Ditching Task Estimates, React Fiber Architecture, and Copilot for Security

Hello again!

Last week has brought us Devin, the first AI software engineer. I can’t wait to try this one! Will it speed up the development processes? Definitely. Replace human developer? Hardly. But I know it will join Copilot and ChatGPT to help devs in automate routine tasks and speed up coding.

We run into some more AI topics today, like the list of 900 most popular AI tools, Copilot for Security and Java AI Playground, as I think staying on track with the AI tools increases the flexibility and efficiency of our daily tasks.

But of course, it’s not all about AI. Don’t worry - I know technology is nothing without the people behind it. That’s why we’re going through other staff too: best practices for writing tests with React Testing Library, New Core React’s Algorithm and task estimation.

Let’s scroll and learn something new!

Last week's newsletter had a 30.9% open rate. The most-clicked link was Why Facebook Doesn’t Use Git.

In The Queue Today

• Ditching Task Estimates, Devin: The Future of Developers(?), and the AI Evolution in Open Source

• React's Fiber Algorithm, AI-Java Fusion, and Open Source Wins: Balancing Vision and Feedback

• And Observability Redefined: Beyond Tech to Strategic Insights

Reduce Friction

Ditching Task Estimates to Build a Faster Team

An article on Dev Interrupted challenges the conventional approach of task estimation for engineering projects. It argues that these estimates are often inaccurate and detrimental to both time management and team morale. The article instead advocates for broader project-level estimates made by technical managers, aiming for imprecise yet accurate projections that allow teams to focus on continuous improvement.

What is Devin and Can It Really Replace Developers?

Cognition's introduction of Devin, touted as the world's first autonomous AI software engineer, has ignited discussions on its potential to redefine the role of developers. According to LeadDev, while Devin surpasses existing AI coding assistants in benchmarks, its real-world applicability remains a matter of debate.

Learned From Looking at 900 Most Popular Open Source AI Tools

The open source AI ecosystem is overwhelming in its scope and depth. Chip Huyen of Voltron Data really takes one for the team in her comprehensive review of 845 Github repos that represent a good cross-section of popular projects. A fascinating read that shows the rapid progress and declining velocity in this space as the low-hanging fruit has been plucked, leaving only more challenging problems to be solved at a slower pace.

Microsoft Copilot for Security Is Generally Available on April 1, 2024

Microsoft Copilot for Security will be generally available worldwide on April 1, 2024. It promises to help security and IT professionals catch what others miss. With access to more than 78 trillion security signals processed by Microsoft each day, Copilot seems worth checking out.

Deepen Your Expertise

Helpful Notes on React's New Core Algorithm, React Fiber

React core contributor Andrew Clark took good notes as he followed along with Fiber's implementation in the React project and expanded those notes into this useful guide. React Fiber significantly enhances animation, layout, and gesture handling in React, and Andrew's document does a nice job of explaining important concepts RE: Fiber.

marcushellberg/java-ai-playground

This article breaks down the fusion of AI and software development through large language models integrated into Java applications. The practical application described leverages LLMs for natural language interactions, knowledge retrieval, and task execution. The Java AI Playground illustrates AI's potential to streamline operations and enhance user experiences.

Best Practices for Writing Tests with React Testing Library

React Testing Library has become the de facto standard for testing React components. When working with React components, it's important to use proper testing techniques to avoid common mistakes. By the end of this article, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to write better React Testing Library tests and improve the overall quality of your React applications.

Convex Goes Open-Source

Convex — a backend-as-a-service platform — has transitioned its backend development platform to open source, allowing for local development and self-hosting. This release, outlined on Convex's blog, includes the core Rust and TypeScript codebase.

Increase Scalability

Redefining Observability

A bit theoretical, but a fascinating take on the notion of observability as more than just a technical implementation. The argument: observability is a strategic, organizational capability, based on asking meaningful questions, generating useful answers, and taking insightful action. Perhaps a future discipline of ObsOps will look back on this as a founding document?

The Faster Lambda Runtime - NodeJS or LLRT? Benchmark Results…

A comparative analysis between LLRT, a Rust-based lightweight JavaScript runtime, and NodeJS for AWS Lambda functions reveals LLRT's impressive performance benefits. The benchmarking results, available on LearnAWS, demonstrate LLRT's faster startup times, lower latency, and cost-efficiency, suggesting a potential shift in runtime preference for AWS Lambda.

Vercel: Prioritize Production Builds Available on All Plans

Vercel's new feature simplifies the deployment process, allowing production builds to bypass queued preview deployments. This setting, detailed on Vercel's changelog, promotes faster delivery to production environments by streamlining the release process.

Just Cool

World’s First Use of Ammonia as a Marine Fuel in a Dual-Fuelled Ammonia-Powered Vessel in the Port of Singapore

Ammonia is used in agriculture and industry. It is manufactured as a chemical by combining nitrogen from the air with hydrogen. It can be transported to demand centres for power generation and as a marine fuel in support of the energy transition. Fortescue successfully conducted the world’s first marine fuel use of ammonia, in combination with diesel in the combustion process.

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