TinyBase

TinyBase is a lightweight, reactive data store designed for local-first applications, supporting offline functionality. It promotes performance by allowing real-time listening to data changes and integrates easily with React for building UIs. Key features include: a database-like structure for key-value and tabular data, native CRDT support for synchronization across multiple clients, and persistence options to various storage systems. It's modular, with a minimal size of 5.3kB and extensive documentation, making it suitable for diverse applications while ensuring full functionality without dependencies. The latest version is v5.4.

https://tinybase.org/

Local-First Software

Local-first software enables app development with co-located data and UI, offline function, client synchronization, and user data ownership. The community encourages participation through events, readings, and resources for building local-first applications. Various tools for data storage and synchronization are highlighted, along with notable individuals and communities to follow. Users can explore examples and join discussions to enhance their understanding and involvement in local-first development.

https://localfirstweb.dev/

Developer Creates Endless Wikipedia Feed to Fight Algorithm Addiction

Developer Isaac Gemal launched WikiTok, a site for endless swiping through random Wikipedia article stubs, mimicking TikTok's format but without invasive algorithms. Aimed at combating algorithm addiction, WikiTok offers a non-tailored exploration of knowledge. Users can read articles without targeted content traps, capitalizing on the breadth of Wikipedia's information. The project began after a viral tweet, and the prototype was rapidly developed with AI assistance. Gemal's vision prioritizes a free, unmonetized experience, focusing on learning rather than algorithm-driven engagement.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/02/new-wikitok-web-app-allows-infinite-tiktok-style-scroll-of-wikipedia/

Coding’s New Dawn: How AI Assistants Are Reshaping Software Development

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AI assistants like GitHub Copilot, Claude 3.5, GPT-4, and Google’s Gemini are transforming software development, enabling users to code quickly using natural language commands. These tools provide rapid solutions, reducing the learning curve for beginners while improving efficiency for seasoned developers. Despite outstanding performance in benchmarks, real-world application presents challenges, highlighting the need for human expertise in complex projects. The rise of AI coding tools is democratizing development, leading to innovative new products and inspiring investment, but also raising concerns about over-reliance on AI-generated code. Ultimately, a balance between AI capabilities and human insight is essential for future software creation.

https://cybernews.com/ai-news/ai-assistants-reshaping-software-development/

Review: Zencoder Has a Vision for AI Coding

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Zencoder is an emerging AI coding assistant that utilizes “Repo Grokking” to analyze entire codebases for better context in code generation and repair. It features error-corrected inference and supports over 70 programming languages. While Zencoder's ability to process entire repositories enhances code generation quality, it currently lacks the capability to modify multiple files simultaneously. The product shows promise but is still developing compared to competitors that can handle more complex tasks. Pricing starts with a free plan, advancing to $19-$39 per user for business and enterprise options.

https://www.infoworld.com/article/3820199/review-zencoder-has-a-vision-for-ai-coding.html

5 Best AI-Powered Git Commit Message Tools Compared

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Comparison of 5 AI-Powered Git Commit Message Tools:

  1. GitHub Copilot – Suggests commit messages based on code changes. Pros: reliable, free tier; Cons: basic messages, usage limits.

  2. CursorAI – Similar to Copilot but less accurate. Pros: works out of the box, free tier; Cons: less accuracy, usage limits.

  3. czg – Uses Commitizen framework for structured messages. Pros: supports emojis, open-source; Cons: complex configuration for non-developers.

  4. OpenCommit – CLI tool generating commit messages quickly, supports various models. Pros: open-source, fun emojis; Cons: sometimes poorly formatted messages.

  5. AI Commits – CLI tool for automatic commit messages based on code changes. Pros: easy to install, open-source; Cons: no Ollama support.

Choose a tool based on workflow preferences; most are free to try.

https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/best-ai-tools-for-git-commit-messages/

How (not) to Sign a JSON Object

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TLDR: Blog discusses signing JSON objects, emphasizing using symmetric signing (HMAC) over asymmetric signatures. It outlines steps to sign JSON, potential issues with in-band signing, and approaches like canonicalization, including examples from AWS signing versions and Flickr's API vulnerabilities. Recommendations encourage using external signatures, enforcing TLS, and recognizing the complexity of canonicalization in JSON.

https://www.latacora.com/blog/2019/07/24/how-not-to/

Tech’s Dumbest Mistake: Why Firing Programmers for AI Will Destroy Everything

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Firing programmers for AI is a huge mistake. It leads to underprepared new coders, companies regretting layoffs due to AI-generated software failures, and increasing rarity and costs of skilled programmers. Companies replacing human engineers with AI risk chaos, as untrained staff will lack essential skills, causing serious operational issues. In the end, firms may struggle to rehire skilled workers, facing skyrocketing costs for the best talent. Overall, tech is harming its own ecosystem by underestimating the value of human engineers.

https://defragzone.substack.com/p/techs-dumbest-mistake-why-firing

Secure Your Containers With Chainguard

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Chainguard offers a secure software platform focusing on container image security, vulnerability remediation, compliance, and risk mitigation. Join their event, “Chainguard Assemble,” for insights from industry leaders. Their solutions minimize CVE management burdens for engineering teams, streamline compliance processes, and support rapid development with secure, maintained open-source software. Trusted by leading companies, Chainguard emphasizes a secure and efficient software development experience that enables innovation while addressing security needs.

https://www.chainguard.dev/

Some Terminal Frustrations

Survey of 1600 terminal users revealed frustrations around:

  • Syntax Memory (115): Forgetting CLI tool syntax and shortcuts.
  • Switching Terminals (91): OS and version discrepancies complicate usage.
  • Color Issues (85): Inconsistent color schemes and readability problems.
  • Keyboard Shortcuts (84): Inconsistencies across OS platforms hinder efficiency.
  • Copy/Paste Challenges (75): Issues with copy methods, multiple clipboards.
  • Discoverability (55): Difficulty finding tools and features.
  • Learning Curve (44): Terminal complexity hampers learning.
  • History Problems (42): Limitations and retrieval issues with command history.
  • Bad Documentation (37): Lack of clarity and examples in resources.
  • Scrollback Issues (36): Problems with data overflow and resizing.
  • Outdated Feel (33): Frustration about legacy systems and features.
  • Shell Scripting (32): Challenges with POSIX scripting complexities.

122 respondents reported no significant issues. Overall, users find terminal usage complex and frustrating due to various systemic issues, despite experience.

https://jvns.ca/blog/2025/02/05/some-terminal-frustrations/

Patterns for Building Realtime Features

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Realtime features in apps enhance collaboration by sharing user-triggered changes instantly. Key patterns include:

  1. Poke/Pull: Server notifies clients (poke) to fetch new data (pull). Easy integration but causes simultaneous requests (fan-out), which can be mitigated with caching.

  2. Push State: Server sends entire updated state immediately. Reduces fan-out but can overwhelm clients with data and doesn't scale well for large states.

  3. Push Ops: Server sends specific operations instead of full state, enabling clients to update efficiently. Requires initial state fetching.

  4. Event Sourcing: Server sends events instead of state, requiring client-side logic to apply changes. Promotes reusable business logic but adds complexity.

  5. Transports: Options include websockets, SSE, and polling. Challenges arise in horizontally scaled systems regarding server-client coordination, solvable via Pub/Sub infrastructures.

https://zknill.io/posts/patterns-for-building-realtime/

Implementing a Game Boy Emulator in Ruby

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Created a Game Boy emulator in Ruby named “rubyboy,” now running in the browser via WebAssembly. It covers the implementation process, from ROM loading and CPU to PPU functionality, along with optimization techniques that improved performance significantly. The emulator offers fun development experiences and leverages testing ROMs for debugging. It's packaged as a Ruby gem available for installation.

https://sacckey.dev/posts/implementing-a-game-boy-emulator-in-ruby/

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