The hottest Software Engineering Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

Applying the Core 4 framework (Part 2)

Engineering Enablement • 11 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Developer Productivity Software Engineering Business impact Performance Metrics Continuous Improvement
  1. Using Core 4 metrics helps link developer productivity projects to important business outcomes. This way, everyone can understand the impact of these projects.
  2. Investing in improving developer processes can save a lot of time and money. For example, fixing slow review times can free up hours that can be used for more productive work.
  3. Regularly measuring progress helps teams keep improving. It's important to revisit these metrics to find new areas to enhance and continue moving forward.

Cultivating Excellence in Teams with Continuous Software Engineering — Part 1: Defining Excellence through 5 Characteristics

The Healthy Engineering Leader • 99 implied HN points • 09 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Team Dynamics Product Development Continuous Improvement
  1. An effective team knows what its customers want and focuses on building the right product. They prioritize features based on customer needs and data.
  2. High craftsmanship involves a team that produces quality work while minimizing bugs. They continuously learn and share knowledge to improve their software.
  3. Good communication and collaboration create a cohesive team environment. Everyone feels safe to share ideas, which helps solve problems together.

AI multi-agents with corporate structures

Alex’s Substack • 66 HN points • 25 Jul 24
🕹 Technology AI agents Corporate culture Software Engineering Performance Metrics
  1. Having multiple teams competing against each other leads to better results for AI agents, just like it does in big companies.
  2. A system that relies on one leader to make decisions tends to perform worse, as it can create weak points if the leader fails.
  3. The way teams are organized influences how well they solve problems, and using effective structures can improve AI performance.
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Vesuvius Challenge is hiring!

Vesuvius Challenge • 9 implied HN points • 21 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Computer Vision Data science Software Engineering Machine Learning Infrastructure
  1. The Vesuvius Challenge is looking for team members to help recover texts from ancient scrolls. They need people for two key roles: research in computer vision and platform engineering.
  2. The computer vision role focuses on using advanced tech to read the scrolls, which involves solving complex problems with CT scan data.
  3. The platform engineering role is about creating tools and systems to manage and share large datasets, making research easier for the community.

Simple tricks to level up your technical design docs in 2024 👌

High Growth Engineer • 1108 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Career development Documentation Software Engineering Feedback
  1. Design docs help to reduce risk, document decisions, and align on technical choices.
  2. Make design docs concise with only essential information for decision-making to ensure they get read and progress smoothly.
  3. Get individual feedback first before group sessions to make the review process more efficient and effective.

What is a software engineer?

Thái | Hacker | Kỹ sư tin tặc • 698 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Experience Event Professional development
  1. A software engineer at Google will give a talk about the role, drawing from 10 years of experience.
  2. The talk will cover lessons on building and managing large teams, solving challenging tech problems, and working with people.
  3. The event is recommended for professionals across various roles in the software industry.

The Leverage Points in Engineering Ecosystems

peoplefirstengineering • 50 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Systems Thinking Software Engineering Complexity Theory Change Management Organizational Design
  1. Complex systems, like software teams, are made up of many parts that interact with each other and change over time. Understanding these interactions can help improve how we manage and work within these systems.
  2. Donella Meadows' framework shows that not all changes in a system will have the same impact. Some changes, like adjusting goals or encouraging new mindsets, can lead to much bigger improvements than simply tweaking numbers or rules.
  3. To create a successful and adaptable environment, it's important to give teams the freedom to self-organize, share information openly, and align their goals with the overall mission of the organization.

Two types of software engineers

Register Spill • 825 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering
  1. There are two types of software engineers based on how they perceive the difficulty of problems.
  2. Type 1 engineers believe non-technical problems are easy because people can just do X, while Type 2 engineers find them hard due to people being involved.
  3. Type 2 engineering embraces building with and for people, recognizing and accepting the messiness that comes with human involvement.

Burning Rangers: the 1997-12-20 build

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Video Games Game Development Software Engineering
  1. There's a playable demo of the game 'Burning Rangers' from a 1997 build. It has many unique features and glitches not found in the final version.
  2. Players can change game settings to skip certain demo parts and play missions normally. This allows for a more complete gaming experience of the prototype.
  3. The demo has several bugs and issues during gameplay, like broken swimming mechanics and crashes, which make it feel very different from the final game.

Legacy Shmegacy

David Reis on Software • 76 implied HN points • 24 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Code Quality Team Collaboration
  1. Legacy code often gets that label just because newer programmers don’t understand it. The core issue is usually about people, not the actual code quality.
  2. To avoid creating legacy code, focus on writing clear and simple code that others can easily understand, and engage in practices like mentoring and pair programming.
  3. When dealing with legacy code, try to understand it fully before deciding to rewrite it. Often, working with what's there and improving it gradually is the better choice.

Applying the Core 4 (Part 1)

Engineering Enablement • 12 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Developer Tools Productivity Software Engineering Metrics Frameworks
  1. Use a survey to gather Core 4 metrics easily. It's designed for simplicity, so anyone can set it up.
  2. Calculate your metrics by averaging survey responses for Speed, Quality, and Impact. For Effectiveness, look at the positive responses overall.
  3. Once you have your results, compare them with industry benchmarks to see how you're doing. This helps you understand your team's performance better.

How to grow from a mid-level to senior Data Engineer

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 694 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Data Engineering Software Engineering Learning Teamwork Leadership
  1. To grow from mid to senior level, it's important to continuously learn and improve, share new knowledge, work on code improvements, and become an expert in a certain domain.
  2. Making the team better is crucial - focus on mentoring, sharing knowledge, and creating a positive team environment. Think beyond individual tasks to impact the overall team outcomes.
  3. Seniority includes building not just technical solutions, but solutions that customers love. Challenge requirements, understand the business and product, and take initiative in problem-solving.

The Sliding Window Technique[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 279 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Algorithms Problem Solving Software Engineering Artificial Intelligence Data Structures
  1. The sliding window technique is a powerful algorithmic model used for problem-solving in coding interviews and software engineering, offering efficiency and practicality.
  2. Benefits of using the sliding window technique include reducing duplicate work, maintaining consistent linear time complexity, and its utility in AI feature extraction processes.
  3. Spotting the sliding window technique involves identifying keywords like maximum, minimum, longest, or shortest, dealing with continuous elements, and converting brute-force approaches into efficient solutions.

Setting up NextJS with GitHub Actions and feature flags using Flagsmith

The Open Source Expert • 59 implied HN points • 05 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Web Development Software Engineering DevOps Open Source Automation
  1. Using NextJS helps streamline your project with standardized setups, making it easier to onboard and rapidly develop features.
  2. Automating tasks with GitHub Actions can save time and reduce errors, giving you quick feedback on your code changes.
  3. Feature flags from Flagsmith allow you to control which features are visible without needing to redeploy your app, making it easier to manage updates and A/B tests.

What makes a software engineer effective?

Elevate • 477 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Team Dynamics Communication Personal Development Problem Solving
  1. Effectiveness in software engineering is about focusing on what matters most and delivering value to users, the business, and career with the available time.
  2. Traits that help software engineers be effective include caring about user needs, being a good problem solver, and keeping things simple while prioritizing quality.
  3. To excel as an exceptional software engineer, embrace change, balance technical debt and innovation, and emphasize continuous learning and teamwork.

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AI Brews • 15 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Development Machine Learning Software Engineering Data processing
  1. AI models are getting smarter and can now adapt to different tasks on the fly. This means they can learn and improve as they go, instead of being stuck in one way of doing things.
  2. New tools for creating materials and coding have been released, allowing for faster and easier generation of complex designs and codes. This can help developers and scientists make better products more efficiently.
  3. Features like task scheduling in AI chat programs are becoming more common. This makes it easier for users to manage their tasks and get reminders, showing how AI is growing to support everyday needs.

You can't teach someone to swim when they're drowning

Resilient Cyber • 119 implied HN points • 16 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Cybersecurity Software Engineering Data Protection Software Development
  1. It's important to build software with security in mind from the start, rather than trying to add it in later. This 'Secure-by-Design' approach can prevent many issues down the line.
  2. Software suppliers should take responsibility for the security of their products, as their decisions affect a lot of users. Customers shouldn't always have to 'patch and fix' flawed products themselves.
  3. The rapid growth of known software vulnerabilities is overwhelming for organizations. Instead of just telling them to fix everything quickly, we should push for better, more secure products from the beginning.

How To Fast Track Your Career As An Engineer

SeattleDataGuy’s Newsletter • 930 implied HN points • 12 Aug 23
💼 Business Career growth Software Engineering Tech industry Data Analysis Career Advice
  1. Focusing on impact in your work can accelerate your career growth and lead to more satisfying outcomes.
  2. To have more impact in tech, run towards unsolved problems, be scrappy in finding solutions, and prioritize ruthlessly.
  3. Impact can be achieved by reducing costs or increasing revenue, and understanding how your work contributes to these areas is essential for career advancement in engineering.

A quick introduction to Memory Pools [Math Mondays]

Technology Made Simple • 179 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Memory management Software Engineering Optimization Performance Programming
  1. Memory pools are a way to pre-allocate and reuse memory blocks in software, which can significantly enhance performance.
  2. Benefits of memory pools include reduced fragmentation, quick memory management, and improved performance in programs with frequent memory allocations.
  3. Drawbacks of memory pools include fixed-size blocks, overhead in management, and potential for memory exhaustion if not carefully managed.

Attitude: The Secret Ingredient in Software Engineering and Beyond

Mindful Matrix • 219 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Growth mindset Continuous Learning Feedback Collaboration
  1. Having a growth mindset is essential in software engineering and life. Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth helps in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.
  2. Failure should be seen as a learning experience. Embracing mistakes, analyzing them, and using them as lessons leads to resilience and growth.
  3. Receiving feedback with an open mind and using it as a tool for improvement contributes to rapid skill development and fosters a collaborative work environment.

7 Actionable Tips to Become Great at Software Engineering

Brain Bytes • 238 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Technologies Continuous Learning Soft skills
  1. Set a horizon goal to guide your learning and career decisions; it could be mastering a specific area, building a professional network, or creating something new.
  2. Stay updated with new technologies and coding methodologies to remain relevant in the tech industry; consider leveraging tools like AI to enhance your work.
  3. Reflect on your career as if looking back 100 years from now to focus on meaningful, long-lasting contributions; prioritize mastering programming basics, continuous learning, soft skills, and understanding software development methodologies.

Beyond Guesswork: The Art and Science of Project Estimation

Mindful Matrix • 179 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
💼 Business Project management Software Engineering Estimation Risk Analysis Communication
  1. Project estimation is a critical skill influencing project success; it involves setting realistic expectations, aligning efforts, and managing resources effectively.
  2. Key considerations in estimation include understanding project scope, conducting risk analysis, and utilizing estimation strategies like historical analysis and buffer times.
  3. Transparency and communication are crucial in estimation; transparency helps manage stakeholder expectations while effective communication ensures clarity and trust in the estimation process.

Improving the product

André Casal's Substack • 19 implied HN points • 31 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Product Development Web Development User Experience Software Engineering
  1. Getting user feedback is really important. Talking to customers helps understand their needs, especially beginners in tech.
  2. Watching a seasoned developer use the product can reveal issues and areas for improvement. It's a great way to learn about friction points.
  3. Making things easier for users is key. Simplifying processes and providing good documentation can really help users get started faster and reduce confusion.

Data Science Weekly - Issue 513

Data Science Weekly Newsletter • 359 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🕹 Technology AI Data science Machine Learning Software Engineering Tech startups
  1. There's a new newsletter focusing on AI safety in China, showing that the country is more invested in AI safety than many think.
  2. A podcast discusses how startups can run better AI models without needing to upgrade their hardware—a big challenge in the field.
  3. An online event is coming up for those looking to secure data science jobs in big tech, focusing on interview strategies and market insights.

SIEM 4.0: The Essentialist Evolution

Detection at Scale • 59 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🕹 Technology Security AI Data Software Engineering Automation
  1. Security teams are moving towards prioritizing impactful MITRE tactics over complete ATT&CK coverage to reduce distracting alerts and focus on critical threats.
  2. Transitioning from individual behaviors to risk-based alerts allows for a more context-based approach, reducing alert volumes and enhancing significance.
  3. The evolution to SIEM 4.0 includes opening up data lakes, adopting 'as code' principles, and utilizing AI to automate routine tasks so human analysts can focus on high-value work.

RAG Implementations Are Becoming More Agent-Like

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 99 implied HN points • 08 Apr 24
🕹 Technology AI Development Software Engineering Data science Machine Learning Automation
  1. RAG implementations are changing to become more like agents, which means they can make better decisions and adapt to different situations.
  2. The structure of prompts is really important now; it’s not just about adding data, but about crafting the prompts to improve how they perform.
  3. Agentic RAG allows for complex tasks by using multiple tools together, making it capable of handling detailed questions that standard RAG cannot.

You're not a true software engineer unless...

A Perfectly Cromulent Software Engineer • 99 implied HN points • 07 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Tech community Humor Alcoholism Online Communities
  1. In some tech communities, there's a concept called 'No True Scotsman' fallacy where group definitions get reshaped to exclude counterexamples.
  2. Humor in tech, especially when joking about expertise, can inadvertently lead to gatekeeping and exclusion, promoting dogmatism and fragmentation.
  3. Tech choices should not define our worth or belonging - divisive jokes can lead to isolated communities that hinder growth and acceptance.