The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Growing queues faster in go.

Software Bits Newsletter • 206 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Dynamic data structures can change size at runtime, like a stack or queue.
  2. Using % to recompute element indices in Go's queue implementation can impact performance.
  3. Comparing copyUsingMod and copyUsingCopy functions in Go revealed potential improvements in performance.

Pragmatic Prompting With Python Plotly and GPT-4: Telling A Story With UN Literacy Data

Data at Depth • 19 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The post discusses using GPT-4 to streamline the creation of Python Plotly code for interactive data visualization.
  2. The author mentions being a computer science professor who also engages in using GPT-4 for data visualization code creation.
  3. GPT-4 has shown significant improvement in its ability to generate Python Plotly code for visualizing data interactively.

Under the microscope: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 (PlayStation, Dreamcast)

Rings of Saturn • 58 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. There are new cheat codes in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 that have been undiscovered for 24 years. This was found by someone analyzing the game and its cheat code system.
  2. A special Python script was created to discover these cheat codes by attacking the game's hashing system. This method used a combination of known button sequences and permutations.
  3. One of the new cheat codes allows players to turn off shadows in the game. Another doubles the score, which can make gameplay more interesting!
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Don't abuse 0

CodeFaster • 144 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Setting a spend limit of 0 in an API does not mean restricting spending to zero; it actually means allowing infinite spending.
  2. Consider using the string 'infinity' instead of '0' to denote unlimited spending.
  3. If needing to use an integer value for spend limits, consider using -1 to represent infinity, as it is not a common value and prompts further investigation.

Polymorphic vectors.

Software Bits Newsletter • 206 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Inheritance can impact performance negatively in C++ due to issues like indirection and virtual function dispatch.
  2. Data-oriented design (DOD) can lead to improved performance by optimizing data organization over code organization.
  3. Using a struct of arrays approach instead of std::variant can offer better performance and minimize memory overhead in certain scenarios.

How to Create a Bot that Notifies you on Telegram

Implementing • 19 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Creating a bot to monitor computer temperature and send notifications can be useful to prevent overheating issues.
  2. Learning how to create a Telegram bot involves steps like creating the bot on Telegram using BotFather and deploying the code on platforms like Heroku.
  3. Setting up a Cron job using tools like Heroku Scheduler allows the bot to execute functions periodically to send notifications at specified intervals.

Problem 77: Gas Station [Microsoft]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Greedy algorithms are powerful and commonly used, especially in fields like AI.
  2. Understanding and applying greedy algorithms can help solve problems effectively, even in interviews.
  3. The Gas Station problem involves determining the starting index to travel around a circular route based on gas stations and costs.

Derw changelog, February 2023

derw • 253 implied HN points • 26 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Noah has been busy writing and working on Derw
  2. Current big project for Noah is adding type holes to improve type system
  3. Recent updates in Derw include expanding type inference and fixing parsing issues

Elixir-like pipes in Ruby (oh no not again)

zverok on lucid code • 57 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Elixir has a special way to chain functions called the pipeline operator, which makes code easier to read. This idea has caught the attention of many programming languages, including Ruby.
  2. Ruby already has a method-chaining style that makes some proposals for a pipeline operator unnecessary. Ruby methods work differently than in Elixir, which poses challenges for introducing this feature.
  3. The author experimented with a new approach to mimic the pipeline operator in Ruby using a method that transforms code at a low level, but it's not intended to be a permanent addition to Ruby. It's more of an exploration of potential features.

The Anatomy of the Least Squares Method, Part Four

The Palindrome • 5 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. You can use the least-squares method to understand and analyze regression models well. It's a handy tool for data scientists.
  2. Large language models like GPT-2 aren't as complex as they seem. A basic understanding of math can help you learn how they work.
  3. Using Python to model LLMs allows you to see how the math applies in real time. Following along with code can really boost your learning.

Advice for Young Coders

Amaca • 223 implied HN points • 12 Apr 23
🚌 Education Programming
  1. Seek free advice from boring people - valuable education might be a bit boring.
  2. Conformism works - traditional institutions like textbooks and universities are reliable sources of knowledge.
  3. Don't worry about AI, it's an opportunity - focus on building or learning to use AI.

Sometimes complicated is clearer

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Complicated things can sometimes be clearer than simple ones. It can help to look at details closely. It's okay to dive deeper to understand better.
  2. Taking screenshots at different intervals can help document changes over time. This can be useful for tracking progress or capturing important moments.
  3. Support from readers can help content creators keep producing work. Subscribing, whether free or paid, can make a difference.

To hack or not to hack

Sunday Letters • 179 implied HN points • 24 Jan 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. In software development, it's a challenge to choose between making a general solution or focusing on a specific problem. Both approaches have their pros and cons.
  2. If you hack your code without planning, it can become messy and hard to manage. But if you overthink it and try to make it too general too soon, you might waste time and effort.
  3. To find the right balance, ask how hard it is to change things later and how long the general solution will take to pay off. It's about making smart decisions based on the problem at hand.

sqlmesh migrate

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. If you're using dbt to run analytics, switching to sqlmesh is a good idea. It offers more features and is easy to learn while still being compatible with dbt.
  2. sqlmesh helps manage data environments and is more comprehensive in handling analytics tasks compared to dbt. It's simpler to transition from dbt to sqlmesh than from older methods like stored procedures.
  3. When using sqlmesh, think about where to run it and how to store its state. You have choices like using a different database or a cloud service, which can save you money and hassle.

What Is LangChain Expression Language (LCEL)?

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. LangChain Expression Language (LCEL) helps build applications using large language models. It simplifies the process of creating apps by breaking down components into a clear sequence.
  2. LCEL combines pro-code and low-code approaches, making it easier for developers to create reusable pieces of code. This can save time and help manage complexity in applications.
  3. With LCEL, you can run operations like invoking and batching in a structured way. This makes it easier to manage how different parts of an application work together.

When AI Promises Speed but Delivers Debugging Hell

Nick Savage • 40 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Codescribble is a new shared text editor that lets multiple people work on the same document at once. It's designed to be fast and easy to use, similar to Google Docs.
  2. Using AI to help build software can be frustrating and messy, especially if you don’t fully understand how it works. This can lead to a lot of debugging and wasted time.
  3. It's crucial to keep a broader perspective while coding. Getting too focused on small tasks can lead to mistakes and delays, so step back and see the bigger picture.

cppyy

Software Bits Newsletter • 206 implied HN points • 30 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Python is versatile for many tasks like web development and data science.
  2. Using C++ for compute-heavy tasks in Python can boost performance.
  3. Cppyy offers a simple way to integrate C++ code snippets into Python for performance improvements.

DataFrame

davidj.substack • 35 implied HN points • 20 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Polars Cloud allows for scaling across multiple machines, making it easier to handle large datasets than using just a single machine. This helps in processing data faster and more efficiently.
  2. Polars is simpler to use compared to Pandas and often performs better, especially when transforming data for machine learning tasks. It supports familiar methods that many users already know.
  3. Unlike SQL, which runs well on cloud services, using Pandas and R for large-scale transformations has been challenging. The new Polars Cloud aims to bridge this gap, providing more scalable solutions.

Any Cables Monthly #17

AnyCable Broadcasts • 19 implied HN points • 02 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Exciting real-time development initiatives are coming in 2024, like AnyCable+ and Laravel Reverb.
  2. Action Cable server adapterization project aims to improve Rails Action Cable for easier use with different server implementations.
  3. Potential real-time component upgrade in Laravel with 'Laravel Reverb' and mysterious project 'SolidCable' from DHH.

The devil is old

Wednesday Wisdom • 113 implied HN points • 21 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Experience and age often bring wisdom, knowledge, and a unique perspective.
  2. In technology, while tools and capabilities have evolved, fundamental principles like people dynamics, math, and physics remain constant.
  3. Despite advancements, people still struggle with basic math, concurrent programming, and effective communication in group settings.