The hottest Software Development Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

On METR's AI Coding RCT

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2688 implied HN points • 18 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. A recent study found that using AI coding tools actually slowed down experienced developers by about 19%. This surprised many who expected them to speed up.
  2. The slowdown might be due to developers being very familiar with their own projects, which made it hard for AI to add value. Also, many participants didn't have enough experience using the AI tools.
  3. Self-reports from developers on their productivity are often unreliable. The study shows that just thinking you're faster with AI doesn't mean you really are.

Practical Data Engineering using AWS Cloud Technologies

VuTrinh. • 339 implied HN points • 23 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. AWS offers a variety of tools for data engineering like S3, Lambda, and Step Functions, which can help anyone build scalable projects. These tools are often underused compared to newer options but are still very effective.
  2. Services like SNS and SQS can help manage data flow and processing. SNS allows for publishing messages while SQS aids in handling high event volumes asynchronously.
  3. Using AWS for data engineering is often simpler than switching to modern tools. It's easier to add new AWS services to your existing workflow than to migrate to something completely new.

Data Science Weekly - Issue 559

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 219 implied HN points • 08 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Camera calibration is crucial in sports analysis. It helps track players' movements accurately by mapping video frame positions to real field locations.
  2. Understanding the context of data is important for responsible data work. Datasets need good documentation and stories to highlight their historical and social backgrounds.
  3. There's a new, free encyclopedia for learning about cognitive science. It offers easy-to-read articles on various topics for students and researchers.

My weekly tech industry intake routine as a Staff Engineer

High Growth Engineer • 642 implied HN points • 30 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Staying updated on industry trends helps you make better decisions at work. Regularly reading articles can keep you informed and improve your skills.
  2. Organizing your reading materials into a special inbox can make it easier to find important articles. Using tools like split inboxes and email groupings can really cut down on your reading time.
  3. Taking action after reading is crucial. Simply saving what you've learned or adding tasks based on it can help you retain more information and apply it effectively in your job.

Grok 3 Hot Take

Marcus on AI • 5928 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Grok 3 is not a giant leap in AI technology; it seems pretty similar to earlier models.
  2. Despite the hype, Grok 3 didn't show any major breakthroughs like solving hallucinations in AI.
  3. The competition in AI is heating up, which might lead to price drops but less profit for companies except for Nvidia.
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How to Build Your First ChatGPT App

High Growth Engineer • 493 implied HN points • 14 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. ChatGPT Apps let you embed interactive tools and UI directly into ChatGPT using the Model Context Protocol, with three main parts: an MCP server (backend), a sandboxed React component (frontend), and ChatGPT as the host.
  2. There are important constraints to design for: only one UI-returning component can run per turn, component state is ephemeral unless you persist it on your backend, components run in a secure iframe with no direct DOM access, and large payloads hurt performance.
  3. Building a first app is practical: build a React component that talks to window.openai, define tools and register resources on your MCP server, then connect and test in ChatGPT; use inline, fullscreen, or picture-in-picture modes for use cases like shopping, booking, dashboards, and maps to reach large audiences.

Push it to the Limit EP. 1—GPT Engineer

Prompt’s Substack • 119 implied HN points • 25 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Using GPT Engineer can help generate clean front-end React code quickly, even for those with minimal coding knowledge. It's impressive how much can be done with just prompts.
  2. Integrating a Supabase database with GPT Engineer is easy for simple cases, but it can become complex with larger databases due to relationship intricacies.
  3. Creativity in prompting is key when working with bigger databases, as GPT Engineer has some limitations with context as databases grow in complexity.

Normalization is not enough anymore.

System Design Classroom • 559 implied HN points • 23 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Normalization is important for organizing data and reducing redundancy, but it's not sufficient for today's data needs. We have to think beyond just following those strict rules.
  2. De-normalization can help improve performance by reducing complex joins in large datasets. Sometimes, it makes sense to duplicate data to make queries run faster.
  3. Knowing when to de-normalize is key, especially in situations like data warehousing or when read performance matters more than write performance. It's all about balancing speed and data integrity.

Resilient Cyber Newsletter #12

Resilient Cyber • 79 implied HN points • 03 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Many companies believe they are prepared for cyber threats, but actually, most lack strong leadership involvement in their cybersecurity efforts. That's making them more vulnerable.
  2. Despite spending a lot on security solutions, many enterprises still face breaches, showing that having many tools doesn't always mean better protection.
  3. There's a debate about how founders should manage their startups. Some say founding leaders need to be hands-on rather than relying on traditional management styles that don’t always work for fast-growing companies.

The Magic of Deep Linking

jDeploy Newsletter • 84 implied HN points • 10 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Deep linking is critical to a smooth desktop app experience because it lets links open directly in the native app instantly, avoiding slow web reloads and reducing friction.
  2. Making apps behave as singletons on Windows and Linux is essential so opening a link brings the existing app to the front instead of launching new processes or windows, which saves RAM and avoids clutter.
  3. jDeploy 6 delivers a cross-platform deep-linking solution for Java desktop apps by adding singleton support, simple package.json flags (singleton=true and urlSchemes), and a small desktop library to handle URL/file callbacks.

Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

Shenisha’s Substack • 5 HN points • 02 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Programmers often need private offices to focus better on their work. Short interruptions can really disrupt their thought processes and lower their productivity.
  2. There are two types of work: those that can be interrupted easily and those that cannot. Knowing the difference helps in managing how we communicate in the workplace.
  3. Leaders should protect their team's focus time and understand the value of uninterrupted work. This can lead to greater creativity and better results.

Static, Dynamic, Mergeable, oh, my!

Jacob’s Tech Tavern • 7872 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Libraries are just code you use in your projects. There are two types: static and dynamic, which impact how they are linked to your app.
  2. Dynamic linking happens at runtime, making builds faster but can slow down app launch times. Static linking copies everything into the app, which can make the app bigger but loads faster.
  3. Mergeable libraries combine the benefits of both static and dynamic linking, aiming to speed up builds while keeping app launch times quick.

AI Links, 12/31/2025

In My Tribe • 243 implied HN points • 31 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Robots are rapidly approaching human-level ability for many physical tasks; they could cook in ordinary kitchens within a few years and handle most physical labor by the 2030s.
  2. AI-powered services are being built to curate real-world social experiences and match compatible strangers for in-person events, offering a cheaper, friendship-first alternative to swipe-based dating apps.
  3. Programming is being reshaped by AI agents and new tooling, so developers must learn agent-based workflows, prompts, and integrations or risk falling behind.

Data Science Weekly - Issue 560

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 139 implied HN points • 15 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. The Turing Test raises questions about what it means for a computer to think, suggesting that if a computer behaves like a human, we might consider it intelligent too.
  2. Creating a multimodal language model involves understanding different components like transformers, attention mechanisms, and learning techniques, which are essential for advanced AI systems.
  3. A recent study tested if astrologers can really analyze people's lives using astrology, addressing the ongoing debate about the legitimacy of astrology among the public.

Make YouTube Better.

Elizabeth Laraki • 199 implied HN points • 01 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. User experience research can be simple and effective. Instead of fancy tools, talking to users directly can lead to big insights.
  2. Removing unnecessary features is crucial. Complex products can confuse users, so it's often better to simplify than to add more.
  3. Observing real user behavior offers valuable lessons. Understanding how people interact with a product can guide meaningful improvements.

Kimi K2

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1926 implied HN points • 16 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Kimi K2 is a good and affordable AI model for creative writing. It stands out for its unique style and gives users plenty of ways to be creative.
  2. Despite being praised for its performance, Kimi K2 has some limitations, especially in reasoning tasks. This means it may struggle with complex math or social skills.
  3. The success of Kimi K2 shows that new players in AI can create strong models even with limited resources. It highlights the importance of different perspectives in the AI landscape.

AI #121 Part 1: New Connections

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2284 implied HN points • 19 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Language models can be very useful, but not everyone finds them practical. Some people rely on them more than others, which leads to different levels of satisfaction.
  2. There's a growing concern about how to properly integrate AI into our work without losing valuable skills. Many people worry that over-relying on AI will hinder their personal growth and problem-solving abilities.
  3. As AI technology continues to evolve, it's important to be mindful of the tasks we let AI handle. Balancing automation with human input will be crucial for maintaining job satisfaction and ensuring important decisions remain human-made.

AI #126: Go Fund Yourself

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1792 implied HN points • 24 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. AI is becoming more powerful and surprising, with companies like Google and OpenAI achieving unexpected breakthroughs. This shows that AI is still capable of advancing in ways we didn't expect.
  2. Language models can sometimes be harmful, especially for individuals struggling with issues like body dysmorphia. Using AI for self-evaluation can lead to negative outcomes rather than helping.
  3. There's rising concern over how AI will transform jobs and the economy. While AI can create new opportunities, it also poses risks that need careful management to prevent widespread job loss.

Sometimes Wrong, But Always Right II

Contemplations on the Tree of Woe • 1696 implied HN points • 19 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Cosmarch AI has a unique feature called persistent memory, which allows it to remember information about you over time, making interactions feel more personal.
  2. It offers multiple models that excel in different tasks, allowing users to switch between them based on what they need, like better reasoning or writing style.
  3. Cosmarch AI is currently in beta, and while it has great features, it still lacks some advanced options that other AI models offer, like editable memory and mobile support.

Grok Grok

Don't Worry About the Vase • 4211 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Grok can search Twitter and provides fast responses, which is pretty useful. However, it has issues with creativity and sometimes jumps to conclusions too quickly.
  2. Despite being developed by Elon Musk, Grok shows a strong bias against him and others, leading to a loss of trust in the model. There are concerns about its capabilities and safety features.
  3. Grok has been described as easy to jailbreaking, raising concerns about it potentially sharing dangerous instructions if properly manipulated.

Twitter is dead and Threads is thriving

Platformer • 3262 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Twitter underwent significant changes after Elon Musk's takeover, leading to a decline in daily users and financial setbacks.
  2. Musk's plan to pivot Twitter towards paid subscriptions failed, with less than 1% of users signing up for the premium service.
  3. Former Twitter employees have accepted the company's demise, with concerns about the future of the platform integrity at X.

This Rumor About GPT-5 Changes Everything

The Algorithmic Bridge • 4788 implied HN points • 16 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. There's a belief that GPT-5 might already exist but isn't being released to the public. The idea is that OpenAI may be using it internally because it's more valuable that way.
  2. AI labs are focusing on creating smaller and cheaper models that still perform well. This new approach aims to reduce costs while improving efficiency, which is crucial given the rising demand for AI.
  3. The situation is similar across major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, with many facing challenges in producing new models. Instead, they might be opting to train powerful models internally and use them to enhance smaller models for public use.

LLMs Know More Than What They Say

LLMs for Engineers • 120 HN points • 15 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Using latent space techniques can improve the accuracy of evaluations for AI applications without requiring a lot of human feedback. This approach saves time and resources.
  2. Latent space readout (LSR) helps in detecting issues like hallucinations in AI outputs by allowing users to adjust the sensitivity of detection. This means it can catch more errors if needed, even if that results in some false alarms.
  3. Creating customized evaluation rubrics for AI applications is essential. By gathering targeted feedback from users, developers can create more effective evaluation systems that align with specific needs.

AI Agents: Hype versus Reality, redux

Marcus on AI • 4545 implied HN points • 15 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. AI agents are getting a lot of attention right now, but they still aren't reliable. Most of what we see this year are just demos that don't work well in real life.
  2. In the long run, we might have powerful AI agents doing many jobs, but that won't happen for a while. For now, we need to be careful about the hype.
  3. To build truly helpful AI agents, we need to solve big challenges like common sense and reasoning. If those issues aren't fixed, the agents will continue to give strange or wrong results.

I’m Losing All Trust in the AI Industry

The Algorithmic Bridge • 1911 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Many AI researchers are changing jobs, suggesting they don't really believe that powerful AI will be ready soon. If they thought it was near, they wouldn't leave their positions.
  2. A lot of AI development focuses on creating engaging products rather than useful ones, similar to social media strategies. The aim often seems to be keeping people addicted rather than truly helping them.
  3. The AI industry is running into financial problems and most companies are currently not profitable. This might lead them to prioritize making money over the responsible use of technology.

What It Really Takes to Move From Senior to Staff Data Engineer

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 447 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Moving from senior to staff data engineer requires developing non-technical skills like communication and project management. It's important to help your teammates and have a holistic view of your work.
  2. Staff engineers need to be adaptable and handle more responsibilities beyond coding, such as mentoring and collaboration. They also need to maintain good relationships with different teams and stakeholders.
  3. A clear understanding of project goals and the ability to design scalable solutions are essential. This often involves diagramming ideas and determining what should be built in-house versus what can be delegated.

AI #124: Grokless Interlude

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1792 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Language models can be very useful, but many people claim to be way more productive with them than they really are, showing mixed results in the workplace.
  2. Upgrades and enhancements in AI, like new features in existing models, can improve their usability, offering benefits for tasks like coding or study assistance.
  3. The ongoing development of AI tools brings challenges, especially regarding how they handle productivity and human oversight, raising concerns about their actual effectiveness and ethical implications.

Augmented Coding: Beyond the Vibes

Software Design: Tidy First? • 1855 implied HN points • 25 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Augmented coding is different from vibe coding. It's about caring for the code quality and complexity, not just getting the system to work.
  2. Keeping the project scope clear is key. You should focus on specific tasks, like creating a B+ Tree, while ensuring the code is tidy and functional.
  3. Collaboration with AI tools can enhance coding efficiency. You can rely on AI for tasks like writing tests or suggesting optimizations, but you must guide it to stay on track.

Python Data Engineering, July 2024

Monthly Python Data Engineering • 179 implied HN points • 25 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. The Python Data Engineering newsletter focuses on key updates and tools for building data engineering projects, rather than just data science.
  2. This month showcased rapid development in projects like Narwhals and Polars, with Narwhals making 26 releases and Polars reaching version 1.0.0.
  3. Several other libraries, such as Great Tables and Dask, also had important updates, making it a busy month for Python data engineering tools.

Apache Kafka - Producer

VuTrinh. • 199 implied HN points • 20 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Kafka producers are responsible for sending messages to servers. They prepare the messages, choose where to send them, and then actually send them to the Kafka brokers.
  2. There are different ways to send messages: fire-and-forget, synchronous, and asynchronous. Each method has its pros and cons, depending on whether you want speed or reliability.
  3. Producers can control message acknowledgment with the 'acks' parameter to determine when a message is considered successfully sent. This parameter affects data safety, with options that range from no acknowledgment to full confirmation from all replicas.

The Future of Secure Telecom

ChinaTalk • 340 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Telecom data is really valuable, and bad actors, including government entities, can exploit it easily. This was evident with China's intrusion into major telecoms, which surprised many but shouldn't have.
  2. Cape emphasizes privacy and security by minimizing data collection from users. Unlike traditional telecoms that sell data, Cape aims to keep your information safe and only retain it for short periods.
  3. In conflict zones like Ukraine, commercial mobile networks are crucial for communication. Even in dangerous situations, people choose to use their phones because they provide vital information and support both military and civilian communication.

2026 AI Predictions

Alex Ghiculescu's Newsletter • 135 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. AI labs will focus on coding agents, with most development effort and revenue moving toward models that write software.
  2. Keeping up with rapidly improving AI coding tools will be the main challenge for software companies; engineering teams will need to learn new workflows and roll them out across people with different skills and enthusiasm.
  3. New techniques will close agents' domain-knowledge gaps so models can understand real codebases and make decisions, and those same solutions will boost many other AI applications.

Not So Fast: AI Coding Tools Can Actually Reduce Productivity

Am I Stronger Yet? • 1379 implied HN points • 10 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. A recent study found that using AI coding tools can actually slow down experienced developers by about 19%. They thought AI would help them work faster, but it didn’t turn out that way.
  2. The study showed that developers spent a lot of time reviewing and fixing the code generated by AI since it often didn't meet their quality standards. This extra review time took away from their actual coding time.
  3. AI tools might be better suited for simple, new projects rather than complex, established codebases. This means while AI can assist in some areas, it’s not ready to fully replace human developers in challenging tasks.

Trust Networks Are the Antidote to AI Hype

Marginally Compelling • 15 implied HN points • 26 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Local AI agents that run on your machine and can access files and services feel magical but are still immature and can cause serious security and control failures.
  2. The AI news wave is overloaded with sensational claims, influencers, and speculative pieces that often mislead people and can even move markets without solid evidence.
  3. The best defense is a network of trusted, experienced people who actually test tools and do the hard work. Rely on them to soberly explain limits and filter the hype.

Data Science Weekly - Issue 530

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 1418 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Good data visualization is important. Some types of graphs can be misleading, and it's better to avoid them.
  2. In healthcare, it's not just about having advanced technology like AI. The real focus should be on getting effective results from these technologies.
  3. Netflix released a lot of data about what people watched in 2023. Analyzing this can help us understand trends in streaming better.

The History and Evolution of Open Table Formats - Part II

Practical Data Engineering Substack • 79 implied HN points • 18 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. The evolution of open table formats has improved how we manage data by introducing log-oriented designs. These designs help us keep track of data changes and make data management more efficient.
  2. Modern open table formats like Apache Hudi and Delta Lake offer database-like features on data lakes, ensuring data integrity and allowing for easier updates and querying.
  3. New projects are working on creating a unified table format that can work with different technologies. This means that in the future, switching between data formats could be simpler and more streamlined.

DeepSeek Is Chinese But Its AI Models Are From Another Planet

The Algorithmic Bridge • 3344 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, has quickly created competitive AI models that are open-source and cheap. This challenges the idea that the U.S. has a clear lead in AI technology.
  2. Their new model, R1, is comparable to OpenAI's best models, showcasing that they can produce high-quality AI without the same resources. It suggests they might be using innovative methods to build these models efficiently.
  3. DeepSeek’s approach also includes letting their model learn on its own without much human guidance, raising questions about what future AI could look like and how it might think differently than humans.

Something Big Is Happening in Cybersecurity

The Security Industry • 35 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. AI development is accelerating fast, with new models that feel like a qualitative leap and are even being used to build the next generation of models.
  2. The AI security market has exploded into hundreds of companies, including many focused on automating SOC work, and it has attracted substantial venture funding.
  3. AI security is becoming a standard part of organizational defenses, and soon it will no longer make sense to treat it as a separate category because every vendor will have AI-driven security features.

Code reviews

Basta’s Notes • 286 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. Code reviews are crucial for maintaining a clean and efficient codebase. By giving thoughtful feedback, you help improve the team’s overall coding practices.
  2. With the rise of AI in programming, it’s important to not just trust the AI’s output. You need to review and refine its work to make sure it fits well within the overall code structure.
  3. Looking for common issues, like duplicated code, is key during reviews. Small repetitive mistakes can pile up and make the codebase messy, so it's best to address them early.

TTW Extra #6 🔥: All Java talks of 2024 so far...

Tech Talks Weekly • 198 implied HN points • 03 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Development
  1. There are many Java talks happening at conferences in 2024, covering various topics. It's a great way to learn about the latest trends and practices in Java development.
  2. Some of the most popular talks include topics like Test-Driven Development and Domain-Driven Design. These subjects are important for improving coding practices and software architecture.
  3. Watching these talks can help developers stay updated and reduce the fear of missing out on new technologies and methods in the Java community.