DevOps
Rolling, blue-green or canary? Choosing a deploy strategy
Every deploy strategy trades speed, cost and blast radius differently. Here's how the three common ones compare and when each makes sense.
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Databases
Postgres indexes beyond the basics: partial, expression and covering
A plain B-tree index on the right column solves most problems. For the rest, Postgres has index types that are smaller, faster and more precise.
Languages
Pattern matching across languages: Ruby, Python and Rust compared
Pattern matching has spread from functional languages into the mainstream. The syntax differs, but the idea — destructure and branch on shape — is the same.
Security
SQL injection is still here. Parameterized queries still fix it
One of the oldest web vulnerabilities keeps showing up in new code. The fix has been known for decades — here's how to apply it everywhere, including the places ORMs don't cover.
Open Source
Choosing an open-source license: a plain-language guide
Code without a license isn't open source, even if it's public. Here's how the major license families differ and how to pick one.
DevOps
Writing Dockerfiles that build in seconds, not minutes
Most slow Docker builds come down to layer ordering. A few structural habits make rebuilds dramatically faster.
Databases
N+1 queries: how to spot them and how to fix them
The most common ORM performance bug hides in plain sight in your logs. Eager loading fixes it — once you know where to look.
Languages
What async/await actually does under the hood
async/await looks like sequential code but runs very differently. Understanding event loops and suspension points explains the performance — and the pitfalls.
Security
Storing passwords safely: slow hashes, salts and what not to do
If your user table leaks, how you hashed passwords decides whether attackers get a list of emails or a list of working logins.
Open Source
Semantic versioning: what the three numbers promise
MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH is a contract between library authors and users. Understanding it helps you upgrade safely and publish responsibly.
DevOps
Health checks that mean something: liveness vs. readiness
A health check that always returns 200 is worse than none. Separate "is the process alive?" from "can it serve traffic?" and your deploys get safer.
Web
HTTP caching, properly: Cache-Control, ETags and what browsers actually do
The fastest request is the one that never reaches your server. A practical guide to the headers that control browser and CDN caching.