like C and C++ can have a significant impact on reducing vulnerabilities before focusing on more complex memory management concerns.

Pascal: The language that almost took over the world part 1

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Computers Operating Systems Software Development
  1. Pascal language was designed with a focus on clean and readable code, making it ideal for teaching programming.
  2. Turbo Pascal revolutionized programming by combining editing, compiling, and linking steps in one integrated environment.
  3. The decline of Pascal was due to factors like its focus on teaching, rapid advancements in computing technology, and the popularity of Unix and C programming language.

How to use an Object Relational Mapper and never learn SQL

Bad Software Advice • 1 HN point • 04 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Frameworks Libraries Software Development
  1. SQL can be intimidating, but using Object Relational Mappers (ORM) allows you to work with objects in memory instead of worrying about SQL intricacies.
  2. Abstraction in software, like using ORM, lets you hide the complexity of data management and focus more on coding comfortably.
  3. There are many ORM options available for various programming languages, each with cool names, making it easier to work with databases without diving deep into SQL.

The evolution of meta game for developers

Sibelius’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Technology Software Development Programming Languages
  1. Meta game in software development involves strategic decision-making beyond coding.
  2. The evolution of meta game for developers includes key milestones like Git, JavaScript, and AI technologies.
  3. AI is transforming software development, offering benefits such as faster development cycles, improved quality, enhanced user experience, better decision-making, and cost savings.

Malloy Data

Why Now • 5 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Programming Database Management Data Analysis Software Development Programming Languages
  1. Malloy is a new query language for describing data relationships and transformations in SQL databases.
  2. Malloy compiles to SQL optimized for your database, has a semantic data model and query language, excels at reading and writing nested data sets, and handles complex queries seamlessly.
  3. Malloy also introduces a semantic layer similar to Looker, allowing for saving calculations like measures and defining dimensions to describe and transform data.

Beyond YAML

Making Things • 1 implied HN point • 06 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Data Modeling Semantic Layers Feedback loops
  1. Many semantic layers are built with YAML for its readability and quick setup, but it can lead to a poor developer experience.
  2. YAML lacks immediate feedback for complex expressions, forcing users into a guessing game when writing configurations.
  3. Implementing a real programming language instead of just a configuration DSL can provide instant feedback and support complex data modeling.

Cross Development for Fun and Profit, part 1

Dan’s MEGA65 Digest • 1 HN point • 21 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Languages
  1. Vintage computers like the Commodore offer a unique and focused environment for program development without distractions.
  2. Cross development, where modern computers are used to develop programs for vintage machines, provides advantages like faster work, better collaboration, and code reusability.
  3. Tools like XC=BASIC, a cross-compiled language, enable powerful programming with the simplicity of BASIC and speed of machine code for the MEGA65.

AI, Mass Evolution, and Weickian Loops

Irregular Ideas with Paul Kedrosky & Eric Norlin of SKV • 1 HN point • 31 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Evolution Applications Feedback loops Programming Languages
  1. Early technology development often starts with simple wrappers around new platforms
  2. Application evolution now involves more direct feedback from users, leading to rapid development
  3. AI applications are evolving quickly, moving away from wrappers towards more complex services, but rapid evolution may lead to destabilization

The "I'm making a new programming language" checklist

derw • 0 implied HN points • 10 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Compiler Tokenization
  1. When creating a new programming language, start by making examples to define how it will look and function.
  2. Select a language for your compiler that you are comfortable with, and consider libraries to simplify parsing and generating output.
  3. Include key components like a tokenizer, parser, and generator in your compiler, and focus on type checking and editor tooling for a better user experience.

Could LLM's replace abstractions?

Precipitation • 0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Artificial Intelligence Cloud Computing Programming Languages
  1. Software engineering often involves layer upon layer of abstraction. Could LLM's like ChatGPT or Copilot replace some of these layers?
  2. Consider the trade-offs before replacing abstractions with LLM's. While it may improve performance, there could be risks such as creating unmaintainable code.
  3. Exploring the efficiency of using LLM's for generating CloudFormation templates could lead to productivity improvements and faster deployment speeds, but potential drawbacks and testing need to be considered.

What's WebAssembly?

Technically • 0 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology WebAssembly Programming Languages Performance Developer Tools
  1. WebAssembly allows developers to write code in faster languages like C++ and Rust that can run in the browser, solving performance limitations of JavaScript.
  2. Code running in the browser can only be written in JavaScript, leading to the development of WebAssembly to execute non-JavaScript code in the browser.
  3. WebAssembly can be used to offload specific parts of applications into modules that run faster, like using C++ or Rust code compiled into WebAssembly for more efficient operations.

The DOIT philosophy: How I'm avoiding Decision Fatigue and the Paralysis of Choice this year

Deus In Machina • 0 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Productivity Programming Languages Operating Systems
  1. The DOIT philosophy involves Overcoming, Iterating, and Triumphing to combat Decision Fatigue and the Paralysis of Choice. By simplifying goals and focusing on simplicity, project completion can be more effective.
  2. Decision Fatigue refers to deteriorating decision quality after prolonged decision-making sessions, leading to reduced self-control and avoidance of decisions.
  3. Paralysis of Choice occurs when faced with too many options, causing feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and potential regret over chosen alternatives, leading to satisfaction issues.

Is Rust the road to salvation or the road to perdition for the Linux ecosystem?

For your consideration • 0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Programming Languages Software Development Open Source
  1. Rust and Go are popular languages with benefits for developers, but they bring risks to the Linux ecosystem due to their adoption altering the direction of the community.
  2. Rust's focus on memory safety gives it an edge over other languages like Go, as it prevents common programming errors through compile-time enforcement.
  3. The debate around Rust, Go, and the licensing of software like GPL reveals a clash of financial, security, and generational motivations affecting the future of the Linux ecosystem.