The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Four Essential Skills to Improve Your Python Data Visualization Workflow

Data at Depth • 19 implied HN points • 06 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Data Visualization Python AI Programming Coding
  1. Understanding Python data visualization libraries like Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Plotly can help you create different types of visualizations.
  2. Learning data cleaning and preprocessing techniques with Pandas is crucial to ensure accurate and meaningful visualizations.
  3. Mastering Modular Prompting with tools like ChatGPT can speed up coding tasks by generating code snippets based on specific instructions.

Don't abuse 0

CodeFaster • 144 implied HN points • 04 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming API Software Development
  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.

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.

Amber, Babylon, sun.misc.Unsafe and the rest: Java's plans for 2024 - JVM Weekly vol. 69

JVM Weekly • 98 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software updates Technology Adoption
  1. Java has ambitious plans for 2024 with projects like Amber, Babylon, and Valhalla focused on improving performance, memory efficiency, and concurrency.
  2. New JEPs in 2024 include proposals to deprecate memory access methods in sun.misc.Unsafe and enhancements for pattern matching for primitive types.
  3. Jakarta EE 11 now offers support for JDK 17 alongside JDK 21 to ease migration and accommodate user preferences for Java versions.
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Exploring recent Python repositories, part 2

Mostly Python • 628 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Programming Open Source Software Development Data Analysis Web Development
  1. The post explores new Python repositories that have gained just a small number of stars, filtering out the projects with no attention.
  2. Over 300,000 Python repositories are pushed to GitHub each month, showing the challenge of getting noticed among the vast amount of projects.
  3. Projects with a few stars can still be interesting and worth exploring, like a Pygame project inspired by Factorio.

Big Post About Big Context

Gonzo ML • 49 HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Models Programming AGI
  1. The context size in modern LLMs keeps increasing significantly, from 4k to 200k tokens, leading to improved model capabilities.
  2. The ability of models to handle 1M tokens allows for new possibilities like analyzing legal documents or generating code from videos, enhancing productivity.
  3. As AI models advance, the nature of work for entry positions may change, challenging the need for juniors and suggesting a shift towards content validation tools.

Intro to PDB, the Python Debugger

Bite code! • 733 implied HN points • 09 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming Debugging Tips Python
  1. PDB is a basic but useful debugger that comes with Python by default, allowing you to pause programs, enter a debugging shell, and analyze program states.
  2. Learning to use PDB is valuable because it helps you understand debugging fundamentals, and knowing PDB can translate to using other debuggers as well.
  3. PDB offers various helpful commands like 'help', 'quit', 'list', 'next', 'continue', 'until line', 'jump line', 'display', 'step', 'return', 'up', and 'down' for effective debugging in Python.

Console #170 -- An Interview with Alex of DocuSeal - Open source DocuSign alternative

Console • 413 implied HN points • 13 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Open Source Programming Web Development Software Development AI
  1. DocuSeal is an open source platform for digital document signing as an alternative to DocuSign.
  2. Ruby on Rails is used as the backend for DocuSeal, offering an easy and efficient development process.
  3. The developer of DocuSeal is motivated by community interest, aims for wider adoption before monetization, and plans to prioritize user feedback for future project development.

Read code when you're somber

CodeFaster • 72 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Music
  1. Reading code while feeling somber can match personal experience and enhance focus.
  2. Having a specific playlist of somber, melodic music for coding tasks can be effective.
  3. Consider supporting reader-supported publications by becoming a subscriber.

A reactionary take on memory safety

lcamtuf’s thing • 42 HN points • 01 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Security Programming Government Software Coding
  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.

Python Lists: A closer look, part 11

Mostly Python • 628 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming Data Management Development Python Classes
  1. Copying a list in Python can lead to unexpected behavior if the items in the list are mutable objects.
  2. To create a true copy of a list with mutable objects, use the deepcopy() function from the copy module.
  3. When working with Python lists, consider the nature of the items in the list to decide between using list[:], list.copy(), or deepcopy().

Settings that change, and settings that don't change

Mostly Python • 628 implied HN points • 18 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming Objects
  1. In Python, mutable objects can change values directly, while immutable objects create new objects when values are changed.
  2. Using dictionaries to group settings allows for changes to be tracked across classes in Python.
  3. Understanding mutable and immutable objects is crucial for managing data changes in Python, ensuring consistency across classes.

Ep#4 : Soft Skills

The ZenMode • 42 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Soft skills Programming Engineering Communication Collaboration
  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.

GM Shaders: WebGPU

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 58 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Graphics Programming Web Coding Game Development
  1. WebGPU is the new standard for accelerated graphics and compute, set to replace WebGL. It offers more features, deeper low-level access, and enhanced security, making it exciting for developers.
  2. WebGPU provides cross-platform support, allowing for better control over GPU resources, and introduces compute shaders for handling diverse data types efficiently.
  3. WGSL, the shading language of WebGPU, is stricter than GLSL with similarities to Rust or Swift. It offers optimizations and consistent results across different hardware configurations.

GM Shaders: MRT

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 98 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Graphics Shaders Gaming Programming
  1. By using gl_FragData[0-3], you can output 4 separate fragment colors to up to 4 surfaces with one draw call
  2. Multiple Render Targets have various applications like deferred rendering, unique object IDs, and depth maps in 2D or 3D contexts
  3. Consider limitations with MRTs, like compatibility with platforms, VRAM usage, and controlling fragment outputs independently

Daily bit(e) of C++ | Hardened mode of standard library implementations

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 78 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Security Debugging
  1. Dealing with assumptions in programming can be risky, especially in C++ where a violated assumption can lead to undefined behavior.
  2. Proper engineering practices like good unit test coverage and sanitizers can help catch bugs, but sanitizers may not detect all issues, particularly at the library level.
  3. Using the hardened mode of standard library implementations like stdlibc++ and libc++ can provide safety features against specific attacks and checks without affecting ABI, enhancing development experience.

Still loading: Re-Loaded

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Gaming Programming Software
  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.

Can GPT-4 *Actually* Write Code?

Tyler Glaiel's Blog • 567 HN points • 17 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Coding Algorithms Machine Learning Programming
  1. GPT-4 can write code when given existing algorithms or well-known problems, as it remixes existing solutions.
  2. However, when faced with novel or unique problems, GPT-4 struggles to provide accurate solutions and can make incorrect guesses.
  3. It's crucial to understand that while GPT-4 can generate code, it may not be reliable for solving complex, new problems in programming.

Prospero Pascal for the Atari ST

Goto 10: The Newsletter for Atari Enthusiasts • 78 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Software Development Hardware Tools
  1. Prospero Software made compilers for Atari ST and other systems like Sinclair QL and OS/2.
  2. Prospero Pascal was an extensive system with manuals totaling 718 pages, making it one of the most detailed ST development tools.
  3. The integration capability of Prospero compilers allowed for sharing libraries between Prospero Pascal, C, and Fortran, giving a unique advantage in the market.

Experimenting with GUIs on the Pi Zero

Deus In Machina • 36 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming Performance
  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.

Daily bit(e) of C++ | Domain specific errors using std::error_code

Daily bit(e) of C++ • 78 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Error Handling
  1. To represent domain-specific error codes in C++, use std::error_code customization mechanism.
  2. The custom implementation involves an enum for error codes, an error category for text descriptions, and a mapping from enum type to category type.
  3. This customization allows for a more specialized and descriptive handling of errors in C++ programming.

Understanding Software Idempotency [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 119 implied HN points • 11 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Software Math Engineering Systems Programming
  1. Idempotency ensures the same output regardless of how many times an operation is executed, providing data consistency and preventing duplicate operations.
  2. Idempotency is crucial for resilience, scalability, performance, simplicity, and provability in software systems.
  3. Implementing idempotency involves using unique identifiers, versioning, transaction management, and leveraging HTTP methods, offering benefits like better error handling and faster response times.

The Pleasure of Pattern

Software Design: Tidy First? • 45 HN points • 14 Feb 24
🎨 Art & Illustration Patterns Music Programming Psychology
  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.

How Researchers found Gods Number[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 139 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🔬 Science Math Programming Combinatorics Symmetry Simulation
  1. God's Algorithm aims for the fewest moves possible in combinatorial games like Rubik's Cube.
  2. Researchers found God's Number for Rubik's Cube using techniques like partitioning, symmetry, and dropping optimality.
  3. Key strategies used were dividing the problem into smaller parts, leveraging symmetry to reduce work, and focusing on finding solutions within 20 moves instead of the best possible solution.

Memory Management Every Programmer Should Know

Web Dev Explorer • 3 HN points • 29 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Programming Memory management Data Structures Web Development
  1. Data stored on the stack is static, fixed in size, with a fixed lifecycle, and cannot be referenced across different stack frames.
  2. Data stored on the heap is dynamic, not fixed in size, has a flexible lifecycle, and can be referenced across different stack frames.
  3. Various programming languages use different memory management approaches, like manual management in C, garbage collection in Java, ARC in Objective-C and Swift, and ownership mechanism in Rust.