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I don't maintain my homelab, it maintains itself
a month ago
- The author has automated their homelab to require minimal maintenance, achieving a self-maintaining setup.
- Infrastructure includes a single server and UniFi networking gear, both designed to update and run without manual intervention.
- Software maintenance is handled through a weekly Docker update cron job and automated backups, reducing hands-on time to about 15 minutes per month.
- This setup provides resilience, allowing the homelab to operate for extended periods without intervention, balancing privacy, security, and convenience.
Transparent Compression with Folder Actions in macOS
25 days ago
- AFSCT is a transparent file system compression built into macOS that compresses files on disk while keeping them accessible normally.
- Use applesauce (a modern Rust tool) for faster, parallel compression with safe atomic writes instead of the older afsctool.
- Set up a Folder Action with Automator to automatically compress files when they are added to a specific folder.
- Folder Actions only trigger on top-level file additions or removals, not on changes to existing files or subfolders.
- By default, applesauce uses LZFSE, but you can choose LZVN for faster decompression or ZLIB for better compression ratios.
- Compression savings are visible in Finder's Get Info, with the size in brackets showing the reduced disk usage.
- Manage Folder Actions setup via the Folder Actions Setup dialog to enable or attach actions to multiple folders.
Designing DB partitions you don't have to babysit
25 days ago
- PostgreSQL and MySQL require partition keys to be included in primary keys, leading to potential issues with uniqueness and query performance.
- Partition pruning, a key optimization, fails if the WHERE clause doesn't include the partition key, causing slow queries.
- Static partition boundaries can become imbalanced over time, creating operational overhead for manual rebalancing.
- Partitioning by the primary key (e.g., BIGINT AUTO_INCREMENT) ensures automatic pruning without code changes.
- Automated services can manage partitions by watching growth, splitting catch-all partitions, and handling retention, reducing manual work.
- Time-aligned boundaries can be derived from date columns without including them in the partition key, avoiding query leakage.
- Tools like pg_partman and TimescaleDB automate time-based partitioning but may leak keys into queries; a DIY service offers flexibility.
- Hash and list partitioning require monitoring for skew or promoting values from catch-all partitions, with automation focused on detection rather than splitting.
- Choosing a partition key that is already in all critical queries (like the primary key) prevents abstraction leaks and maintains performance.
Rare things become common at scale (2014)
22 days ago
- Rare events become common at scale due to the sheer number of servers, leading to daily incidents like fatal server errors.
- Scale amplifies customer impact, causing issues like bad first impressions for new customers and increased support workload.
- Automation is crucial but insufficient; human elements like customer support and problem-solving remain essential for handling rare events.
- Growth projections often underestimate the need for hiring in areas like security, automation, and specialized roles to manage scale challenges.
Robots, Soft Power, and Summer Davos 2026
19 days ago
- China is the world's dominant industrial robotics market, accounting for 54% of new installations in 2024 with 295,000 units.
- The 2026 Summer Davos in Dalian included direct discussions on labor issues like wage gaps and trade policy, alongside 'soft' robot art exhibits.
- Media coverage naturally favored shareable robot demonstrations over policy sessions, reflecting attention economics rather than deliberate suppression.
- China's automation drive is structurally motivated by rising labor costs and an aging population, framed as innovation leadership.
- Comparatively, major economies like the U.S. also emphasize optimistic automation narratives, indicating a global pattern.
- Analysis found no evidence that cultural programming was used to avoid scrutiny of labor conditions at the event.
- Unverified hypotheses include potential curatorial bias and undisclosed sponsorship, requiring further targeted research.
You're Not a Better Engineer Because You Type Git Commands by Hand
16 days ago
- AI agents handle tedious engineering tasks like commit messages, PR descriptions, and code comments, saving significant time.
- AI ensures consistency in naming conventions, Git hygiene, issue tracking, and release workflows, reducing errors and conflicts.
- LLMs benefit from structured codebase context (comments, rules, paths), enabling more fluid AI-assisted interactions and challenging inconsistencies.
- Agents manage Git operations (branch creation, PR preparation, label updates) and automate delivery checks, turning rituals into efficient sequences.
- Delegating repetitive tasks to AI prevents burning money and life on mechanical steps, allowing focus on solving actual problems.
Building and Shipping Mac and iOS Apps Without Ever Opening Xcode
13 days ago
- Build and ship Mac/iOS apps without opening Xcode by using command-line tools like xcodebuild, notarytool, and devicectl.
- One-time setup includes installing Xcode, XcodeGen, configuring Apple Developer account, creating certificates, and storing notarization credentials.
- Automate the entire release pipeline with a script (e.g., release.sh) that handles archiving, signing, notarization, stapling, and installation.
- Use XcodeGen to manage project configuration via a YAML file, avoiding Git issues with .xcodeproj files.
- Secrets like signing keys and app-specific passwords are stored securely in keychains or password managers, not in the repository.
- Agents (e.g., Claude Code) can execute workflows via shell commands and documentation (e.g., CLAUDE.md), enabling fully headless operations.
Show HN: I built a smart proxy so your coding agent can run loose
12 days ago
- The agent can read, write, and run tasks on a machine as a human would, handling source files, builds, processes, and logs.
- Trollbridge controls network access (gates the wire) but does not restrict the file system or process table.
- There are no holds, prompts, or policy-writing required for these operations.
Show HN: Running server scripts from smartphone via SSH
11 days ago
- Remote Runbooks are SSH scripts stored on a server and executed via RebootX with one click.
- Runbooks are loaded from the /usr/local/sbin/rebootx/runbooks directory on the server, with possible customization based on user feedback.
- Scripts prefixed with '__' are marked as dangerous, requiring confirmation before execution for safety.
- Unlike SSH Command Macros, Remote Runbooks are managed on the server, ideal for long scripts, while macros are for short commands and shared across providers.
- The feature is new, and users are encouraged to provide feedback via the app for improvements or assistance.
SendLang: A DSL for Email Automation
11 days ago
- SendLang comprises SendQL for segment-definition queries and SendFlow for drip-workflow management.
- Languages enable version control, pre-send error checking, and compatibility with coding agents.
- SendQL integrates raw event streams, contact attributes, and deliverability rules for precise targeting.
- SendFlow offers structured control flow without goto or unbounded loops, mapping to flowcharts.
- Coding agents can write and iterate on campaigns using machine-readable docs and type checkers.
- Design focuses on a golden-pinned grammar, precise diagnostics, and lossless text-canvas conversion.
Kimi Work
6 days ago
- Kimi Work features a built-in Cron engine for 24/7 automation.
- It automates repetitive tasks such as early-morning LLM Agent calls and midnight Python scripts.
- The system runs quietly in the background, ensuring tasks are executed exactly on time.
Show HN: DocCharm – The help center that keeps itself up to date
5 days ago
- DocCharm automatically detects product changes and drafts corresponding help article updates.
- It integrates with your product's development environment via a one-click install.
- Articles are presented in a review queue for approval, editing, or dismissal.
- It tracks changes like renamed buttons, new features, or changed flows.
- Every draft explains what changed and why, so approval takes seconds.
- It ensures help center content stays accurate, maintaining customer trust.
- It supports both public and internal documentation with consistent updates.
- Features include branded search, AI chat, search analytics, and version control.
- Articles flag themselves when underlying product changes occur.
- DocCharm uses minimal access, encrypts data, and does not use your data for training.
The diminishing returns of productivity culture (2021)
6 hours ago
- Karen Ho's 2006 ethnography 'Liquidated' revealed how Wall Street bankers derive self-worth from productivity, viewing it as addictive and seductive.
- Historical office technologies promised to ease work but instead compelled workers to do more, setting new productivity standards without reducing labor.
- Automation de-skilled workers by replacing their physical knowledge with quantified data, shifting power to managers and causing resentment.
- Workers reported feeling like 'rats in a cage' due to technology that increased physical strain and reduced autonomy, while health issues like migraines and eye strain emerged.
- Productivity culture mandates that efficiency gains lead to more tasks, not less work, benefiting only a few while exhausting the majority.
- The pandemic work-from-home environment intensified burnout, leading to a resurgence in anti-hustle culture, union support, and movements like The Nap Ministry.
- Collective rejection of endless growth and infinite productivity is necessary to prevent widespread breakdown, as individual resistance is insufficient.

automation

I don't maintain my homelab, it maintains itself

Transparent Compression with Folder Actions in macOS

Designing DB partitions you don't have to babysit

Rare things become common at scale (2014)

Robots, Soft Power, and Summer Davos 2026

You're Not a Better Engineer Because You Type Git Commands by Hand

Building and Shipping Mac and iOS Apps Without Ever Opening Xcode

Show HN: I built a smart proxy so your coding agent can run loose

Show HN: Running server scripts from smartphone via SSH

SendLang: A DSL for Email Automation

Kimi Work

Show HN: DocCharm – The help center that keeps itself up to date

The diminishing returns of productivity culture (2021)