Category: Programming
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Revamping Legacy Switch Statement Hacks: Does C Still Have Room for Them?
In the world of C programming, the switch statement has always been a double-edged sword—offering both great power for control flow manipulation and potential pitfalls for those not well-versed in its quirks. One aspect of the switch statement that often manages to bewilder programmers is its permissibility to intermingle with loops, a phenomenon vividly embodied…
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The Roads Less Traveled: Programming Advice I’d Give My Younger Self
When I look back at my journey as a software developer, I realize just how much the landscape has changed over the last 15 years. From the days of endless tutorials to the point where shipping code took precedence over writing flawless work, every step has been a lesson in itself. The one piece of…
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The JavaScript Dilemma: Navigating the Nuances of ‘undefined’
JavaScript has always been a language with its fair share of quirks, but one topic that continually arises in developer circles is that of ‘undefined’ and ‘null’. These two special values can be a frequent source of bugs and confusion, especially for those who are new to the language. For instance, the difference between an…
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Perché Non Dovreste Fare Parsing di ‘ls’ e Cosa Utilizzare Invece
La pratica di fare parsing dell’output di `ls` in script Bash o altri ambienti shell è spesso citata come una cattiva abitudine da evitare. Anche se può sembrare un approccio semplice e diretto per ottenere un elenco di file, è soggetto a una serie di problemi che possono causare errori nei vostri script, specialmente quando…
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Why Ruby Deserves Your Attention for Shell Scripting
In the realm of shell scripting, the usual names come to mind: Bash, Python, and Perl. However, one language that often gets overlooked is Ruby. Despite Ruby’s deep-seated association with the Rails framework, it offers a wealth of features that makes it excellent for scripting tasks, potentially superior to Bash for more complex operations. In…
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Unraveling the Intricacies of Custom Constant Folding in C/C++
Constant folding is a term that might sound highly technical and arcane to many, yet it’s an integral part of optimizing compilers for any high-performance code, particularly in C and C++. The concept is simple: a compiler evaluates constant expressions at compile time rather than runtime, thereby producing more efficient code. But what happens when…
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Embracing the Functional Mindset: The Draw of Haskell and Its Counterparts
Learning a new programming paradigm can be a long and arduous journey, often laden with philosophical intrigues and paradigm shifts that challenge your previous notions. This sentiment rings true for many who have dived into functional programming through the lens of languages like Haskell. While the statement ‘I learned Haskell in just 15 years’ might…
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O Poder Transformador da Programação Funcional: O que 15 Anos de Haskell me Ensinou
Aprender Haskell não é uma tarefa fácil, e como o tÃtulo do artigo ironicamente sugere, pode parecer que leva 15 anos. No entanto, a vereda traçada por essa linguagem funcional oferece recompensas profundas ao alterar a forma como os desenvolvedores pensam em programação. Testemunhei isso ao explorar Haskell e outras linguagens funcionais como F# e…
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The Timeless Power of Lisp: Is It Still a Top Choice 30 Years Later?
Thirty years after ‘On Lisp’ and nearly as long since the influential essays that crowned it the pinnacle of programmer productivity, the debate over Lisp’s relevance remains vibrant. The ability of Common Lisp (CL) to stay pertinent amid a deluge of modern programming languages is a testament to its enduring design and adaptability. Revisiting Lisp…
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Monads: Unwrapping the Burrito of Functional Programming
Monads are one of those concepts that can baffle programmers, no matter their level of expertise. They evoke a mix of dread, intrigue, and sometimes downright confusion. The analogy of monads being like burritos might sound whimsical or even ridiculous at first, but as we sift through the layers of commentary from various programming communities,…