The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Learning to Touch type again

Deus In Machina • 72 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Learning to use an ergonomic keyboard like Kinesis Advantage 360 can help reduce wrist and nerve pain from excessive keyboard use.
  2. Practicing touch typing on websites like keybr.com can help improve typing speed and accuracy, even with a new keyboard layout.
  3. Adjusting to an ergonomic keyboard for activities like gaming and programming may require remapping keys, creating profiles, and adapting to a new learning curve.

The 10 Most Popular Posts of the Palindrome in 2025

The Palindrome • 1 implied HN point • 23 Dec 25
🚌 Education Programming
  1. The most-read posts emphasize math and foundational CS for machine learning, covering topics like a mathematics roadmap, algorithmic analysis, graph theory, and practical skills such as coding on paper and representing graphs.
  2. A holiday promotion offers a 30% lifetime discount on the annual paid subscription, which unlocks paid-only content and helps fund more math and machine learning material for the community.
  3. Subscriber-count milestones will unlock community perks (mini-courses, a dedicated Manim animator, and a full-time writer), and the publication invites feedback while planning to expand and reinvest in 2026.

The Pleasure of Pattern

Software Design: Tidy First? • 45 HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Programming
  1. Finding patterns in tasks like programming, music, and poker can be intensely satisfying and enjoyable.
  2. Music is full of patterns that can be discovered and enjoyed, especially through improvisation and communication.
  3. Seeing patterns in different activities like programming, music, and poker can lead to moments of satisfaction, indicating a brain wired to crave order and appreciate pattern recognition.

Newsletter #8: HuggingGPT

Decoding Coding • 19 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. HuggingGPT helps solve complex tasks by breaking them down into smaller steps. It uses different AI models to handle each part, making the whole process easier and more organized.
  2. Current AI models struggle with processing various types of data and managing multiple tasks at once. HuggingGPT aims to improve this by using LLMs to plan and execute tasks more efficiently.
  3. The model operates in four main stages: planning tasks, selecting the right model for each task, executing them, and generating a final response. This structured approach makes coding more productive.
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[Solution]Problem 34: Find Safe States[Microsoft]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 22 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The problem involves identifying safe nodes in a directed graph, which are nodes where all paths lead to terminal nodes. These safe nodes cannot be part of a cycle.
  2. The algorithm for identifying safe nodes can utilize DFS (Depth First Search) to traverse the graph efficiently and detect cycles or terminal nodes.
  3. Traversing the graph step-by-step, checking if each node is safe based on its neighbors, and building the solution methodically is key to solving the problem effectively.

The cheat code to getting good at Recursive Programming[Technique Tuesday]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 20 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Understanding recursion is crucial for coding at top tech companies, and it's a powerful concept in Computer Science.
  2. To improve at recursive programming, practice more recursion by solving specific types of questions such as sorting, list operations, and classic recursive functions.
  3. Getting exposure to Functional Programming can significantly enhance your recursive programming skills by encouraging a purely recursive way of thinking.

Today’s Top 5 HN posts

Top 5 HN Posts of the day • 2 HN points • 26 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Cloudflare took down a site demanding $120k within 24 hours - a shocking story that highlights issues with online service providers.
  2. Home Assistant is being used for protection against missile and drone attacks - showing the diverse applications of technology for security purposes.
  3. Hurl, an Exceptional Language, is a topic of interest on HackerNews - showcasing the community's curiosity about new programming languages and tools.

Newsletter #7: Advanced Prompt Engineering

Decoding Coding • 19 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Zero-shot prompting lets a model answer questions without examples. It's useful when there's no data to guide the model.
  2. Few-shot prompting gives the model a few examples to improve its answers. This helps the model understand the context better.
  3. Chain-of-thought prompting breaks down complex problems into steps. It helps the model reason through tasks more effectively.

Still loading: Re-Loaded

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The cancelled Saturn game Re-Loaded from Gremlin Interactive faced performance issues leading to a low frame rate and long loading times.
  2. Despite having only one level, a patch allows players to remove time limits and explore the game more fully by playing as different characters.
  3. The preview image suggests playing as other characters, which can be unlocked by changing values in game files - offering new gameplay experiences.

A reactionary take on memory safety

lcamtuf’s thing • 42 HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Memory safety in programming languages like C and C++ is a significant issue due to the risk of buffer overflows and other coding errors.
  2. Although there is a push to adopt memory-safe languages like a mandate from The White House, the practicality and necessity of such a move is questionable.
  3. Challenges in enforcing a complete shift to memory-safe languages include the limited exposure of critical code to attacks and the fact that other security vulnerabilities are more common in causing breaches.

Ep#4 : Soft Skills

The ZenMode • 42 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Soft skills are equally important to technical skills in software engineering. They are often the secret weapon that distinguishes those who struggle from those who thrive.
  2. The path to coding proficiency requires a growth mindset, independence, logical thinking, and patience. Embrace challenges, learn from mistakes, and persevere for long-term success.
  3. Essential soft skills for programmers include communication, collaboration, adaptability, and empathy. These skills are crucial for success in a dynamic field where teamwork, continuous learning, and user-centered solutions are key.

Denouement

Clarifying Concurrency • 33 implied HN points • 31 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Pittsburgh surprised many with its beauty and many bridges. The Pycon conference there was a great experience and will be held again next year.
  2. Concurrency is a complex topic, and many people underestimate its difficulties. The writer realized it's okay to focus on broader topics rather than an expert niche like concurrency.
  3. Writing for a general audience feels more impactful. There are other programming techniques that can improve productivity for everyone, which is more inspiring to share.

[Solution]Problem 30: Find Distance to nearest Exit[Google]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 25 Mar 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Google coding challenges can be tricky and often require exploring optimal solutions beyond the obvious
  2. When solving problems involving distances in grids, consider using the concept of Manhattan Distance and graph structures to represent relationships between objects
  3. Choosing the best graph traversal algorithm is crucial; in cases like this problem where distances are equal and not weighted, BFS can be a simpler and more suitable choice compared to more complex algorithms like DFS

🤯 This newsletter is generated by AI

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 39 implied HN points • 17 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. AI is being used to create content, showing how technology can generate information quickly and effectively. This means people might see more AI-written articles in the future.
  2. Coding has a rich history and has changed a lot over time, influencing everything from gaming to problem-solving. Understanding this evolution helps us appreciate how we communicate with machines today.
  3. There are new programming languages emerging that many people may not be aware of, hinting at exciting developments in technology. Staying updated can be very beneficial for anyone interested in tech.

Implementing Softmax using RISC-V Vector

Fprox’s Substack • 41 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Softmax is a non-linear normalization layer commonly used in neural networks to compute probabilities of multiple classes.
  2. When implementing Softmax, numerical stability is crucial due to exponential function's rapid growth, requiring clever techniques to prevent overflow.
  3. RISC-V Vector (RVV) can be used to efficiently implement complex functions like Softmax, with stable and accurate results compared to naive implementations.

Prompt Chaining

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Visual Programming tools are being used to connect prompts in applications, making it easier to create conversational interfaces.
  2. Chaining prompts involves transforming and organizing data from responses to ensure better output and decision-making in AI applications.
  3. Good design of these tools includes making it easy to build, edit, and debug chains while also allowing users to interact flexibly with the AI.

[Solution]Problem 26: Remove K digits to create smallest number[Microsoft]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 24 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Given a non-negative integer as a string, you can create the smallest number by removing k digits strategically.
  2. For strings with digits sorted in descending order, removing the first k elements generates the smallest number.
  3. It's important to analyze patterns and consider removing significant digits in order to solve tricky problems like creating the smallest number by removing k digits.

Don't give up

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 21 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Persistence is key in overcoming challenges, so don't give up easily.
  2. Avoid comparing yourself to others on platforms like YouTube and blogs to prevent self-doubt.
  3. Believe in the process, trust yourself, and keep working towards your goals. Success is achievable with dedication.

The Magic of Monads[Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 19 implied HN points • 01 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Monads in programming are a software engineering pattern for code reusability and writing pipelines at scale.
  2. Monads are great for chaining functions together, abstracting implementation details for clear code.
  3. Using monads is helpful when dealing with a group of objects that behave similarly, allowing for reusable code and easier implementation of common behaviors.

Jump the Queue: Effortless Async Task Processing

metadat’s newsletter • 1 HN point • 02 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Using PHP's fastcgi_finish_request can handle time-consuming tasks without a full asynchronous task queue, suitable for lower traffic volumes.
  2. Practical and easy-to-use solutions for asynchronous task processing can save development time and provide graceful failure handling.
  3. PHP may have its criticisms, but it can excel in certain scenarios and has been the backbone of many successful companies.

Phishing for Google’s g.co, AI Co-Pilot as Chaos Catalyst, & AI Missing the Mark

HackerPulse Dispatch • 13 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. AI tools can sometimes cause more problems than they solve, like in a recent project that turned chaotic when the developer relied too much on them.
  2. The first AI software engineer has a very low success rate, managing to complete only 15% of tasks. This raises doubts about AI's ability to fully replace human engineers.
  3. Overreliance on AI for coding is making new programmers less skilled. They are losing important problem-solving abilities because they are not practicing those skills.

ChatGPT Fails UPSC Prelims

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. ChatGPT has performed well in various exams, including MBA and medical tests, showing that it can answer many questions correctly.
  2. However, when tested on the UPSC Prelims, ChatGPT only answered 54 out of 100 questions correctly, demonstrating its limitations.
  3. This highlights that while AI can be smart, it might still struggle with complex and diverse challenges like tough civil service exams.

Open-Weight alternative to GPT-4o Realtime, Athene-V2, Stripe Agent Toolkit, Qwen2.5-Coder-32B, Prompt Canvas and Promptim, Vidu-1.5, MagicQuill, OpenCoder and more

AI Brews • 17 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Alibaba Cloud launched a new coding model, Qwen2.5-Coder-32B, which performs as well as GPT-4o for programming tasks.
  2. Fixie AI introduced Ultravox, a real-time conversation AI that works directly from speech input without separate recognition, making it very fast.
  3. Google's Gemini model is now top-ranked for chatbots, achieving impressive performance with many user votes.

Experimenting with GUIs on the Pi Zero

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Older Raspberry Pi models like the Zero W can still be utilized for GUI experiments, despite limitations in processing power and memory.
  2. Different GUI libraries have varying performance on the Raspberry Pi Zero, with FLTK demonstrating impressive speed compared to others like GTK and Qt.
  3. Tkinter in Python and Tcl with Tk provide viable options for GUI development on the Raspberry Pi Zero, offering acceptable performance levels.

SDL Tutorial Part 2: Drawing Text

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. To display text in SDL2, you need to include SDL_ttf.h and work with functions like TTF_Init, TTF_OpenFont, TTF_RenderText_Solid, and SDL_CreateTextureFromSurface.
  2. When using SDL2, surfaces are CPU-based bitmaps ideal for pixel manipulation, while textures are GPU-based and essential for efficient rendering.
  3. SDL2 can render using either SDL_Surface or SDL_Texture, with SDL_Surface being software rendering done entirely by the CPU, bypassing the GPU.

Simula the forgotten programming language

Deus In Machina • 72 implied HN points • 02 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Simula was a significant influence on the design of languages like C++ and Java, showcasing Object-Oriented Programming concepts.
  2. Finding an implementation for Simula, like Portable Simula, can be a bit challenging but rewarding.
  3. Simula uses unique syntax like keyword-based blocks, explicit statement endings with semicolons, and different assignment operators for text variables.

Problem 20: Implement car and cdr functions[Jane Street]

Technology Made Simple • 39 implied HN points • 12 Jan 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The problem involves implementing car and cdr functions using cons(a, b) to create pairs and retrieve elements from them.
  2. Functional programming concepts such as closures and anonymous functions are involved in solving the problem.
  3. The solution to the problem will be shared with premium subscribers of the newsletter, highlighting the importance of subscribing for access to solutions and study materials.

Stayin’ Alive

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 19 implied HN points • 02 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. JavaScript became popular in web development because it made websites more dynamic and interactive. This popularity helped it grow and become a dominant player in the programming world.
  2. As web applications got bigger and more complicated, people started looking for alternatives to JavaScript. The way developers were using JavaScript wasn't always the best solution for larger projects.
  3. The ongoing evolution of technology means that even popular tools like JavaScript sometimes face challenges. Developers need to adapt and find new tools to handle complex requirements efficiently.

There Are Many Roads to Machine Learning

The Palindrome • 5 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. There are many ways to get into machine learning. You don't need to follow strict rules or have a specific background.
  2. You can start with just basic math skills. High school math is enough to begin your journey in machine learning.
  3. Whether you want to be a generalist or a specialist in machine learning, both paths are valid. Choose what fits your goals best.

How security cookie works

bumbread • 19 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Buffer overruns can lead to memory corruption by writing data outside allocated buffers.
  2. Security cookies are implemented to detect buffer overruns by placing a special value on the stack near the return address, which is checked for changes.
  3. Control over security checks can be managed by compilers, and understanding how security cookies work can be valuable in analyzing assembly code and optimizing performance.

Under the microscope: Skeleton Warriors (Saturn, PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn • 14 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The article talks about finding cheat codes for the game Skeleton Warriors on the Saturn and PlayStation consoles. It highlights how some of these codes were previously unknown and required research and coding to uncover.
  2. The author used a combination of brute force methods and mathematical approaches to determine the missing cheat codes. They collaborated with a cryptographer to solve complex hashing problems involved in the game.
  3. Mick West, a cofounder of Neversoft, contributed to the findings by sharing source code and insights about how the cheats work in the game. This shows a connection between game development and player discovery.

How Modern AI Arose Accidentally

Erik Explores • 61 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Modern AI systems like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion arose from solving small, narrowly defined problems.
  2. Today's AI systems are more of an emergent phenomenon rather than meticulously planned for general intelligence.
  3. The key to AI advancements lies in simple, iterative processes based on statistics and probabilities.