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programming

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Stroustrup's Rule (2024)
a month ago
- Stroustrup's Rule: Beginners need explicit syntax; experts prefer terse syntax.
- Rust's error handling evolved from explicit match statements to the ? operator.
- Python's 'walrus' operator debate highlights tension between expert terseness and beginner explicitness.
- Teaching requires balancing expert-preferred terse syntax with beginner-friendly explicit examples.
- TLA+ example contrasts explicit invariants with terser function sets for teaching clarity.
Tiny-C Reference Manual Excerpt
23 days ago
- The manual introduces tiny-c as a language inspired by BASIC, with a focus on ease of learning through a single computing environment.
- It describes tiny-c as a structured programming language with if-then-else, while loops, functions, variables (global and local), pointers, and arrays, suitable for training and powerful enough for real use.
- The walk-through of a sample 'guessnum' program illustrates key features like comments, functions, compound statements, variable declarations, and control structures like if and while loops.
- It emphasizes structured programming principles such as modularity, predictable program flow, local variables, and meaningful variable names to enhance program clarity and simplicity.
- The manual also covers installation guides for different systems and targets multiple audiences, including beginners and experienced programmers.
OCaml 5.5 Released
23 days ago
- OCaml 5.5.0 introduces module-dependent functions, allowing modules as function arguments for lightweight functors.
- The compiler is now relocatable, enabling switches to be cloned without recompilation for faster setup.
- Higher-rank polymorphic functions can be defined directly using explicit type annotations in function arguments.
- New string functions for searching and replacing substrings are added, using constant-space algorithms.
- Generalized local definitions permit defining types, classes, or module types locally.
- External types enhance FFI interoperability by making types distinguishable for better GADT behavior.
- GC improvements include a sweep-only phase at major GC start and an idle phase for smoother performance.
- Windows implementation no longer relies on Winpthreads, with many incremental changes and bug fixes.
AI has torched the market for junior programmers
21 days ago
- AI has significantly reduced job opportunities for junior programmers, with employment among developers aged 22-25 down 19% since late 2022.
- The total number of software developers has grown by 10% from May 2022 to May 2025, but the decline in junior roles is masked in aggregate data due to their small workforce share.
- Traditional programming jobs focused on writing code to spec are shrinking, while roles requiring judgment, such as data scientists and systems analysts, are growing.
- A surge in new developers is evident, with GitHub adding 36 million accounts and App Store submissions rising 24% in 2025, but many of these individuals do not identify as programmers.
- The career pipeline for senior developers is at risk because AI now handles junior-level tasks, breaking the traditional apprenticeship model within employment.
- Security concerns are rising as AI-generated code often fails basic tests, and many new apps have critical flaws, highlighting a lack of oversight.
- Some companies, like IBM, are redesigning entry-level roles to focus on customer contact and specification, while others, such as Salesforce, have halted hiring.
- Job postings for entry-level positions began recovering in May 2025, suggesting a potential market correction, but rebuilding the career ladder remains crucial for the profession's future.
Programmers need to start meditating now
21 days ago
- Programming previously offered a meditative flow state that quieted the mind by reducing activity in the default mode network, which is linked to rumination and worry.
- Modern programming roles involve constant context switching and multitasking, which diminishes time spent in flow states and may affect mental well-being.
- Programmers should adopt new meditative practices, such as hobbies or apps like Calm or Waking Up, to compensate for the loss of inherent meditation in their work.
Scheme Is a Hoot
20 days ago
- The author is learning Scheme and implementing physics concepts, compiling to the Web using Hoot.
- Hoot is unstable (version 0.9.0), with decent documentation and cryptic errors, but allows Scheme code to run on the Web via custom WASM without Emscripten.
- Initially misunderstood Hoot's compatibility; had to port code to use Hoot-specific functions, then realized it supports more of Guile with manual imports.
- Set up code to run on both native Guile and WASM via Hoot, with automated tests for both environments, making most code agnostic to the runtime.
- Focus has been on backend setup and fundamental physics logic, with progress including a published prototype and source code.
- Future interest includes compiling Zig + Scheme programs to the Web with Hoot, exploring this combination despite potential complexity.
Clojure 1.13 adds support for checked keys
23 days ago
- Clojure 1.13.0-alpha1 release announced with download information available
- New checked map destructuring directives :keys!/:syms!/:strs! ensure required keys are bound and throw if missing
- PersistentArrayMaps now hold up to 64 keyword keys before transitioning to PersistentHashMaps, improving efficiency and optimization
- CLJ-2891 removes ACC_FINAL from static initializer constants to prepare for Java bytecode baseline updates
- Runtime and test dependencies updated to latest versions
Guest Post: Atari Origins – By Mark Miller
19 days ago
- Mark Miller purchased an Atari 130XE in 1988, which he used primarily for writing school papers with AtariWriter Plus, while others around him used more advanced 16-bit PCs or Macs.
- Despite lacking official terminal software for his Atari, Miller creatively used a VT-100 emulator called VT10Squared and a terminal program to access and use the campus supercomputer's full-screen editor (FSE) for Pascal programming from his dorm room.
- He explored and utilized various programming tools for his Atari, including Kyan Pascal and a PD C compiler called CC8, with which he successfully ported data structures assignments to C by writing his own 256-byte heap manager.
- Miller later acquired a Mega STe in 1992 through creative financing and used it for his final year of college, though he did not compile assignments on it at the time, opting instead to port projects after graduation.
The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth
19 days ago
- The Art of Computer Programming (TAOCP) books were named among the best twelve physical-science monographs of the century in 1999.
- Electronic PDF versions are authorized and recommended; non-PDF eBook formats (e.g., Kindle) are warned to be problematic and may be replaced.
- Volumes 1-4B are published, with translations in multiple languages; Volume 4C and future volumes (5-7) are planned or in preparation.
- Updates and corrections are managed through errata lists, with rewards offered for reporting errors.
- TAOCP uses a RISC machine called MMIX, replacing the older MIX, especially in new editions and Volume 4A.
Almost Always Unsigned
17 days ago
- Using unsigned integers is often more appropriate because most integers in programs do not represent negative values.
- Common arguments against unsigned integers, such as safety and reverse loops, are addressed with correct idioms that avoid underflow issues.
- Unsigned integers allow safer calculations for differences, midpoint computations, and overflow checks compared to signed integers.
- The default use of signed integers in languages like C and C++ is a legacy choice, and unsigned can simplify code and improve diagnostics.
- Languages with defined wrap for signed integers still face safety issues, and unsigned integers force consideration of all input ranges.
Rust 1.97.0
16 days ago
- Rust 1.97.0 stable release announcement, including update instructions via rustup.
- Symbol mangling v0 enabled by default, replacing the legacy Itanium-based scheme.
- Cargo now supports denying warnings, improving CI workflows and cache efficiency.
- Linker output no longer hidden by default, revealing warnings for debugging.
- Stabilized APIs include methods for integers and NonZero types, and const context updates.
OpenCode Bug: "I did not say that you did"
17 days ago
- The user recounts a story involving a bug fix for a mod in Slay the Spire 2 where the number of cards sellable in multiplayer was incorrectly shared instead of per player.
- Using Gemma4:31b to create a markdown plan, the user notes that Gemma's response ended with 'dokładnie i zwięźle.', which is Polish for 'exactly and concisely.'
- When the user asked why Gemma said that, Gemma explained the phrase's meaning in its chain of thought but concluded it hadn't said those words, attributing them to the user instead.
- The user suspects an OpenCode harness bug but finds it amusing that their first words in Polish were 'exactly and concisely.'
- The story includes details like the OpenCode version (1.14.28) and the model used (Gemma4:31B), with a full transcript referenced in a markdown file.
Programming thought experiment: stuck in a room with a PC without an OS
13 days ago
- r/programming is a Reddit community for discussing news and topics related to computer programming.
- It enforces strict rules against AI-written content, political posts, product promotion, surveys, support questions, images, and low-effort posts.
- Comments must not include bots or incivility, and users are encouraged to engage through comments or related language-specific subreddits.
Cottage Computer Programming (1984)
14 days ago
- Paul Lutus, a former NASA engineer, left his job and moved to a remote cabin in Oregon to live a simple life.
- He bought an Apple II computer in 1976 and began programming for fun, eventually creating Apple Writer, a popular word processing program.
- Despite being isolated in the wilderness, Lutus found success by selling his programs to Apple, leading to a royalty-based deal.
- He argues that individual creativity and solitary work styles are more effective in programming than teamwork, citing industry examples.
- Lutus discusses the advantages of living in a 'computerized cottage,' including freedom from trivial tasks and the ability to focus in silence.
- He also notes the challenges of backwoods living, such as potential loneliness, but believes technology can help connect people.
Perldelta – what is new for Perl v5.44.0
8 days ago
- Perl v5.44.0 introduces named parameters in subroutine signatures, allowing parameters to be passed by name/value pairs.
- Multi-variable foreach loops can now use aliased references, combining reference aliases with multiple iteration variables.
- Enhanced /xx regular expression modifier allows bracketed character classes to extend across multiple lines and contain comments.
- Unicode 17.0 support is added, and PRNG seeding now uses getentropy() system call for improved entropy sourcing.
- Multiple security vulnerabilities fixed, including buffer overflows in Perl_study_chunk, S_measure_struct, and regex trie optimization.
- Unicode rules are now fully enforced on identifiers and regex group names, disallowing characters that match \w but not XID properties.
- Deprecations include using goto to jump into loops and unescaped # or vertical space in /xx bracketed character classes.
- Performance enhancements include faster integer arithmetic and hash population from constant key/value pairs.
- Many core modules updated, including Archive::Tar, Encode, and IO::Compress, with security fixes for several CVEs.
- Documentation improvements, new diagnostics, and internal API changes, such as new functions for numeric comparison and UTF-8 handling.
Mr. Spock Does Not Code in ASCII
8 days ago
- Programming remains anchored to text despite modern interfaces.
- Text-based programming stems from outdated hardware constraints.
- Touch-first devices lack keyboards, making text-based programming exclusionary.
- Diagrams better represent computational dataflow and dependencies.
- AI code generation shifts focus from typing to describing intent and structure.
- Previous visual programming attempts failed due to limitations, not concept flaws.
- Diagrammatic programming suits current hardware, AI, and compilation technologies.
- Other engineering fields use diagrams; software engineering still relies on text.
- Diagrammatic programming leverages spatial reasoning and visual representation.
Best Coding Fonts for Developers in 2026
5 days ago
- Good programming fonts improve code readability, reduce fatigue, and help spot bugs faster.
- Key features of a great coding font include clear character distinction, comfortable spacing, readable punctuation, and reliable rendering at small sizes.
- The guide covers 13 coding fonts: JetBrains Mono, Berkeley Mono, Geist Mono, Fira Code, Cascadia Code, IBM Plex Mono, Iosevka, Monaspace, Hack, Source Code Pro, Victor Mono, Commit Mono, and Maple Mono.
- JetBrains Mono is recommended as the overall best, with Geist Mono as best free, Fira Code for ligatures, Cascadia Code for terminals, and Iosevka for compact layouts.
- Font size recommendations vary by display: 14-15 px for 1080p, 15-16 px for 1440p, 16-18 px for 4K, and 15-17 px for ultrawide; line height between 1.4 and 1.6 is advised.
- Ligatures are a personal preference; they can make operators easier to recognize but may hide character shapes, and most editors allow toggling them.
- The best font is one that becomes invisible during work; test fonts with real code in your actual editor and terminal before deciding.
Why is programming so captivating, yet so agonizing?
a day ago
- Programming is both captivating and agonizing, often described as a tar pit where countless problems entangle, making progress difficult but rewarding.
- AI coding tools are lowering the barrier to programming, allowing more people to build products and explore the craft's fundamental nature.
- Frederick P. Brooks Jr.'s 'The Tar Pit' from The Mythical Man-Month remains relevant, warning that large software systems face simultaneous, interacting difficulties.
- A 'program' becomes a 'product' by being generalizable, thoroughly tested, and documented, costing at least three times more than a debugged program.
- A program becomes a 'system component' by conforming to interface specifications and resource budgets, costing at least three times more than a standalone program.
- The joys of programming include the pleasure of creating, making useful things, solving puzzles, continuous learning, and working in a flexible medium.
- The woes of programming include the need for perfection, responsibility exceeding authority, dependence on others' programs, tedious debugging, and product obsolescence.
- Despite challenges, programming offers real value and satisfaction when solving real problems with available resources.
How to Write a Quine
3 days ago
- The author explains quines using an allegory of a machine that can create copies of itself without introspection.
- A quine is a program that prints its own source code without using introspection.
- The construction starts with a program that prints a template, then modifies it to insert a copy of itself at a placeholder.
- In Python, the quine is built using string slicing and repr() to avoid manual escaping.
- Alternative approaches include find and replace with reversed placeholders and manual escaping with careful ordering.
- The same principles apply in JavaScript and Excel, with language-specific techniques to avoid quote escaping.
- A general recipe involves creating a program template that performs find and replace with its own literal, then inserting the literal into the template.

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programming

Stroustrup's Rule (2024)

Tiny-C Reference Manual Excerpt

OCaml 5.5 Released

AI has torched the market for junior programmers

Programmers need to start meditating now

Scheme Is a Hoot

Clojure 1.13 adds support for checked keys

Guest Post: Atari Origins – By Mark Miller

The Art of Computer Programming by Donald E. Knuth

Almost Always Unsigned

Rust 1.97.0

OpenCode Bug: "I did not say that you did"

Programming thought experiment: stuck in a room with a PC without an OS

Cottage Computer Programming (1984)

Perldelta – what is new for Perl v5.44.0

Mr. Spock Does Not Code in ASCII

Best Coding Fonts for Developers in 2026

Why is programming so captivating, yet so agonizing?

How to Write a Quine