The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Secret Inside One Million Checkboxes

eieio games • 2 HN points • 29 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Web Development Game design User Interaction Digital Art Programming
  1. The One Million Checkboxes website let people check or uncheck boxes that affected everyone worldwide. It became super popular, with millions of boxes checked in just a short time.
  2. Users found a creative way to send messages in binary code by checking boxes. This led to an unexpected community forming where they experimented with drawing and animations.
  3. Although some people disliked bots because they cluttered the site, the creator found inspiration in how young developers used them creatively. It was a reminder of the fun and opportunities coding can bring.

Daily bit(e) of C++ | std::make_heap, std::pop_heap, std::push_heap, std::sort_heap

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 98 implied HN points • 22 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Heap algorithms like std::make_heap, std::pop_heap, std::push_heap, std::sort_heap can replace std::priority_queue and std::set for continuous storage and efficient element extraction.
  2. Benefit of using heap algorithms is keeping elements in continuous storage but with a more error-prone interface.
  3. Subscribing to Daily bit(e) of C++ can provide insights on C++ programming topics.

Daily bit(e) of C++ | Learn Modern C++ 6/N

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 98 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Programming Algorithms Sorting
  1. Iterators provide an abstraction layer for containers and different types allow for specific operations such as forward, backward, or random access iteration.
  2. Algorithms in the standard library provide efficient ways to perform common operations on containers like sorting, copying, and looking up elements.
  3. Views help avoid unnecessary data copies by allowing for lazy evaluation of operations on ranges, providing a more efficient way to chain operations.
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ChatGPT vs Google's Bard: A Side-by-Side Comparison and Why It Matters | Join Me for an AI Happy Hour in SF!

The A.I. Analyst by Ben Parr • 98 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🕹 Technology AI Comparison Programming Generative AI Models
  1. Google's Bard falls short compared to Open AI's ChatGPT in various tasks like essay writing and problem-solving.
  2. Open AI's ChatGPT outperformed Google's Bard in a side-by-side comparison in tasks like math problem-solving and coding.
  3. The quality of AI technology, like ChatGPT, influences public opinion about tech giants and their future.

Infinite prep

Optimism of the will • 98 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Programming Simulation Law Medicine
  1. Infinite prep enables seeking out and exploiting every edge in an activity for professionalization.
  2. AI enhances learning and practice in fields like programming through interactive feedback and personalized examples.
  3. AI supports professionals in various sectors like law and medicine by aiding in training for complex scenarios and interactions.

Rust vs Python. Rust impl & final results

Art’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Benchmarking Error Handling
  1. Rust offers benefits like performance, reliability, and productivity, with tools like cargo, cargo-llvm-cov, and criterion.rs enhancing its capabilities.
  2. Understanding lifetimes in Rust helps prevent dangling references and ensures data integrity.
  3. Benchmark results show Rust outperforming Python dramatically in terms of speed, with optimizations like different memory allocators significantly impacting performance.

Rust: enum, boxed error and stack size mystery

Art’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 15 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Compiler Error Handling
  1. In Rust, errors are typically modeled using enums and can be streamlined using libraries like `thiserror` to reduce boilerplate.
  2. Boxing error types in Rust enums can help limit the maximum size of `Result<T>` and affect stack space usage, as illustrated in the example provided.
  3. Compiler optimizations and versions can significantly impact stack allocation for Rust functions, as seen in the comparison between Rust 1.74.0 and 1.75.0.

What's new in GHC 2021

Type Classes • 403 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Use GHC2021 as the language for Haskell projects to stay up-to-date.
  2. Haskell has evolved through different versions and compilers, with GHC being a major player.
  3. GHC 2021 introduces new features like expanding deriving power, more explicit type information, and new ways to write numbers.

Do You Want to Remove "If" Statements From Your Java Code?

Weekend Developer • 19 implied HN points • 11 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Refactoring Software Engineering Error Handling Testing
  1. To reduce reliance on 'if' statements in Java code, use guard statements at the beginning of methods or blocks to quickly exit when conditions aren't met.
  2. Consider using ternary operators as a concise way to replace 'if-else' statements within methods, but be cautious of overusing them for readability.
  3. Separate logic into reusable policy rules, encapsulating business rules into classes or methods, to promote code organization and maintainability.

Bits, Bytes, and Bylaws: Timeless Computing Laws (Part - 2)

Wisdom over Waves • 59 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Programming Organizational Design Metrics Management
  1. Adding more people to a late software project can make it even later due to various factors like onboarding time, increased coordination needs, and additional deployments causing outages.
  2. When a measure becomes the target, it loses its effectiveness, leading to actions like renaming variables or engaging in practices that prioritize metrics over true code quality.
  3. The structure of the software often mirrors the communication structure of the organization that designed it, showcasing the impact of company dynamics on software architecture.

How the CIA Writes Python

Luminotes • 28 implied HN points • 15 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Cybersecurity Data science
  1. The CIA has a unique Python style guide, focusing on clarity and readability, with special rules for exceptions, globals, and list comprehensions.
  2. They use specific tools like PyCharm for development and have a custom setup for installing Python and managing packages within secure environments.
  3. There are no strict rules governing coding practices; instead, individuals make choices based on their preferences and the limitations of their working conditions.

You should probably start using Zoxide

The Schematic • 19 implied HN points • 05 May 24
🕹 Technology Tools Programming Software Productivity
  1. Zoxide is a tool that improves the 'cd' command in the terminal by offering additional features to simplify repetitive tasks.
  2. Zoxide uses 'z' instead of 'cd' to help users navigate directly to specific folders that are frequently accessed, making the process more efficient and convenient.
  3. While Zoxide may not dramatically increase productivity, it can enhance convenience by reducing the need to type repetitive commands and making navigation easier.

Discover What Is Code Smell and How to Overcome It?

Weekend Developer • 19 implied HN points • 04 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Design Code Refactoring Code Reviews
  1. Code smells indicate potential problems with code design, readability, and bugs. They serve as warning signs to refactor before issues compound.
  2. Common signs of code smells include excessive code comments, frequent bugs in certain areas, code duplication, divergent changes, and shotgun surgery.
  3. Tools like static code analysis, IDE plugins, code visualization tools, code review tools, and code metrics tracking help in identifying and addressing code smells in a codebase.

Becoming a beginner again

Tribal Knowledge • 19 implied HN points • 03 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming Learning Tools Languages Innovation
  1. Embrace the mindset of a beginner to approach problems with fresh eyes and dive into learning without overthinking.
  2. Experiment with new tools, languages, and technologies to keep yourself engaged and continuously learning in your field.
  3. Maintain curiosity and openness to new experiences in order to stay motivated and discover innovative solutions in your work.

Data at Depth 12: Surging Substack, Creative Reflections, Streamlit GIS Tutorial

Data at Depth • 19 implied HN points • 02 May 24
🕹 Technology Data Analytics Content creation Programming Data Visualization Machine Learning
  1. Documenting analytics platform performance can reveal growth trends and areas needing more attention, like focusing on Substack engagement.
  2. Balancing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in creativity can impact the quality and longevity of content creation, pushing creators towards enduring satisfaction.
  3. Utilizing AI like GPT-4 for filtering and mapping GIS data in Python with tools like Streamlit can streamline complex data visualization tasks, enhancing efficiency and interactivity.

Dive into UpYouth Vault

Binh’s Archive • 39 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Chatbot Knowledge Management Machine Learning Programming
  1. UpYouth Vault is a knowledge management system at UpYouth accessed through a chatbot called Bob on Telegram.
  2. At UpYouth, there was a need for a system like UpYouth Vault to prevent valuable knowledge from getting lost in group chats.
  3. Bob, the chatbot, supports features like semantic search and Retrieval Augmented Generation to enhance user experience.

😎 Tech Innovation Beyond LLMs, Recursive & Loopy Zip Files, .NET 9 & More

HackerPulse Dispatch • 8 implied HN points • 19 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Innovation Cloud Development
  1. There are new file types called recursive and loopy zip files that can unzip forever or loop between two files. This changes how we think about file compression.
  2. The new .NET 9 is a powerful tool for developers, making it easier to create fast and secure applications, especially with built-in AI features.
  3. Some exciting software trends focus on local data storage, faster web apps with WebAssembly, and SQLite's revival, all moving away from just relying on big language models.

Turtles aren't just for kids

Type Classes • 302 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Code demonstrations can be boring and need to be made more engaging.
  2. Even if the concepts in Haskell are interesting, printing text can limit the demonstration.
  3. Consider subscribing for a 7-day free trial to access more content on Type Classes.

Abundance mindset (not LinkedIn cringe)

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Programming Mindset Artificial Intelligence Development Coding
  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.

Why you should design systems that ship fast [System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🕹 Technology System Design Software Development Programming
  1. Shipping software quickly has many benefits, including improved efficiency and cost savings.
  2. A slow release process can lead to increased expenses as more resources are required for tasks like testing, outage management, and manual deploys.
  3. Investing in designing systems that support fast shipping is valuable as it helps build a culture of efficiency and productivity.

The biggest mistake you're probably making for your Leetcode Interview prep [Storytime Saturdays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 21 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming Interviews Technology News
  1. The biggest mistake many make in Leetcode interview prep can cause months of frustration and even lead to giving up.
  2. Transitioning to new topics while keeping the roots intact can be a challenge but can also be well-received by the audience.
  3. Learning from others' experiences and mistakes can help you progress faster towards your goals.

Why Discord ditched Cassandra [System Design Sundays]

Technology Made Simple • 79 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🕹 Technology System Design Databases Data Management Programming Tech Education
  1. Discord faced performance issues with Cassandra, requiring increasing maintenance effort and leading to unpredictable latency.
  2. Hot partitions were a problem in Cassandra, causing hotspotting and impacting the database's performance during concurrent reads.
  3. Garbage collection in Cassandra posed challenges, leading Discord to switch to ScyllaDB which does not have a garbage collector.

The Tech Buffet #4: Turn Complex English Instructions Into Executable SQL With LLMs

The Tech Buffet • 79 implied HN points • 16 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Software Programming Data science SaaS
  1. Vanna.AI is a tool that helps turn plain English questions into complex SQL queries quickly. This makes it easier for people who might not be familiar with coding to extract data from databases.
  2. The tool uses a method called Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to understand user queries better. It prepares the right context for the questions by using metadata before generating SQL.
  3. Vanna allows users to continuously improve its performance by incorporating user-feedback into the training process. This feature helps the tool learn and adapt over time, ensuring better results.

I'm Launching My Newsletter: The Tech Buffet!

The Tech Buffet • 79 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Data Engineering Programming Software Development Technical Writing
  1. The Tech Buffet is a new newsletter focused on Machine Learning, Data Engineering, and Python Programming. It's designed to help people learn and improve their technical skills.
  2. You can expect weekly updates with practical advice, tutorials, and insights on making machine learning systems more efficient and effective.
  3. The creator wants feedback on what topics readers are interested in, so it's a community-driven project that aims to meet the needs of its audience.

Tales from the jar side: Uncensored Java AI, Pirate audio in text messages, LangChain4J used my video 😀, and the usual tweets and toots

Tales from the jar side • 39 implied HN points • 04 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Programming Audio Documentation Reviews
  1. A Java project called the Ollama project allows you to run uncensored AI models locally, without sending data offsite.
  2. An application was created to generate pirate insults in audio files using the Twilio API and Text-to-Speech capability of OpenAI.
  3. LangChain4J, a competitor to Spring AI project, now has a website with tutorials, including a video featuring Ken Kousen.

Daily bit(e) of C++ | [[nodiscard]] attribute

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 78 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. C++17 introduced the [[nodiscard]] attribute to trigger a compiler warning when a function call result is discarded.
  2. Use the [[nodiscard]] attribute for expensive functions and query functions that may be confused with action counterparts.
  3. The Compiler Explorer tool can be used to explore code examples related to the [[nodiscard]] attribute.