The hottest Software Engineering Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

Web standards and our future as developers

Bite code! • 978 implied HN points • 04 Mar 25
🕹 Technology Web Development Software Engineering Open Source
  1. Web development needs a balance between standardization and diversity. If everything is too standard, creativity suffers; too much diversity leads to chaos. Finding the right mix is key.
  2. History shows us that monopolies in web browsers can lead to stagnation and problems for developers. Just like with Internet Explorer 6, when one browser dominates, innovation can slow down.
  3. We should support alternatives to Chrome to prevent the rise of another monopoly. Using and promoting different browsers helps keep the web healthy and encourages a variety of options for developers.

Time to Welcome Claude 3.7

Don't Worry About the Vase • 2419 implied HN points • 26 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI Models Machine Learning Tech development Software Engineering
  1. Claude 3.7 is a new AI model that improves coding abilities and offers a feature called Extended Thinking, which lets it think longer before responding. This makes it a great choice for coding tasks.
  2. The model prioritizes safety and has clear guidelines for avoiding harmful responses. It is better at understanding user intent and has reduced unnecessary refusals compared to the previous version.
  3. Claude Code is a helpful new tool that allows users to interact with the model directly from the command line, handling coding tasks and providing a more integrated experience.

HN blogs - 1/11/24

HackerNews blogs newsletter • 59 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Data Analysis Cybersecurity Programming
  1. Measuring technical debt is crucial for leaders, especially CTOs. It helps in understanding and managing the challenges in software development.
  2. Freezing CEO salaries during layoffs can create a fairer work environment. It shows accountability and may protect jobs for regular employees.
  3. Life shouldn't solely be based on statistics. Everyone's experiences are unique and can't be fully represented by numbers.

I'm glad I took the off-ramp from software engineering

Cloud Irregular • 6800 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Career development Artificial Intelligence Tech industry Job Market
  1. A career in software engineering isn't guaranteed to lead to high pay or upward mobility. Many people find that their progress stalls after a certain point.
  2. The rise of AI will significantly change the role of developers, making it less about coding quickly and more about solving human problems and understanding technology's role.
  3. Choosing to step away from traditional software roles can open up new opportunities. It’s important to explore other interests and skills to avoid being trapped in a limiting career path.

A Software Engineer's Guide to Reading Research Papers

Confessions of a Code Addict • 1467 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Research Methods Career development Technical Writing Information literacy
  1. Research papers are important for software engineers to keep up with new technologies and fill knowledge gaps. It helps to stay current with developments in your field, like time series analysis.
  2. Many people find reading research papers hard because they can be dense and technical. A lack of a research background can make it seem even more intimidating.
  3. With time and practice, anyone can learn to read and understand research papers. Finding a personal approach or framework can make the process easier.
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Frameworks for Managing Up as a Software Engineer

High Growth Engineer • 624 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Management Career development Communication Trust Building
  1. Building trust with your manager is essential. Focus on being sincere, reliable, caring, and competent in your work.
  2. You need to speak your manager's language. Understand their goals and priorities to communicate effectively and prevent misunderstandings.
  3. Regular updates matter. Create a system for updates that keeps your manager informed without overwhelming them, ensuring that every communication is valuable.

o3, Oh My

Don't Worry About the Vase • 3852 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Models Machine Learning Data science Computing Software Engineering
  1. OpenAI's new model, o3, shows amazing improvements in reasoning and programming skills. It's so good that it ranks among the top competitive programmers in the world.
  2. o3 scored impressively on challenging math and coding tests, outperforming previous models significantly. This suggests we might be witnessing a breakthrough in AI capabilities.
  3. Despite these advances, o3 isn't classified as AGI yet. While it excels in certain areas, there are still tasks where it struggles, keeping it short of true general intelligence.

How Unix Spell Ran in 64kB RAM

Confessions of a Code Addict • 1683 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Computer Science Data Structures Algorithms Information Theory
  1. Unix engineers faced a big challenge in fitting a large dictionary into just 64kB of RAM. They came up with clever ways to compress the data and use efficient structures to make everything fit.
  2. A key part of their solution was the Bloom filter, which helped quickly check if words were in the dictionary without needing to look up every single word, saving time.
  3. They also used innovative coding methods to further reduce the size of the data needed for the dictionary, allowing for fast lookups while staying within the strict memory limits of their hardware.

Correct vs Good

General Robots • 383 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Product Development Software Engineering Robotics User Experience Value Creation
  1. Being correct means having a product that works as intended—it's stable, bug-free, and meets specifications. However, it can be very costly to reach near-perfect correctness.
  2. Being good is about providing value and meeting customer needs. There's no limit to how good a product can become, and making something better is always beneficial.
  3. To improve a product, it's essential to iterate quickly based on real customer feedback. This helps in learning what features work best and keeps development moving efficiently.

The Overview Of Apache Spark

VuTrinh. • 879 implied HN points • 07 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Data processing Software Engineering Distributed Systems Open Source Cloud Computing
  1. Apache Spark is a powerful tool for processing large amounts of data quickly. It does this by using many computers to work on the data at the same time.
  2. A Spark application has different parts, like a driver that directs processing and executors that do the work. This helps organize tasks and manage workloads efficiently.
  3. The main data unit in Spark is called RDD, which stands for Resilient Distributed Dataset. RDDs are important because they make data processing flexible and help recover data if something goes wrong.

I spent 6 hours learning how Apache Spark plans the execution for us

VuTrinh. • 659 implied HN points • 10 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Data science Software Engineering Big Data Cloud Computing Machine Learning
  1. Apache Spark uses a system called Catalyst to plan and optimize how data is processed. This system helps make sure that queries run as efficiently as possible.
  2. In Spark 3, a feature called Adaptive Query Execution (AQE) was added. It allows the tool to change its plans while a query is running, based on real-time data information.
  3. Airbnb uses this AQE feature to improve how they handle large amounts of data. This lets them dynamically adjust the way data is processed, which leads to better performance.

Entrevista a Grady Booch

Érase una vez un algoritmo... • 39 implied HN points • 27 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering AI Development Ethics Modeling Computer Science
  1. Grady Booch is a key figure in software engineering, known for creating UML, which helps developers visualize software systems. His work has changed how we think about software design.
  2. He emphasizes the ongoing evolution in software engineering due to changes like AI and mobile technology. Adaptation and continuous learning are essential for success in this field.
  3. Booch advocates for ethics in technology development, stressing the need for education and accountability among tech leaders to ensure responsible use of AI and other emerging technologies.

A Visual Guide to Quantization

Exploring Language Models • 5092 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning Computer Science Data processing Software Engineering
  1. Quantization is a technique used to make large language models smaller by reducing the precision of their parameters, which helps with storage and speed. This is important because many models can be really massive and hard to run on normal computers.
  2. There are different ways to quantize models, like post-training quantization and quantization-aware training. Post-training means you quantize after the model is built, while quantization-aware training involves taking quantization into account during the model's training for better accuracy.
  3. Recent advances in quantization methods, like using 1-bit weights, can significantly reduce the size and improve the efficiency of models. This allows them to run faster and use less memory, which is especially beneficial for devices with limited resources.

Why Platformer is leaving Substack

Platformer • 12755 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Apps Innovation Social media Software Engineering
  1. Platformer has decided to move off of Substack and migrate to a new website powered by Ghost
  2. The decision was influenced by concerns over how Substack moderates content and promotes publications
  3. Substack faced controversies over hosting extremist content, leading to Platformer's decision to leave for a platform with more robust content moderation policies

Quick reflection on AI in 2024

Gonzo ML • 504 implied HN points • 02 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Development Machine Learning Data science Software Engineering Innovations
  1. In 2024, AI is focusing on test-time compute, which is helping models perform better by using new techniques. This is changing how AI works and interacts with data.
  2. State Space Models are becoming more common in AI, showing improvements in processing complex tasks. People are excited about new tools like Bamba and Falcon3-Mamba that use these models.
  3. There's a growing competition among different AI models now, with many companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google joining in. This means more choices for users and developers.

Happy 2025 High Growth Engineer 🎉

High Growth Engineer • 493 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Tools Software Engineering Personal Growth Productivity Mental health
  1. Prioritize your mental health and learn to say 'no' when needed. This helps prevent burnout and keeps you focused on what really matters.
  2. Adapt your systems to align with your goals. If your priorities change, make adjustments to ensure your daily actions support your personal growth.
  3. Embrace change and keep learning. The tech industry evolves quickly, so being open to new skills will help you stay relevant.

Gmail: Designed to be joyfully simple

Elizabeth Laraki • 199 implied HN points • 03 Sep 24
🕹 Technology UX Design Product Development Software Engineering User Research Interface Design
  1. Gmail was built to be fast and user-friendly. The designers wanted everyone to enjoy using email instead of feeling overwhelmed by it.
  2. Key features like conversation threading changed how we view email. Instead of treating each email as a separate message, Gmail groups related messages together for easier tracking.
  3. Designing for joy means creating a simple and pleasant user experience. The goal was to make Gmail so easy to use that it felt natural and enjoyable for everyone.

5 Lessons I learned the hard way from 10+ years as a software engineer

High Growth Engineer • 1462 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Career development Mentorship Productivity Leadership
  1. Always learn from your mistakes, as they can teach valuable lessons for your career. Embracing failure can help you grow and improve.
  2. Networking is important; make connections in your industry. Relationships often open doors to new opportunities and collaborations.
  3. Keep your skills updated and be open to new technologies. The tech field is constantly evolving, and staying current helps you stay relevant.

One month of using Devin

Generating Conversation • 163 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Tools Software Engineering Product Reviews User Experience Tech Innovation
  1. Devin is good for fixing small, specific coding tasks quickly, saving time for developers. It works best when given straightforward instructions on simple issues.
  2. However, Devin struggles with more complex tasks that require understanding and linking multiple components together. In those cases, it can produce confusing or unusable results.
  3. Although Devin shows promise in AI-assisted programming, it's still not at the level of a junior software engineer. There's definitely room for improvement as the technology develops.

"Don't talk to strangers" also applies to software development.

System Design Classroom • 499 implied HN points • 19 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Development System Design Programming Software Engineering Architecture
  1. Loose coupling is important in software. It means different parts of a program should depend on each other as little as possible, making it easier to change and fix things.
  2. The Law of Demeter suggests that objects should only talk to their direct friends and not reach out too far. This helps to keep dependencies low and makes code more manageable.
  3. Using strategies like the Single Responsibility Principle, interfaces, and dependency injection can improve your code's structure. This makes modules clear, easy to test, and maintain.

Yes, you need to duplicate your frontend business logic on the server

Bite code! • 978 implied HN points • 13 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Web Development Software Engineering Cybersecurity Programming Systems Architecture
  1. Always have your business logic on both the frontend and the server. If you only trust the client side, you risk getting incorrect data.
  2. Your server needs to handle requests from various sources, including non-standard browsers and bots. These can bypass your frontend checks if they're not replicated on the server.
  3. Any important checks for security and data integrity should happen on the server to prevent unexpected issues. This means you'll often have to duplicate checks that you already do on the frontend.

Five Lessons for Building Robust AI Agents from Coding Agents

Tanay’s Newsletter • 56 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Development Software Engineering Data Management Machine Learning
  1. Having clear rules and structured frameworks helps AI work better. By defining specific inputs and outputs, AI can understand what to do more easily.
  2. Using well-organized and detailed data helps AI learn faster. The more context and reasoning behind data points, the better AI can make decisions.
  3. Measuring how well AI performs with clear goals and regular tests is important. This allows AI to keep improving and adapting to different situations.

What does DigitalOcean do?

Technically • 14 implied HN points • 18 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Cloud Computing Web Development Software Engineering User Experience Infrastructure
  1. DigitalOcean is a service that rents out servers to developers for building web applications. It helps developers run their apps without needing their own hardware.
  2. Unlike bigger companies like AWS or Google Cloud, DigitalOcean is independent and not owned by a massive tech giant. This makes their approach more focused on users.
  3. They focus on simplicity and user experience, making it easier for developers to use their services compared to other cloud providers.

The CAP Theorem of Clustering: Why Every Algorithm Must Sacrifice Something

Confessions of a Code Addict • 529 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Algorithms Data science Software Engineering Mathematics Research
  1. Clustering algorithms can never be perfect and always require trade-offs. You can't have everything, so you have to choose what matters most for your project.
  2. There are three key properties that clustering should ideally have: scale-invariance, richness, and consistency, but no algorithm can achieve all three simultaneously.
  3. Understanding these sacrifices helps in making better decisions when using clustering methods. Knowing what to prioritize can lead to more effective data analysis.

Compound AI is AGI

Generating Conversation • 233 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Software Engineering Philosophy Emerging Tech
  1. The debate about whether we've achieved AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is ongoing. Many people don't agree on what AGI really means, making it hard to know if we've reached it.
  2. The argument is that current AI models can work together to perform tasks at a human-like level. This teamwork, or 'compound AI,' could be seen as a form of general intelligence, even if it's not from a single AI model.
  3. Not all forms of intelligence are the same, and AI systems can do things that humans can’t, but that doesn't mean they can't be considered intelligent. The future potential of AI isn't just about mimicking human intellect; it may also involve different types of skills and knowledge.

Continuous Software Engineering: Part 2 - Continuous Planning & Prioritization

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 19 implied HN points • 19 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Agile methodologies Project management Team Collaboration Continuous Improvement
  1. Continuous Planning means regularly updating your plans as things change. This helps teams stay effective and respond quickly to new information.
  2. Continuous Prioritization allows teams to adjust their focus based on what’s most important at any moment. This ensures they always work on tasks that matter the most.
  3. Both continuous planning and prioritization make teams more adaptable. They can shift their strategies easily and keep delivering value, even in changing environments.

25 Unpopular and Contradictory Opinions on Data and Engineering

The Data Jargon Newsletter • 138 implied HN points • 23 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Software Engineering Business Intelligence Data Strategy Data products
  1. If your data product isn't making money, it's really just an internal tool. It's important to focus on projects that add real value.
  2. Having a good Business Intelligence team can often bring more benefits than trying to make fancy data products. Simple tools can lead to effective data use.
  3. More data engineers can improve your data platform, but just adding analysts might not directly make your data team better. It's all about how the team fits with the organization.

Beyond the Code

The Engineering Leader • 59 implied HN points • 15 Sep 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering AI Tools Career development Skill Building Team Collaboration
  1. Top software engineers excel not just in coding but in understanding the bigger picture of their projects. They focus on why they're building something, making sure it meets real needs.
  2. Effective communication and collaboration are key traits of great engineers. They share knowledge with their teams and explain their ideas clearly, making work smoother for everyone.
  3. It's important for engineers to keep learning beyond just coding skills. The best engineers adapt to new challenges, use innovative tools like AI, and think creatively to solve problems.

Star Attention: Efficient LLM Inference over Long Sequences

Gonzo ML • 126 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Computing Data processing Software Engineering
  1. Star Attention allows large language models to handle long pieces of text by splitting the context into smaller blocks. This helps the model work faster and keeps things organized without needing too much communication between different parts.
  2. The model uses what's called 'anchor blocks' to improve its focus and reduce mistakes during processing. These blocks are important because they help the model pay attention to the right information, which leads to better results.
  3. Using this new approach, researchers found improvements in speed while preserving quality in the model's performance. This means that making these changes can help LLMs work more efficiently without sacrificing how well they understand or generate text.

o3 is important, but not because of benchmarks

Artificial Ignorance • 92 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Model development Benchmarking Software Engineering
  1. OpenAI's new model, o3, shows impressive benchmark performance, particularly in tasks that are tough for AI, but it's more about how AI is evolving rather than just hitting high scores.
  2. The way AI systems process information is changing. Instead of needing huge amounts of data and time upfront, they can now improve their performance during use, making development faster and cheaper.
  3. Even though o3 is advanced, it doesn't mean we've reached artificial general intelligence (AGI). It's a step in that direction, but more improvements and different benchmarks are needed to really understand AI's potential.

Don't be an asshole

Tech Ramblings • 39 implied HN points • 25 Aug 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Career development Soft skills Personal Growth
  1. Being a good software engineer is not just about coding. It's also important to have writing and social skills.
  2. Most project failures happen due to human issues, not technical ones. Understanding people and reducing conflicts is key to project success.
  3. Having empathy, showing respect, and evaluating ideas fairly are important for teamwork. Treat others well and focus on solving business problems.

Latency is a silent killer.

System Design Classroom • 299 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🕹 Technology System Design Software Engineering Performance Tuning Error Handling
  1. Getting timeouts right is important. If you wait too long, your system slows down, but if you timeout too fast, you might miss a successful call.
  2. Circuit breakers help manage failures. They quickly stop requests to a failing service, allowing your system to recover faster.
  3. Bulkheads keep parts of your system separate. If one part fails, the others keep working, preventing a complete shutdown of the system.

Rebuilding Google Maps

Elizabeth Laraki • 659 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology User Experience Product Design Web Development Interface Design Software Engineering
  1. Google Maps had to change a lot because it was getting too complicated with too many features. The team decided to redesign it so users could find what they needed easily.
  2. The redesign focused on making the map easier to use by creating one main search box instead of many tabs for different tasks. This helped simplify the user experience.
  3. It's important for products to keep evolving. By regularly checking how users interact with the product and making improvements, it can grow and stay relevant.

The Chatbot Trap

Artificial Ignorance • 176 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI UX Design Product Development Software Engineering Human-computer interaction
  1. Using chatbots for AI interactions can be confusing and hard work. They require a lot of mental effort to figure out what to input and understand the output, making simple tasks feel complicated.
  2. Good design for AI tools should allow for easy, direct manipulation of tasks. Instead of a chat interface, we should use designs that show clear options and let users interact with the AI in a simpler, more visual way.
  3. The future of AI products will focus on tailored interfaces that fit specific needs. These will provide ways to access AI's power more directly and intuitively, similar to how we moved from basic mobile sites to advanced apps.

I wish I started doing this on day 0 of my career as an engineer

High Growth Engineer • 1574 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
💼 Business Productivity Career development Software Engineering Time management Planning
  1. Planning is crucial to avoid feeling unproductive and getting pulled in different directions throughout the day.
  2. By planning your day, you focus on what's important and maintain control over your daily tasks.
  3. Even a simple daily plan of one main goal can significantly improve your productivity and time management.

The slow death of the hands-on engineering manager

Leading Developers • 139 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Management Artificial Intelligence Coding Productivity
  1. Many engineering managers want to code more, but their roles shift them away from hands-on work. Finding even a few hours a week to code can help stay engaged with the team.
  2. Choosing small, impactful tasks can keep managers involved in coding. Projects that help the team or solve annoying issues can be both beneficial and satisfying.
  3. Creating internal tools, like a chatbot for documentation, can improve efficiency and learning. Such projects can bring value to the team while allowing managers to practice their skills.

Formabble Prepares to Go Open Source

Formabble’s Substack • 2 HN points • 01 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Game Development Open Source Artificial Intelligence Networking Software Engineering
  1. Formabble is going open source soon, which will make it more accessible for developers. This shift aims to encourage transparency and collaboration in game development.
  2. The platform uses AI to help developers create games more easily. Its features include automating coding tasks and offering intelligent suggestions, making game design simpler and more creative.
  3. Formabble's new design promotes better teamwork, especially for multiplayer games. It allows players to sync their game data in real-time and even continue playing offline, improving the overall gaming experience.

How to lead projects from start to finish as a software engineer

High Growth Engineer • 1285 implied HN points • 10 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Project management Leadership Communication Documentation
  1. Successful software engineers need to know how to lead projects, not just code
  2. Key project management steps include kickoff, setup, planning, execution, launch, and close-out
  3. Communication, alignment on goals, and iterative feedback are crucial throughout the project lifecycle

Data Science Weekly - Issue 528

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 799 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Data science AI Machine Learning Software Engineering Research
  1. Data Science Weekly shares curated news and articles each week related to data science, AI, and machine learning. This helps readers stay updated on important trends and topics.
  2. Deepnote emphasizes using its own platform for building data infrastructure, showcasing how versatile tools can simplify data tasks. It highlights the importance of a universal computational medium.
  3. A reliable A/B testing system is essential for businesses to make informed decisions and optimize performance. Companies that use effective experimentation platforms can significantly improve their outcomes and reduce manual work.