Comparing Next.js and Remix, Refining Performance Metrics, and Advancing Web Analytics

Hi there!

This week's issue is a blend of the human aspects of our tech journey and the cutting-edge developments that keep us on our toes.

We kick things off by exploring the dynamics of mentorship, from effectively using your mentor to the humility required in leadership and the metrics that matter in tracking progress. It's a reminder that our growth in tech is as much about the people we learn from as the skills we acquire.

On the technical front, we're diving into the rebuilt React Navigation and a comparison of Remix vs. Next.js (but should we really compare them?).

But that's not all. We're also attacking the big questions around observability costs, plus introducing some game-changing tools and updates like the new Next.js runtime and Bun 1.1 for JavaScript and TypeScript development.

And for a dash of cool? Terraform Industries is turning electricity and air into synthetic natural gas—a glimpse into the potential future of energy.

Catch you inside!

In The Queue Today

• Mentors, Humility, and Metrics

• Revamped React Navigation, Remix vs. Next.js, and Securing Container Deployments

• Revolutionizing Observability Costs & Hostname Analytics

Reduce Friction

How to Use Your Mentor Effectively

A common myth is that you are stuck with a single mentor. Not every mentor has the experience to help you with all your problems. If you want to become a tech lead, you need guidance from someone who's done it before, not from your onboarding buddy. Once you find the right mentor, your growth trajectory will change.

Have Concerns and Commit

How to communicate top-down decisions that you disagree with is an important skill. Debating unimportant issues wastes everyone's time. If you're absolutely sure the decision is wrong, you should really try to change the decision. A true moment of humility comes when you realize that almost all the decisions your leaders make are ones you don't have enough information to be sure are right or wrong.

Using Metrics to Measure Individual Developer Performance

It's reasonable for an individual contributor to ask about the metrics which will be used to evaluate their performance. But, it doesn't have to involve activity data from tools like GitHub and JIRA alone. Instead of looking for a list of metrics to determine how you measure performance, figure out how you want to measure performance and then find metrics that help you measure that.

Deepen Your Expertise

Introducing Static API

React Navigation 7 adds a new static API. It's not the same API as React Navigation 4, but it's similar. Many apps don't need the features that the dynamic API provides, and they can use the simpler static API instead. There are 2 improvements to the deep linking API: The linking configuration is now a part of the navigation configuration and can be specified next to the screen.

State Machines in React

A state machine is a specification for handling incoming state and generating a new state based on those inputs. It represents the behavior of the system by encapsulating the various states the system can be in, along with transitions between these states triggered by specific events or conditions. In the context of front-end development, state machines prove invaluable for managing user interfaces, especially those with intricate workflows or multiple possible paths.

Release 0.74.0-rc.5 · facebook/react-native

React Native 0.74.0-rc.5 introduces significant enhancements for Android developers, including bridgeless implementations for key lifecycle events and improved support for the new architecture. Additionally, it addresses performance issues, builds optimizations, and provides better tooling for iOS developers.

How to Secure Your Container Deployments with Chainguard

Chainguard's curated images can significantly reduce security risks compared to official images, while Docker Scout enables comprehensive vulnerability scanning and analysis. Chainguard uses the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system. CVE is based on the National Vulnerability Database maintained by the US government.

sabledb-io/sabledb: Ultra Fast, Persistent Database Supporting Redis API

SableDb is a Redis-compatible NoSQL database leveraging RocksDb for storage, offering high performance and scalability. Redis API compatibility, support for up to 64K databases, asynchronous replication, and TLS connectivity make SableDb an interesting option if the recent Redis licensing changes are problematic for your company.

Introducing the New Next.js Runtime

Netlify is rolling out a new Next.js runtime v5 to improve site reliability, performance, and ease of maintenance for developers. The new runtime seamlessly supports the Next.js App Router, implements fine-grained caching, enables on-demand and time-based revalidation, and integrates with Netlify Image CDN for optimized image delivery.

Bun 1.1

Bun 1.1 introduces significant improvements, including Windows support, enhanced Node.js compatibility, performance optimizations, and numerous bug fixes. This makes Bun a powerful all-in-one toolkit for JavaScript and TypeScript development, bundling, testing, and more.

Increase Scalability

Why Is Observability So Expensive?

Observability costs are top of mind for many organizations. Once data is emitted, every layer it passes through and its eventual storage incurs significant incremental costs. Matt Klein's radical proposal: a dynamic, on-demand approach where no observability data is sent by default, potentially revolutionizing cost management and efficiency.

Hostname Support in Web Analytics

You can now inspect and filter hostnames in Vercel Web Analytics. This is beneficial for per-country domains, or for building multi-tenant applications. This feature is available to all Web Analytics customers.

Just Cool

Terraform Industries Converts Electricity and Air into Synthetic Natural Gas for the First Time

Terraform Industries has produced synthetic natural gas for the first time. Its system converts clean electricity into hydrogen at less than $2.50 per kilogram of H2. The direct air capture system also filters CO2 for under $250 per ton, which the company says is a world record.

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