The hottest Programming Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

MCU land #11: Linux toolchain for Cortex-M

lcamtuf’s thing • 1428 implied HN points • 13 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Setting up a Linux toolchain for Cortex-M microcontrollers can be challenging but beneficial.
  2. When setting up the toolchain, ensure to get the Cortex-M cross-compiler, CMSIS library, and Device Family Pack.
  3. Compiling and programming the device requires additional steps like using the newlib C library and flashing the binary onto the chip.

Coming in Through the Back Door

Rethinking Software • 349 implied HN points • 24 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Working in traditional software jobs can feel unfulfilling because you mostly deal with old code and follow orders. Many developers wish for more creativity and control over their projects.
  2. Open source software (OSS) offers a way for developers to work on things they are passionate about without the pressure of market demands. It allows them to create freely and build things that interest them.
  3. Getting involved in OSS can provide personal satisfaction and potentially lead to financial opportunities later. It’s a great way to control your work and share it with the world.

Software Developer Influencers: The Modern Snake Oil Salesmen

Based Meditations • 278 implied HN points • 19 Aug 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Becoming a software developer is highly appealing due to the potential for high salaries and the option to work from home
  2. Influencers in the software development space often oversimplify the requirements and challenges of breaking into the industry
  3. Having a degree, building a strong portfolio, and understanding the nuanced demands of the software industry are crucial for success

Two reflections on AI

De Pony Sum • 255 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Recent developments in AI, like language models, have surprised many with their capabilities and impact.
  2. There is a need for curiosity and humility when engaging with new AI technologies.
  3. Advancements in language models, such as using LATS, show promising improvements and future potentials.

For Pete's sake, learn what a machine is.

Top Carbon Chauvinist • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. A machine is made up of parts that do work by handling loads, like electricity or mechanics. It does not actually understand or think about what it does.
  2. When programming a machine, like a catapult, you're just adjusting physical elements, not teaching it to know or understand concepts like 'rock' or 'lever'.
  3. Living things are not machines because they aren't made of manufactured parts. They grow and evolve in ways that machines cannot.
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Write Cleaner, More Maintainable Rust Code with PhantomData

Aayushya’s Substack • 99 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Using PhantomData in Rust can help reduce code duplication by creating a generic struct with common fields and methods.
  2. Marker types like FreeLineQuantityTag and BilledLineQuantityTag can help differentiate between types when refactoring code.
  3. Leveraging advanced Rust features like PhantomData can lead to more maintainable and expressive code in real-world projects.

Code works as intended

In My Tribe • 151 implied HN points • 07 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Working with code can be tricky, especially when different operating systems like Windows and Linux handle files differently. It can cause stress and confusion for beginners.
  2. While waiting for responses in applications can be frustrating, adding some engaging content, like banter, helps keep users interested and makes the wait feel shorter.
  3. There's potential to create new, innovative educational tools that allow professors to monetize their courses in a more modern way, like a subscription model instead of traditional textbooks.

GPT-4 Plugs In

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1747 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. GPT-4 is getting an upgrade with plug-ins for browsing the internet and using various websites.
  2. Concerns about safety and risks involved in using these new plug-ins have been raised.
  3. The introduction of plug-ins makes it easier to interact with GPT-4, but also raises questions about trust and potential misuse.

Shaping Light, Visualizing Sound, and The Generative Shift

Generative Arts Collective • 131 implied HN points • 21 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. AI is changing how we create art and media by combining different styles and concepts to make something new. This gives more people the tools to express their creativity.
  2. Even though AI can generate impressive content, it lacks genuine human experience and thought. True creativity and original ideas still come from human minds.
  3. As technology evolves, society will need to adapt how we understand and engage with artistic expression. This shift may lead to exciting new forms of entertainment and creativity.

Under the microscope: Jet Moto 3 (PlayStation)

Rings of Saturn • 29 implied HN points • 27 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Ghidra and a small Python script were used to reverse‑engineer the game's cheat system by mapping letters to PlayStation controller button bit patterns, which let the author extract the actual button combos for each code.
  2. Many decoded codes reliably unlock content or change gameplay — for example EVERYTHING unlocks nearly everything, ALLTRAC adds bonus tracks, SEASONS opens Season levels, and other codes enable turbo, camera modes, and special hops — and some codes must be entered at the title screen while others work during play.
  3. Not every discovered code has a visible effect: several camera codes do nothing, STUNT and RACE appear unused, and some cheats have prerequisites (e.g., COP requires unlocking Granny), so results vary by code.

JAX things to watch for in 2025

Gonzo ML • 378 implied HN points • 26 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The new NNX API is set to replace the older Linen API for building neural networks with JAX. It simplifies the coding process and offers better performance options.
  2. The shard_map feature improves multi-device computation by allowing better handling of data. It’s a helpful evolution for developers looking for precise control over their parallel computing tasks.
  3. Pallas is a new JAX tool that lets users write custom kernels for GPUs and TPUs. This allows for more specialized and efficient computation, particularly for advanced tasks like training large models.

How Rust and Python manage memory

VuTrinh. • 119 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Rust uses ownership to manage memory, meaning each value has a single owner. When that owner goes out of scope, the memory gets freed automatically.
  2. Python uses a garbage collector to handle memory which counts how many references point to an object. Once there are no references left, it cleans up the unused memory.
  3. Rust's approach gives developers more control but requires them to understand ownership rules, while Python's method is easier for beginners but can slow down performance.

Rust: future cannot be sent between threads safely

Art’s Substack • 39 implied HN points • 24 May 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. In Rust, sending futures between threads safely can lead to compilation errors. This can happen when sharing mutable data across threads that must be protected with a Mutex.
  2. The issue with sending futures between threads safely is due to the fact that futures in Rust are required to implement the 'Send' trait. Problems arise when trying to hold a MutexGuard across an await, causing the future not to be Send.
  3. To resolve issues related to sending futures between threads safely in Rust, one solution is to explicitly introduce a scope to handle locking and unlocking of the MutexGuard around the await, ensuring that the future is 'Send'.

What's up Python ? Python, the video game, pyodide on the rise, numpy breaks...

Bite code! • 856 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. A new Python video game, JOY OF PROGRAMMING, is available on Steam for learning programming interactively.
  2. Pyodide, a Webassembly CPython port, now has experimental support from urllib3, enabling Python to run in the browser.
  3. Numpy 2 is set to release soon, with changes that may impact compatibility, so users should prepare by checking and updating dependencies.

The Messy Page

Register Spill • 216 implied HN points • 07 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The author prefers messy projects over greenfield projects because they provide more certainty and direction.
  2. Having clear product-market fit and defined requirements make a project enjoyable to work on.
  3. The author finds debugging appealing due to its clear requirements and the assurance that efforts won't be wasted.

Best practices and an elephant

Register Spill • 216 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Learn different programming languages and paradigms for a comprehensive understanding.
  2. Experiment with both good and bad practices to gain diverse perspectives and experiences.
  3. Try various approaches in software development to enhance your skills and knowledge.

5 SIEM Capabilities for Detection Engineering

Detection at Scale • 59 implied HN points • 15 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Detection Engineering involves moving from simply responding to alerts to enhancing the capabilities behind those alerts, leading to reduced fatigue for security teams.
  2. Key capabilities for supporting detection engineering include a robust data pipeline, scalable analytics with a security data lake, and embracing Detection as Code framework for sustainable security insights.
  3. Modern SIEM platforms should offer an API for automated workflows, BYOC deployment options for cost-effectiveness, and Infrastructure as Code capabilities for stable long-term management.

LLMs Fight With Both Hands Tied Behind Their Back

Am I Stronger Yet? • 313 implied HN points • 27 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Large Language Models (LLMs) like o3 are becoming better at solving complex math and coding problems, showing impressive performance compared to human competitors. They can tackle hard tasks with many attempts, which is different from how humans might solve them.
  2. Despite their advances, LLMs struggle with tasks that require visual reasoning or creativity. They often fail to understand spatial relationships in images because they process information in a linear way, making it hard to work with visual puzzles.
  3. LLMs rely heavily on knowledge in their 'heads' and do not have access to real-world knowledge. When they gain access to more external tools, their performance could improve significantly, potentially changing how they solve various problems.

Python as a configuration language

Bite code! • 856 implied HN points • 23 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Python can be used for defining conf data and schema, but it may have limitations and challenges.
  2. When not using Python, consider using TOML for small files, JSON for large ones, and CUElang for shared or dynamic conf.
  3. Investing in a pydantic schema for defining and validating configuration content can be beneficial.

Using Matplotlib To Create The 50th Article Cover Mosaic Animation (#50 Part 2)

The Python Coding Stack • by Stephen Gruppetta • 119 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. You can use Matplotlib to create animations, like a mosaic of previous article cover images, by following a step-by-step tutorial.
  2. Before starting the animation, ensure you have images ready and the necessary libraries installed like Matplotlib, NumPy, and Pillow.
  3. You can control how images are plotted, resize images in the animation frames, and save the animation as a movie file like an mp4 or an animated GIF using libraries like Matplotlib or PillowWriter.

GM Shaders: Mipmaps

GM Shaders Mini Tuts • 117 implied HN points • 20 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Mipmapping helps to downsample textures for improved visual quality and performance.
  2. Enable mipmapping in GameMaker games to enhance texture filtering with different filter options.
  3. Consider factors like memory usage, texture sizes, and avoiding seams when utilizing mipmapping in game development.

OOP in Python: Why is object-oriented programming so important?

Mostly Python • 1257 implied HN points • 06 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Object-oriented programming (OOP) is important because it stores information and actions in one place.
  2. OOP is powerful for getting work done efficiently, as shown by the ease of creating and working with objects in Python.
  3. Even if you don't write classes often, understanding OOP in Python can make you a better programmer since everything in Python is an object.

How I've been using ChatGPT

The Counterfactual • 219 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. ChatGPT can help you learn about new topics by suggesting useful resources and references. This can speed up your research by providing relevant information without the hassle of searching through many documents.
  2. Using ChatGPT for recommendations can be helpful, but it shouldn't replace getting suggestions from friends or experts. It can fill in gaps when you don't have access to personal recommendations.
  3. ChatGPT acts as a good reading companion by answering specific questions while you read. This helps you understand the material better and encourages you to ask questions about what you’re learning.

LLM Disruption in Chatbot Development Frameworks

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 05 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Large Language Models (LLMs) make chatbots act more like humans, making it easier for developers to create smart bots.
  2. Using LLMs reduces the need for complex programming rules, allowing for quicker chatbot setup for different uses.
  3. Despite the benefits, there are still challenges, like keeping chatbots stable and predictable as they become more advanced.

This will be easy

Bite code! • 1223 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Making HTTP POST requests can have unexpected challenges, like dealing with network issues and corporate setups.
  2. Using ThreadExecutor and ThreadPoolExecutor in Python can help manage tasks efficiently, especially in scenarios like log aggregation.
  3. Error handling is crucial in programming, and sometimes unconventional solutions are needed to manage exceptions effectively.

Live Session: Live Coding a Bytecode Interpreter for Python

Confessions of a Code Addict • 360 implied HN points • 30 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The next live coding session will focus on creating a bytecode interpreter for Python. It will help participants understand important concepts like how Python code is structured and executed.
  2. In the session, participants will learn about Python's abstract syntax tree and how to traverse it to interpret code. This is a hands-on opportunity to experience coding in a live setting.
  3. There are limited spots available for the session, so early registration is encouraged. The session is free for paid subscribers, and there will be a recording available for those who sign up.

OpenAI Agent Query Planning Using LlamaIndex

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 99 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. An OpenAI agent can analyze information from multiple documents at once. This helps create detailed answers to queries based on several sources.
  2. Using the LlamaIndex framework, you can easily set up a system to manage and query PDF documents. This makes finding specific data more efficient.
  3. The agent can summarize financial data, showing how companies like Uber grow revenue over time. This is helpful for understanding trends in business performance.

Introducing Fencer

microapis.io • 196 implied HN points • 21 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. API security testing requires a holistic approach covering all components
  2. There is a need for open source automated API security testing tools
  3. Automating API security testing can help catch vulnerabilities and reduce breach risks

Three Lessons from Roam Research

Hard Pivot • 196 implied HN points • 01 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Be Polarizing: It's better to be loved by some and hated by most than for everyone to sort of like you.
  2. Be Petty: Having a 'chip on your shoulder' can drive you to prove yourself and succeed.
  3. Be Prolific: Building in public can be energizing and help you grow, but don't let it get in the way of actual work.

Program-Aided Language Models

Deep (Learning) Focus • 196 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. LLMs can struggle with tasks like arithmetic and complex reasoning, but using an external code interpreter can help them compute solutions more accurately.
  2. Program-Aided Language Models (PaL) and Program of Thoughts (PoT) techniques leverage both natural language and code components to enhance reasoning capabilities of LLMs.
  3. Decoupling reasoning from computation within LLMs through techniques like PaL and PoT can significantly improve performance on complex numerical tasks.

The best Python feature you cannot use

Bite code! • 1223 implied HN points • 17 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Python has a powerful feature with the assert keyword for contract-based programming.
  2. Using assert in Python can help catch bugs and remove checks in production with PYTHONOPTIMIZE.
  3. The community is unaware of this feature, leading to potential misuse of assert statements.

Live Session: Live Coding a Bytecode Interpreter for Python

Confessions of a Code Addict • 312 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. The session will involve live coding a simple compiler and virtual machine for a small part of Python. They will focus on features like variables, function calls, and loops.
  2. Participants should know programming well and have some Python experience, especially since recursion will be used a lot in this session.
  3. The session is happening on December 14th and will not be recorded, so attendees should plan to join live for the best experience.

Intents: the end-game for computing interfaces?

Router by Dmitry Pimenov • 2 HN points • 11 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Computing interfaces are evolving from specific command-based systems to more user-friendly methods that focus on overall goals. This makes it easier for developers to work on what really matters instead of getting bogged down in details.
  2. Intent-driven interfaces allow us to express our thoughts directly to machines, removing the need for complicated steps. This means we can communicate what we want in a more natural way.
  3. The rise of AI and new technologies is shifting how we interact with computers. Soon, we may even communicate our intentions directly from our minds, making technology feel more personal and easier to use.

How to metacognate

Sunday Letters • 99 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. Working with complex models can be hard when they get confused by incorrect or incomplete information. This can lead to mistakes and conflicts in what they remember.
  2. Creating a stable pattern for how tasks are done can help models work better by giving them a solid structure to follow. This is like giving the model a framework to lean on for more complicated tasks.
  3. As models improve, the need for extra coding to guide their thinking may lessen. Better memory strategies will likely help them function more effectively over time.

Idle Thoughts On Programming and AI

Artificial Ignorance • 105 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Programming
  1. AI is changing coding really fast, and many people don't realize just how quickly new tools and technologies are emerging. We're now seeing AI that can take on bigger coding tasks, even working in the cloud.
  2. The role of programmers is shifting. Instead of just writing code, developers must focus more on their intentions and project planning, as AI tools take care of many coding details.
  3. There are new challenges with security and hiring due to AI's impact on the industry. Companies need to rethink how they assess candidates and ensure safety as coding becomes easier with AI.