Hasty Briefs - Daily Tech News Brief

Bilingual

Show HN: I made a C program to create a vanity SHA-1 hash for a text file
a year ago
- The text describes a C program named 'vanity.c' that generates a SHA-1 hash with a specific target prefix.
- The program processes text to find combinations of word capitalizations that produce a hash starting with '20250327'.
- It includes functions for text normalization, hash computation, and word parsing, with a focus on avoiding URLs and non-alphabetic words.
- The program outputs progress and success messages, including the binary representation of the counter used in the search.
- It mentions the concept of 'lucky commits' in version control, where commit hashes have aesthetically pleasing or meaningful prefixes.
Zig is a general-purpose programming language
a year ago
- Zig focuses on debugging applications rather than language knowledge, with no hidden control flow, memory allocations, or preprocessor.
- Zig introduces 'Comptime' for metaprogramming, allowing compile-time function calls and type manipulation without runtime overhead.
- Zig can be used to incrementally improve C/C++/Zig codebases, acting as a zero-dependency compiler with cross-compilation support.
- The Zig Software Foundation (ZSF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2020 by Andrew Kelley to support Zig's development.
- ZSF offers paid work to core contributors and is sustained by donations, including corporate sponsors and GitHub sponsors.
Rust Any part 3: we have upcasts
a year ago
- The As-Any Hack was introduced three years ago to enable upcasting to supertraits in stable Rust.
- The hack addressed the issue where methods from the `Any` trait couldn't be used on a `dyn DebugAny`, despite `DebugAny` inheriting from `Any`.
- As of Rust 1.86, the issue is fixed, allowing direct use of `Any` methods like `downcast_ref` on `dyn DebugAny`.
- The fix means old workarounds like the As-Any Hack can be retired once the minimum supported Rust version (MSRV) is updated.
- An updated example of the `Extensions` struct demonstrates how to use the new functionality without the hack.
Don't write clean code, write CRISP code
a year ago
- The article advocates for writing 'CRISP' code instead of just 'clean code', emphasizing five key principles: Correct, Readable, Idiomatic, Simple, and Performant.
- Correctness is the most important attribute; if code isn't correct, other qualities don't matter. Testing is crucial but tests must also be scrutinized for accuracy.
- Readability is prioritized over other virtues like performance. Code should be easy to understand by removing unnecessary complexities and using clear naming conventions.
- Idiomatic code follows conventional practices, reducing cognitive load for readers. Consistency in naming and structure helps maintain readability.
- Simplicity is not the same as ease; it requires effort to achieve directness and frugality in code. Avoid unnecessary abstractions just to reduce repetition.
- Performance is important but should not compromise correctness, readability, or simplicity. Simple code is easier to optimize when needed.
Show HN: I made Confetti: a configuration language file format
a year ago
- Confetti is a configuration language combining Unix file readability with S-expression flexibility.
- It is minimalistic, untyped, and unopinionated, with schema validation handled by user applications.
- Confetti competes with INI, not JSON or XML.
- Example features include comments, custom keywords, and hierarchical structures.
- The canonical implementation is in C11, available on GitHub.
- Confetti's philosophy emphasizes simplicity, minimalism, and typeless design.
- Notable features: unopinionated keywords, localization friendliness, and encouraged extensions.
- Comparison table highlights Confetti's advantages over INI, JSON, and TOML.
Rust 1.86.0
a year ago
- Rust 1.86.0 introduces trait upcasting, allowing trait objects to be coerced to supertrait references.
- New `get_disjoint_mut` method enables safe mutable indexing of multiple elements in `HashMap` and slices.
- Safe functions can now be marked with `#[target_feature]`, with restrictions on their usage.
- Debug assertions for non-null pointers added for soundness in debug mode.
- The `missing_abi` lint now warns by default, encouraging explicit ABI specification.
- Deprecation warning issued for the `i586-pc-windows-msvc` target, to be removed in Rust 1.87.0.
- Several APIs stabilized, including `{float}::next_down`, `{float}::next_up`, and `Vec::pop_if`.
- New const context stabilizations for APIs like `hint::black_box` and `str::split_at`.
Show HN: The C3 programming language (C alternative language)
a year ago
- C3 is an evolution of the C language, maintaining familiarity for C programmers.
- Precompiled binaries available for Windows, Debian, Ubuntu, and MacOS.
- Full ABI compatibility with C allows mixing C and C3 in projects.
- Key features include procedural design, C ABI compatibility, and easy transition for C programmers.
- Avoids 'big ideas' and focuses on necessary changes with some higher-level conveniences.
- Inspiration from C2 language, aiming to iterate on C without being a completely new language.
- Example features: generic modules, no mandatory header files, new semantic macro system.
- Current stable version is 0.7.0, with future updates focusing on standard library expansion and bug fixes.
- Compiler verified on Linux, Windows, and MacOS with detailed support matrix provided.
- Community contributions encouraged via issues, Discord, and specific project needs like library bindings.
- Installation instructions provided for various platforms including Windows, Linux, and MacOS.
- Building from source requires CMake, LLVM, and other dependencies with platform-specific steps.
- License: C3 compiler under LGPL 3.0, standard library under MIT.
- Editor plugins available for integration with development environments.
- Testing guidelines and contribution acknowledgments included.
Annotated Unix Magic Poster
a year ago
- The shell is central to UNIX systems, serving as the primary interface for interacting with the kernel and enabling process management, computations, and direct OS interfacing.
- Shell scripting allows automation and efficient data processing, making the shell both interactive and programmable, a unique feature at its time.
- The Bourne shell (sh) was the original shell, laying the foundation for subsequent shells.
- The UNIX Magic poster symbolizes the shell as the gateway to UNIX power, essential for mastering the system.
- The man command displays detailed documentation (man pages) for commands, system calls, and configurations, with interpretations ranging from process reaping to representing a hacker.
- Pipes (|) enable combining utilities into workflows by passing data between commands, foundational to UNIX's flexibility.
- Memory leaks occur when programs fail to release unused memory, potentially causing slowdowns or crashes.
- Key figures in UNIX history include dmr (Dennis Ritchie), kt (Ken Thompson), and bwk (Brian Kernighan), instrumental in UNIX and C development.
- C programming language, created by Dennis Ritchie, was pivotal in rewriting UNIX in a higher-level language, enhancing its portability and adoption.
- Process communication via pipes involves producers and consumers, with OS buffers managing data flow and potential back pressure.
- Daemons are background programs, often started at boot, performing tasks like responding to network requests or scheduled jobs, inspired by Maxwell’s demon.
- The su command switches user accounts, commonly used to gain administrative (root) privileges.
- /dev/null discards written data, used for disposing of unwanted output or as an empty input source.
- Tar (tape archive) collects files into archives, originally for sequential I/O devices like magnetic tapes.
- Forking is the primary method for creating new processes in UNIX-like systems, with early concepts dating back to 1962.
- Shell scripts automate tasks, embodying UNIX's philosophy of combining small, specialized tools.
- AWK is a text-processing language created at Bell Labs, named after its authors: Aho, Weinberger, and Kernighan.
- /usr directory holds user home directories, executables, and shared resources.
- Threads are lightweight processes within a program, sharing memory space but running independently for concurrent programming.
- Troff is a document processing system for UNIX, supporting typesetting and man page formatting, developed from nroff.
- B programming language, precursor to C, was designed for non-numeric applications and developed at Bell Labs.
- cat concatenates files, part of early UNIX versions, written by Ken Thompson and Dennis Ritchie.
- uucp (Unix-to-Unix Copy) facilitates file transfers between UNIX systems, developed by Mike Lesk.
- Network sockets, introduced in BSD UNIX, unified IPC locally and over networks, foundational to modern networking.
- Make automates builds using Makefiles, improving efficiency and robustness over manual scripts, created by Stuart Feldman.
- Spawning creates new processes, related to fork and exec, with origins in VMS operating system.
- nroff formats text for printers and terminals, integral to UNIX help systems, created by Joseph Ossanna.
- Root user has superuser privileges, essential for system administration tasks.
- date command displays/sets system time, with UNIX epoch (Jan 1, 1970) arbitrarily chosen for convenience.
- whoami identifies the current user, introduced in 2.9 BSD.
- pwd shows the current directory, exemplifying UNIX's small, specialized tools.
- mbox stores emails in single files, embodying UNIX's 'everything is a file' philosophy.
- login authenticates users, initializes environments, and spawns user processes, attaching to terminals.
- spell checks English spelling, developed by Stephen Johnson at Bell Labs.
- curses library abstracts terminal graphics and cursor positioning, named for 'cursor optimization'.
- diff compares file differences, useful for tracking changes, developed at Bell Labs.
- Traps (signals) notify processes of events like interrupts or kills, aiding IPC.
- Shell symbols (%, $, >, <, *, !, [], etc.) are powerful tools for command control, redirection, and automation.
- Buffer overflows, a common UNIX exploit, occur when data overruns memory buffers, potentially causing crashes or security issues.
- tee command splits output to files and pipelines, referenced by T-shaped pipes in the poster.
- UNIX filesystem hierarchy is tree-like, navigated via commands like cd, ls, and pwd.
- /dev/null symbolizes data discard, akin to a 'black hole,' with alternative interpretations as daemon references.
The Tcl Programming Language: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd Edition)
a year ago
- The Tcl Programming Language: A Comprehensive Guide covers Tcl 9 and is available for Gumroad customers.
- The book includes fundamental Tcl syntax, advanced concepts, and programming idioms.
- Features modularization with namespaces, object-oriented constructs, and packages.
- Covers internationalization, efficient data transfer with event loops, and asynchronous I/O.
- Discusses inter-process communication, concurrent programming with coroutines, and security with safe interpreters.
- Streamlines deployment with single file executables using the ZipFS virtual file system.
- Downloadable chapters from the first edition are available, relevant to Tcl 9 with minimal changes.
- Support includes an Errata and user discussion on the Tclers Wiki, with sample scripts available.
- The book has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, praised for its depth, comprehensiveness, and clarity.
- Available in multiple formats: Paperback (660 pages, ISBN-13: 9798316640539), PDF (Gumroad, $19.95), Print (Amazon, currently unavailable).
Swift 6.1 Released
a year ago
- Swift 6.1 introduces new language enhancements to improve productivity, diagnostics, and data-race safety.
- Concurrency improvements include extending `nonisolated` to types and extensions and better type inference for task groups.
- New `@implementation` attribute allows implementing Objective-C types in Swift.
- Productivity enhancements include trailing commas in more contexts like tuples and parameter lists.
- Package traits introduced for conditional compilation and optional dependencies in Swift packages.
- Background indexing is now enabled by default for SwiftPM projects in SourceKit-LSP.
- Swift Testing now supports custom traits for test scoping and improved error handling macros.
- Swift-DocC introduces human-readable symbol link disambiguation using parameter and return types.
- Swift 6.1 is available in Xcode 16.3 for Apple platforms and can be installed via swiftly or other methods.
A Year of Rust in ClickHouse
a year ago
- Rust integration into ClickHouse was initiated to leverage Rust's strengths without rewriting existing C++ code.
- Initial Rust component was the BLAKE3 hash function, later replaced by a C++ implementation from LLVM.
- Subsequent Rust additions included 'skim' for terminal improvements and PRQL as an alternative query language.
- Delta Kernel integration marked practical use of Rust for Delta Lake support, replacing sketchy C++ code.
- Challenges included supply chain security, complex C++/Rust interop, panic handling, and sanitizer integration.
- Cross-compilation and library linking issues were addressed to maintain ClickHouse's portability.
- Rust's composability with C++ conventions and dependency management required careful handling.
- Despite challenges, Rust integration is deemed successful, encouraging contributions from Rust developers.
Why does JSON have commas?
a year ago
- JSON's simplicity makes it a popular alternative to XML and binary formats.
- Commas in JSON are seen as unnecessary and prone to syntax errors.
- JSON5 introduces trailing commas but doesn't fully address the comma issue.
- Removing commas from JSON could simplify parsing without losing readability.
- The post humorously critiques JSON's design and suggests improvements.
The Best Programmers I Know
a year ago
- Read the reference documentation for tools and technologies you use.
- Understand your tools deeply, including their history, present, limitations, and ecosystem.
- Read and understand error messages thoroughly to solve problems independently.
- Break down complex problems into simpler, manageable parts.
- Be willing to get hands-on with code and learn new skills as needed.
- Help others and share knowledge within your team and community.
- Write and communicate effectively to share thoughts and knowledge.
- Continuously learn and stay updated with new technologies and languages.
- Don’t follow trends blindly but evaluate new technologies carefully.
- Treat everyone equally, regardless of their position or experience level.
- Build a reputation through impactful work, open-source contributions, or thought leadership.
- Practice patience with technology, people, and yourself.
- Never blame external factors for bugs; seek logical explanations instead.
- Admit when you don’t know something and use it as a learning opportunity.
- Avoid guessing; seek accurate information through research and debugging.
- Write simple, maintainable code rather than overly clever solutions.
Keeping it Old-Tool: REPL habits of a grug-brained Clojure programmer
a year ago
- The article contrasts two Clojure programming workflows: one using modern LLM tools and another traditional, 'grug-brained' approach.
- The author prefers using Clojure's standard library and basic tools, emphasizing muscle memory and REPL-driven development.
- Key tools mentioned include Clojure's standard library functions, org-mode for documentation, and simple REPL-based workflows.
- The author advocates for minimal dependencies and local development, showcasing examples like running a Jetty server and inspecting live objects.
- Tips include using Clojure's built-in tools for reflection, data inspection, and dynamic dependency management without modifying project files.
Learning to Program with Haiku
a year ago
- Lessons on programming for Haiku started in January 2010 by DarkWyrm, aimed at beginners.
- All lessons are under a Creative Commons license for noncommercial use.
- Hard copies of compiled and polished lessons are available for purchase.
- Lessons cover basics to advanced topics, including data types, loops, memory management, and OOP.
- The series progresses to GUI programming, Haiku API, and storage kit usage.
- Final lessons focus on a real-world project, HaikuFortune, covering usability, resources, and packaging.
- The series concludes with plans for a follow-up series on advanced Haiku programming topics.
The Soft Skills Renaissance
a year ago
- The article discusses the rise of 'Vibe Coding', where programming is done by continuously prompting AI models to generate code, with humans focusing on direction and context.
- It suggests we're entering a 'soft skills renaissance', where soft skills like taste, intuition, and empathy become crucial as hard skills are outsourced to AI.
- AI is described as both an equalizer, creating a 'builder middle class', and a divider, amplifying the capabilities of the best builders.
- The article raises concerns about the future of open access to top AI models and what might happen if models become private.
- Readers interested in 'Vibe Coding' are directed to additional posts for further information.
Crystal 1.16.0 Is Released
a year ago
- Crystal 1.16.0 is released with new features and bug fixes.
- Includes 162 changes by 19 contributors.
- Breaking changes include fixes to File.match? implementation.
- Parameter name suffixes '?' and '!' are deprecated.
- Enumerable#sum and #product now require explicit return type specification.
- HTTP::Request now correctly parses resource strings.
- Environment variable $CRYSTAL is no longer set for subcommands.
- Execution contexts introduced as a preview feature.
- New methods added to Indexable and EventLoop.
- Compiler improvements include better CLI options and environment variable handling.
- Doc generator can now include private and protected objects.
- Support for LLVM 20 added.
- LLVM::ABI is deprecated without replacement.
Lisp Programs Don't Have Parentheses
a year ago
- Lisp programs are made of nested linked lists, not parentheses.
- Parentheses in Lisp serve as markers for nested lists in the program's printed representation.
- The structure of Lisp programs can be determined by counting parentheses, eliminating the need for complex parsers.
- Lisp's explicit expression boundaries simplify refactoring, as expressions are context-independent.
- Unlike languages such as C or Java, moving Lisp expressions doesn't require syntax changes.
- Lisp's simplicity allows for easy manipulation of code with basic text editors, without reliance on IDEs.
Iterators in Go
a year ago
- Go iterators are functions that yield one result at a time, rather than computing all results upfront.
- Iterators are useful for efficiency, as they avoid allocating memory for entire slices and computing unused elements.
- An iterator function in Go takes a 'yield' function as a parameter, which it calls to produce each value.
- The 'iter' package in Go provides 'Seq' and 'Seq2' types for single-value and two-value iterators, respectively.
- Iterators can handle errors by yielding a value alongside an error, similar to traditional Go functions.
- Iterators must check the 'yield' function's return value to know when to stop and perform cleanup.
- Iterators can be composed, allowing functions to take and return iterators for flexible programming.
- Compared to channels, iterators are simpler and avoid concurrency issues and resource leaks.
- The Go standard library has been updated to include iterator support in the 'slices' and 'maps' packages.
Learning Assembly for Fun, Performance and Profit
a year ago
- Assembly language is a low-level programming language that corresponds directly to a processor's machine instructions.
- Learning assembly language helps in understanding how computers work and is useful for debugging high-level language code.
- Recent interest in assembly includes Nvidia's ptx in AI models, showing its relevance in performance-critical applications.
- Assembly language is challenging but offers fine-grained control over hardware, beneficial in high-stakes scenarios like AI.
- The article compares retro (6502, Z80, 8086, 68000) and modern (x86-64, ARM64, RISC-V) assembly languages for learning.
- Retro architectures are simpler and fun but less useful for modern applications, whereas modern architectures are complex but relevant.
- RISC-V is recommended as the best modern assembly language to learn due to its simplicity, openness, and future potential.
- The Z80 and 8086 are tied as the best retro architectures for learning assembly, with the 8086 slightly favored for its modern relevance.

Hasty Briefsbeta

#programming

Show HN: I made a C program to create a vanity SHA-1 hash for a text file

Zig is a general-purpose programming language

Rust Any part 3: we have upcasts

Don't write clean code, write CRISP code

Show HN: I made Confetti: a configuration language file format

Rust 1.86.0

Show HN: The C3 programming language (C alternative language)

Annotated Unix Magic Poster

The Tcl Programming Language: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd Edition)

Swift 6.1 Released

A Year of Rust in ClickHouse

Why does JSON have commas?

The Best Programmers I Know

Keeping it Old-Tool: REPL habits of a grug-brained Clojure programmer

Learning to Program with Haiku

The Soft Skills Renaissance

Crystal 1.16.0 Is Released

Lisp Programs Don't Have Parentheses

Iterators in Go

Learning Assembly for Fun, Performance and Profit