A Gentle Introduction to Data Structures: How Queues Work

Queues are one of the most fundamental and widely-used data structures in computer science. They show up everywhere from operating systems to web applications to real-life situations we encounter every day. As a full-stack developer, having a solid grasp on how queues work, both conceptually and in code, is essential. But don‘t worry – by…

A Gentle Introduction to Data Structures: How Graphs Work

Graphs are one of the most versatile and powerful data structures in a developer‘s toolkit. They can be used to model a wide range of real-world problems, from finding the shortest path between two locations to analyzing complex networks to optimizing resource allocation. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into the world of graphs…

Why Humility is the Most Important Trait of a Great Developer

As a full-stack developer with over 15 years of experience, I‘ve worked with hundreds of programmers across the stack on projects big and small. I‘ve collaborated with brilliant junior developers just out of school and seasoned tech leads and managers. And over my career, I‘ve observed one trait that consistently separates the good from the…

If the Code Works, Don‘t Fix It… Or Maybe Do? A Developer‘s Guide to Refactoring

As a full-stack developer, you‘ve likely come across a codebase that looks like it was written by a bunch of caffeinated monkeys on typewriters. The code is a tangled mess of spaghetti logic, variables are named after obscure inside jokes, and the only comments are a smattering of "TODO: fix this later" notes. But hey,…

The Ultimate Beginner‘s Guide to Learning to Code: Actionable Advice from a Self-Taught Developer

So you want to learn to code? Welcome! As a self-taught full-stack developer who has worked in the tech industry for over a decade, I‘m excited to share with you the most important advice I wish I had when starting my own coding journey. Learning to program can feel overwhelming at first with so many…

A Complete React Boilerplate Tutorial — From Zero to Hero

Starting a new React project from a blank slate can be daunting, especially for beginners. While you could use Facebook‘s official Create React App tool to generate a basic starter project, it‘s still helpful to understand how to set up a React development environment from scratch. By manually configuring your own React boilerplate, you can…

ABS 1.1.0: Supercharging Shell Scripting with Python and JavaScript Productivity

If you‘re a developer who regularly writes shell scripts to automate tasks and manage your system, you‘ve probably felt the pain of Bash‘s arcane syntax and limited feature set. While incredibly powerful, shell scripting often feels stuck in the past compared to modern programming languages like Python and JavaScript. Enter ABS – a brand new…

A Beginner‘s Guide to GraphQL: Mastering the Future of APIs

In the world of web development, APIs play a crucial role in enabling communication and data exchange between different systems. While REST has been the go-to architectural style for building APIs, a new contender has emerged: GraphQL. Developed by Facebook, GraphQL has quickly gained popularity due to its flexibility, efficiency, and developer-friendly features. In this…

A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Unicode in Python: A Full-Stack Developer‘s Perspective

As a full-stack developer, you‘ll inevitably encounter the need to handle and manipulate text data. Whether it‘s processing user input, storing information in a database, or displaying content on a website, understanding Unicode is crucial. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into Unicode and explore how to effectively work with it in Python. Introduction…

I Was Just a 15-Year-Old Kid Dreaming About Security Research. Then I Uncovered My First Exploit.

When I was 15, I had big dreams. I was fascinated by the world of cybersecurity and hacking. I‘d spend hours pouring over write-ups about bug bounties and exploits, marveling at the ingenuity of security researchers. There was something thrilling about the idea of using technical skills to find flaws in systems and software. Like…

Here‘s What I‘ve Learned 9 Months into My Software Engineering Career

As I approach my 9 month anniversary as a full-time software engineer, I‘ve been reflecting on the multitude of lessons I‘ve learned on the job. The transition from coding bootcamp graduate to professional developer has been thrilling, humbling, and challenging in equal measure. In this post, I want to share some of the most impactful…

7 Essential Lessons About Programming Every Developer Should Learn

As a 17-year-old who has been coding for over 5 years, I‘ve learned many valuable lessons about what it takes to be a successful programmer. While I still have much to learn, I want to share some of the key insights I‘ve gained so far. Whether you‘re a beginner or an experienced developer, I believe…