The hottest Software Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

Software Supply Chain Attack Types

Resilient Cyber • 79 implied HN points • 28 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Software supply chain attacks are not new and have been happening for decades, with many recent high-profile cases shining a light on them.
  2. There are several types of attack vectors, including issues with developer tools, negligence in following security practices, and problems with trust and code signing.
  3. Malicious actors often combine different attack methods to cause harm, so it's important for organizations to have strong security measures in place to protect their software supply chain.

How Adaptive AI Microcontainers Outmaneuver Modern Cybersecurity Threats in AI Workloads

Phoenix Substack • 42 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. AI workloads are crucial for businesses but can attract cyber threats. These threats target predictable systems and can steal data or disrupt operations.
  2. Static security methods, like firewalls, are not enough to protect AI workloads. New challenges like lateral movement and data theft highlight the need for better security.
  3. Adaptive AI Microcontainers create secure environments by changing and healing themselves automatically. This makes it hard for hackers to predict or exploit the system.

Angels in the Architecture, pt IV

Premium Grind • 19 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Interpreting VAS heatmaps is challenging due to lack of established guidelines and overlaps in definitions.
  2. Studies have shown that traditional civic architecture consistently draws more viewer attention than modern styles.
  3. Discrepancies exist between VAS results and actual human-subject eye-tracking studies, raising questions about accuracy and interpretation.

Identifying unmaintained open source packages at scale

Once a Maintainer • 5 implied HN points • 20 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Open source packages can become abandoned when original developers lose interest, meaning they might not get important updates or security fixes.
  2. To find abandoned packages, you can look at factors like how often the package has updates, the activity of commits, and what maintainers say about the package.
  3. Machine learning models can help predict whether a package might be abandoned by combining various factors like release frequency, maintainer communication, and community engagement.

Elixir-like pipes in Ruby (oh no not again)

zverok on lucid code • 57 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Elixir has a special way to chain functions called the pipeline operator, which makes code easier to read. This idea has caught the attention of many programming languages, including Ruby.
  2. Ruby already has a method-chaining style that makes some proposals for a pipeline operator unnecessary. Ruby methods work differently than in Elixir, which poses challenges for introducing this feature.
  3. The author experimented with a new approach to mimic the pipeline operator in Ruby using a method that transforms code at a low level, but it's not intended to be a permanent addition to Ruby. It's more of an exploration of potential features.
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Context-Management Playbook for Leading AI Assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity)

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 16 implied HN points • 27 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. AI assistants can use long-term memory to remember things for future conversations. This makes them more helpful over time.
  2. You can personalize your AI by creating custom instructions and setting specific goals. This allows the AI to better suit your individual needs.
  3. Different AI tools have unique features, like starting project workspaces or organizing threads. Exploring these features can improve your experience with them.

Everything is broken and that's great

Aliveness Studies • 13 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
💼 Business Software
  1. There's a lot of room for improvement in software companies. Many tools have big problems that smaller teams can solve quickly.
  2. Startups often succeed by fixing what's broken, not by creating entirely new ideas. There's a lot of opportunity in existing markets that need help.
  3. Software engineers are still in demand. The need for better software is high, and with new tools, small teams can make things happen fast.

SaaS 2.0 - Service as a Software.

Market Curve • 43 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. AI agents can do many tasks by themselves, like booking travel or coding, which is different from the usual software that only helps people do their work. This means less manual work and more automation in our daily tasks.
  2. There are huge markets out there, like IT services and healthcare, that are ready for change. AI agents can disrupt these fields by making processes faster and more efficient, allowing businesses to save money and time.
  3. The future looks promising for those who embrace AI. By freeing people from repetitive tasks, AI agents can help us focus on more creative and important work, opening up new opportunities in various industries.

Thoughts on the MOVEit hack

Frankly Speaking • 203 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The MOVEit hack highlights issues with software age and responsible disclosure.
  2. Progress handled the security incident well but third-party risk management needs a shift towards evaluating vendor security culture.
  3. Security teams should focus less on questionnaires and more on vendor security roadmap and practices.

📩 Your invite to the live streams—Wed: Tailwind Thu: Bryan Finster

🔮 Crafting Tech Teams • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The live streams feature discussions on architecture, design techniques, and XP disciplines in Modern Frontend Engineering Culture and Software Engineering Fundamentals Series.
  2. Bryan Finster will talk about how ownership and maturity can aid in personal development in the Thursday fundamental series.
  3. Readers can access a 7-day free trial of Crafting Tech Teams for full post archives.

2025 - Year in Review

trydeepwork • 2 implied HN points • 01 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The tool is widely used — about 29,420 hours logged (~14 full-time years) — and user habits shifted, with peak focus moving from 2 pm to 10 am and many sessions happening late at night.
  2. Auto-abandoning tasks proved hugely valuable. About 23% of tasks are abandoned and 98% of those are automatic, which cuts clutter and decision fatigue.
  3. Small UX and workflow tweaks changed behavior: Time Dots, step breakdowns, microWork sessions, and improved scheduling made progress more visible and lowered friction to start work.

Tech Outages: Ep 1: Canva First Strike!

The ZenMode • 42 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Canva experienced a major outage caused by a version update that didn't go as planned. This led to slow loading times and a surge of failed requests, frustrating many users.
  2. A hidden bug within the system contributed to the outage, showing how important it is to monitor and test software carefully. Fixing such bugs can prevent future disruptions.
  3. After the incident, Canva focused on learning from the experience. They improved their system and promised to be more transparent about issues to better serve their users.

Introducing CodeYam: The Software Simulator

CodeYam’s Substack • 5 HN points • 04 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. CodeYam is a software simulator that automatically isolates every feature of your software and creates simulated data to help visualize how code changes will impact the product and users.
  2. The simulator generates interactive demos that allow developers to test code changes effectively, share progress with stakeholders, and help new team members understand the application and code faster.
  3. As AI becomes more involved in coding, the human team members will need to define, validate, and improve the product created by AI, making high-quality tools like CodeYam essential for effective communication and understanding of the software being built.

Fit then optimize

Sunday Letters • 159 implied HN points • 10 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Always focus on finding the right fit for your project before trying to optimize it. It’s easier to make improvements once you know what works.
  2. Watch out for a messy situation where too many things need fixing. Start cleaning up gradually once you see your project gaining traction.
  3. Avoid creating overly complex systems before you understand the problem you're solving. Keep things simple and relevant to ensure usefulness.

Nobody Should Write ETL

Data People Etc. • 231 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Consider shifting away from manual ETL processes towards automated solutions.
  2. End-to-end ownership can lead to duplication and inefficiency in data workflows.
  3. Asset-aware orchestration can offer a more efficient and automated approach to managing data pipelines.

Sometimes complicated is clearer

CodeFaster • 36 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Complicated things can sometimes be clearer than simple ones. It can help to look at details closely. It's okay to dive deeper to understand better.
  2. Taking screenshots at different intervals can help document changes over time. This can be useful for tracking progress or capturing important moments.
  3. Support from readers can help content creators keep producing work. Subscribing, whether free or paid, can make a difference.

sqlmesh migrate

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 20 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. If you're using dbt to run analytics, switching to sqlmesh is a good idea. It offers more features and is easy to learn while still being compatible with dbt.
  2. sqlmesh helps manage data environments and is more comprehensive in handling analytics tasks compared to dbt. It's simpler to transition from dbt to sqlmesh than from older methods like stored procedures.
  3. When using sqlmesh, think about where to run it and how to store its state. You have choices like using a different database or a cloud service, which can save you money and hassle.

The Origins Season 11 Final Era is LIVE!

The Lunacian • 46 implied HN points • 01 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The Origins Season 11 Final Era has started, with players competing for a big prize pool of 24,000 AXS. Congrats to Lixh for topping the Mystic Era rankings!
  2. Top players will get rewards based on their performance, with 15,000 players eligible for AXS and an exclusive avatar for the top 30,000 players.
  3. There will be an Elite 8 Tournament on January 12th, where the best players will contest for a share of a 3,000 AXS prize pool.

What Is LangChain Expression Language (LCEL)?

Cobus Greyling on LLMs, NLU, NLP, chatbots & voicebots • 19 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. LangChain Expression Language (LCEL) helps build applications using large language models. It simplifies the process of creating apps by breaking down components into a clear sequence.
  2. LCEL combines pro-code and low-code approaches, making it easier for developers to create reusable pieces of code. This can save time and help manage complexity in applications.
  3. With LCEL, you can run operations like invoking and batching in a structured way. This makes it easier to manage how different parts of an application work together.

When AI Promises Speed but Delivers Debugging Hell

Nick Savage • 40 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Codescribble is a new shared text editor that lets multiple people work on the same document at once. It's designed to be fast and easy to use, similar to Google Docs.
  2. Using AI to help build software can be frustrating and messy, especially if you don’t fully understand how it works. This can lead to a lot of debugging and wasted time.
  3. It's crucial to keep a broader perspective while coding. Getting too focused on small tasks can lead to mistakes and delays, so step back and see the bigger picture.

​​DIY Photo frame

Rahul’s Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Built a DIY photo frame using Raspberry Pi and a portable monitor for better image control.
  2. Software setup is not easy for beginners, but allows for customizing photo display and adding features like clock and metadata.
  3. Advantages include control over displayed images, support for multiple galleries, and advanced features for automation.

Inside Amazon's AI Video Generator | Kabir Bedi

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 24 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Amazon is using AI to make video creation super easy for businesses of all sizes. Now, anyone can create a professional-looking video with just one click.
  2. Bringing engineers and scientists into direct talks with customers has helped Amazon gather valuable feedback for improving their products. This shows how important customer input is for innovation.
  3. The hiring process at some tech companies, like Cursor, is changing by letting candidates work on real projects right away instead of doing tests. This focuses more on skills than traditional interviews.

sqlmesh test

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 12 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Unit tests and data tests are different. Unit tests check if a function works right with set inputs, while data tests check if the data meets certain conditions.
  2. Running tests locally can save costs and speed things up. If you test your code on your own machine, you don’t have to pay for the cloud data warehouse until you’re ready.
  3. Creating external models in sqlmesh can be automated, making it easier to document source tables. You just run a command to generate the necessary files instead of doing it manually.

Breaking and Non-Breaking Changes

davidj.substack • 47 implied HN points • 11 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. When making changes to data models, it's important to identify if they are breaking or non-breaking changes. Breaking changes affect downstream models, while non-breaking changes do not.
  2. SQLMesh automatically analyzes changes to understand their impact on other models. This helps developers avoid manual tracking and reduces the chances of errors.
  3. New features in SQLMesh will allow for more precise tracking of changes at the column level. This means less unnecessary work when something minor is modified.

Saturn RPG hacking roundup: Grandia Digital Museum, Samurai Spirits Bushido Retsuden, & Marica: The Real World

Rings of Saturn • 43 implied HN points • 04 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Games like Grandia Digital Museum have hidden debug modes that let players access special features. You can enable these modes by changing settings in the game's files.
  2. Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits Bushido Retsuden allows players to activate a debug menu with a patch. This lets them test backgrounds and other game elements easily.
  3. In Marica: Shinjitsu no Sekai, players can unlock a debug screen using a specific cheat code. This screen offers more control and allows visiting different game locations.

🌞 the dawn of a new era!

vrk loves paper • 39 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The author has left their job to pursue personal projects, specifically creating software focused on paper crafts. They feel excited and ready for this new adventure.
  2. They redesigned their personal website to showcase their work and story, aiming to make it fun and inviting for visitors.
  3. The author is exploring new topics each month, with a focus on printing photos this month, while also being open to other creative side projects.

Walter and other stories

Gradient Ascendant • 11 implied HN points • 26 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. A new paper was written about teaching a small AI model to be good at social media in a way that could help with real-world problems. This AI, called Walter, aims to improve the quality of journalism through better writing.
  2. The author recently started a job at Meta Superintelligence, but clarifies that their personal opinions on AI won't reflect the company's official stance. They have also written several research papers this year, highlighting a shift in their work focus.
  3. The culture in the AI field is heavily influenced by academic traditions, unlike other software industries. The author speculates about whether this close connection to academia was inevitable for AI, and suggests that future advancements could come from new ideas.

The Recursive Function Template[Technique Tuesdays]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 12 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The recursive function template provides a step-by-step guide to solving recursive problems, helping you avoid overwhelm and work through coding challenges smoothly.
  2. The template includes key components like checking termination cases, processing outcomes, handling recursive cases, and resetting side effects, making problem-solving structured and manageable.
  3. Isolating recursion into helper functions improves code organization, and future Technique Tuesdays may cover the power of helper functions in depth.

RIP Plugins or Just a GPT Makeover?

aidaily • 19 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. OpenAI is transitioning from plugins to GPTs, causing a stir among developers.
  2. AI technology is being used in heartwarming ways, like resurrecting a deceased father's voice.
  3. AI is now taking over tasks like bedtime storytelling for kids, creating copyright issues along the way.

All I want in AI is some context and a chat window

Pedram's Data Based • 20 implied HN points • 22 May 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Having a simple chat interface makes it easy for non-technical people to use AI tools. This helps in accessing valuable resources without needing complex setups.
  2. Providing relevant context is crucial for the effectiveness of AI. When the right information is fed to AI, it can give much better and accurate responses.
  3. Integrating tools and data sources can improve AI's capabilities but remains a challenge. Companies need better systems to pull together all the necessary information for their teams.

How Artificial Intelligence Will Change the Chemical Industry

The Polymerist • 116 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Companies in the chemical industry can benefit from AI tools to improve efficiency and profitability.
  2. AI tools are becoming more accessible for functions like customer relationship management, inventory management, and data organization.
  3. While AI won't replace R&D functions, it can significantly enhance productivity and help companies stay competitive in specialized chemical sectors.

AI Agent Basics: Let’s Think Step By Step

jonstokes.com • 195 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The rise of AI agents is introducing a new software paradigm that allows AI to make plans from text prompts.
  2. LLMs powered agents can generate detailed plans for achieving goals, revolutionizing the way tasks are accomplished.
  3. The agent paradigm offers a more cost-effective, yet higher-cost per run computation model compared to traditional software development, akin to the cloud computing model.

Reality Check for the Coding Community: Mastery, Illusions, & Vanishing Entry-Level Jobs

ppdispatch • 19 implied HN points • 10 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. AI can help with coding, but real skill comes from hands-on experience and hard work. Skipping the tough parts can lead to a lack of understanding.
  2. Entry-level tech jobs are disappearing fast, especially in big companies. Newcomers need to find creative ways to showcase their skills.
  3. Modern computers might not speed up older code as much as you'd think. It's often the tools and techniques we use to write code that make a big difference.

What's the next development model?

Sunday Letters • 39 implied HN points • 25 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. We’ve seen different development models evolve with technology, like mainframes and mobile, and now we are seeing a shift with AI. Each model has changed how we program and solve problems.
  2. AI brings new challenges in terms of monitoring and managing open-ended behavior in applications. We need to figure out new ways to ensure our AI tools act appropriately and are tested well.
  3. The future of development might see 'codeless' programming, where AI tools can manage coding tasks and teams focus more on their intentions. This could completely transform how we approach software development.

SDL Tutorial Part 1: Opening A Window

Deus In Machina • 108 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Software
  1. The tutorial provides a cheat sheet for essential SDL functions like initializing, creating a window, rendering, and cleaning up.
  2. The tutorial gives practical code examples for opening a window in SDL2, emphasizing error handling for function calls.
  3. It emphasizes the importance of clearing the screen with a color to prevent interference between frames and discusses the choice between SDL and Raylib for game development.

The Wide and Wondrous World of Centaurs and Agents

Future History • 170 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Centaurs and Agents are a new type of software that blend human input with autonomous decision-making capabilities.
  2. Individuals benefit more from Centaurs than companies due to easier adoption and productivity gains.
  3. Small, specialized AI applications will be in high demand, bridging the gap between different software systems and reducing tedious tasks.

Now is the time to rethink engineering productivity

Dev Interrupted • 18 implied HN points • 03 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Software
  1. Engineering teams need to focus more on actively improving productivity rather than just collecting data. It's important to turn insights into actions for better results.
  2. AI coding assistants can struggle and require guidance, as they might not always provide accurate code. Understanding when to rely on AI and when to take control is key.
  3. Using pen and paper can boost creativity and memory. Sometimes stepping away from screens leads to fresh ideas and deeper thinking.