Software design and development
Software design and development encompasses an array of processes and methodologies. Developers have a lot to manage and will need guidance on how to handle different tasks and projects. Brush up on everything from app-dev approaches such as low code, test- and model-driven development, code refactoring and management practices, UI and UX design, and developer tools.
Top Stories
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News
14 Jul 2025
AWS Kiro coding agents highlight spec-driven development
AWS Kiro, a project developed by a 'small, opinionated team within AWS,' prioritizes spec-driven development in the workflows of coding agents. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2025
Spring, Quarkus or Jakarta EE? How to choose a Java framework
Choosing a Java framework is not about which one is best, it's about accepting their tradeoffs of stability, flexibility and complexity. Here's how to evaluate each vs. your needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jul 2025
Spring, Quarkus or Jakarta EE? How to choose a Java framework
Choosing a Java framework is not about which one is best, it's about accepting their tradeoffs of stability, flexibility and complexity. Here's how to evaluate each vs. your needs. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jul 2025
'Docker Compose up' now includes AI agents
Docker is expanding the Docker Compose spec to accommodate AI agents in an effort to bring AI development closer to existing software development workflows. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jul 2025
What is a natural user interface (NUI)?
A natural user interface (NUI) is an interface that's designed to feel as natural as possible to users as they interact with a computing system or application. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jul 2025
What are BSD Licenses?
BSD licenses are a family of permissive open source licenses originally associated with the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD), a Unix-like operating system. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2025
10 refactoring best practices: When and how to refactor code
Developers only have so much time available. Here's how to prioritize code refactoring to get the most value from the amount of effort expended. Continue Reading
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News
25 Jun 2025
Google touts free tier for multimodal AI terminal
Google intends to differentiate Gemini CLI with multimodal support, including video, and an expansive free tier for individual users. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jun 2025
What is SAP BAPI (Business Application Programming Interface)?
SAP BAPI (Business Application Programming Interface) is a special type of application programming interface (API) that allows third-party software applications to interact with SAP systems. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jun 2025
The case against vibe coding
Is vibe coding a bad idea for enterprises? AI can produce results faster than manual coding, but its benefits eventually unravel due to hidden costs and complexities. Here's why. Continue Reading
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Answer
10 Jun 2025
How to choose coding standards: Development best practices
Learn how coding standards enhance quality and efficiency in software projects. Follow coding conventions and standards to achieve the five pillars of code quality. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jun 2025
Refactor vs. rewrite: Deciding how to fix problem software
At some point, all developers must decide whether to refactor code or rewrite it. Base this choice on factors such as architectural soundness, time, money and goals. Continue Reading
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Video
06 Jun 2025
Spring Boot auto-configuration
Ever wondered how Spring Boot knows how to automatically configure a MySQL database or Kafka queues? This quick tutorial on the @AutoConfiguration annotation explains how it works. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Jun 2025
What is a cookie?
A cookie is a text file carrying some information that a website places on a user's computer. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Jun 2025
What is binary and how is it used in computing?
Binary describes a numbering scheme in which there are only two possible values for each digit -- 0 or 1 -- and is the basis for all binary code used in computing systems. Continue Reading
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Video
02 Jun 2025
Spring Boot logging tutorial
Still using System.out.println? Discover the right way to handle logging in Spring Boot with SLF4J, profiles and pro tips you'll wish you knew earlier. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
30 May 2025
An introduction to LLM tokenization
Users interact with LLMs through natural language prompts, but under the hood these AI models are based on LLM tokenization. Expand your AI knowledge and skills with this tutorial. Continue Reading
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Video
29 May 2025
Spring XML configuration
Want to consolidate your Spring configuration into a single file, and avoid 'annotation overload?' An XML-based Spring configuration might be the answer. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2025
How to choose the best Markdown editor: A 9-tool comparison
A dedicated authoring tool helps writers take full advantage of Markdown. Find one that supports your development projects, documentation tasks or even daily writing objectives. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2025
11 tools that facilitate developer productivity
Development teams have a better experience when they use tools that integrate well together and facilitate collaboration. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 May 2025
Comparing low-code vs. traditional development
The lines between low-code and traditional development aren't always clear. Compare the pros and cons of each approach to judge which makes sense for your organization. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 May 2025
6 essential refactoring techniques to know
Refactoring helps optimize the codebase and combat technical debt. Use these six code refactoring techniques to improve code structure, maintainability and overall quality. Continue Reading
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Video
28 May 2025
Spring Boot, Model Context Protocol tutorial in Java
Model Context Protocol is the most innovative LLM integration technology to date. Here's how to create Java-based, Spring Boot MCP components for ChatGPT and Cursor AI. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 May 2025
What is an object in programming?
In object-oriented programming (OOP), an object is a reusable unit of code that can perform certain actions and interact with other objects in a program. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 May 2025
Benchmarking LLMs: A guide to AI model evaluation
LLM benchmarks provide a starting point for evaluating generative AI models across a range of different tasks. Learn where these benchmarks can be useful, and where they're lacking. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 May 2025
How to fix flaky tests: A practical approach for QA teams
Flaky tests can be frustrating and tempting to ignore. In many cases, you shouldn't. Use this guide to learn which flaky tests to prioritize and how to fix them. Continue Reading
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Definition
20 May 2025
What is modeling and simulation (M&S)?
Modeling and simulation (M&S) involves creating a digital representation of a given system to gather data and help inform decisions or predictions about it. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 May 2025
3 software testing sample test cases, with templates
A good test case is easy to trace, reusable and relevant to user needs. Learn how to write an effective test case with these examples and free templates. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
15 May 2025
Learn how to use concurrency in Go with this tutorial
The Go language is designed for simplicity, including its approach to concurrency. In this tutorial, learn to perform multiple tasks using goroutines, channels and synchronization. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 May 2025
Iterative vs. incremental development: What's the difference?
Iterative and incremental development refine software differently: one focuses on early feedback, one on complete components. Together, they balance flexibility and stability. Continue Reading
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Video
05 May 2025
Learn JavaFX tutorial
Did you think desktop development in Java was dead? Hardly. This JavaFX crash course explains the basics and walks through an example of modern Java desktop GUI development. Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Apr 2025
End users can code with AI, but IT must be wary
The scale and speed of generative AI coding -- known as vibe coding -- are powerful, but users might be misapplying this technology to create efficiency and security problems. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Apr 2025
The state and future of Java desktop application development
In today's world of web application development and SaaS, what does the future hold for Java desktop applications? It's brighter than you might think. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Apr 2025
What is a data type?
In software programming, a data type refers to the type of value a variable has and what type of mathematical, relational or logical operations can be applied on it without causing an error. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Apr 2025
4 pseudocode examples: Python, Java, JavaScript and C++
Successful pseudocode conversion goes beyond simply making the code work. It's about creating implementations that respect each language's conventions. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
14 Apr 2025
Asynchronous programming in Python tutorial
Asynchronous programming in Python improves efficiency for I/O-bound applications, but it's not a performance cure-all. Here's how async in Python works and when to use it. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Apr 2025
What is a compiler?
A compiler is a special program that translates a programming language's source code into machine code, bytecode or another programming language. Continue Reading
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Video
10 Apr 2025
How to use GitHub Copilot tutorial
Want to quickly learn how to develop advanced applications without writing a line of code? This GitHub Copilot tutorial shows how to start with the popular AI coding assistant. Continue Reading
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News
09 Apr 2025
Google Gemini 2.5 Pro extends on-prem GenAI support
Google Gemini is the first proprietary frontier model that can be run on-premises via Google Distributed Cloud for privacy- and cost-conscious enterprises. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Apr 2025
Low code vs. BPM: Differences and similarities
Low-code development and business process management help digitize and optimize business operations. Learn how each works and how together they enable digital transformation. Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2025
Model Context Protocol fever spreads in cloud-native world
The Anthropic-led spec for AI agent tool connections gains further momentum this week, with support from cloud-native infrastructure vendors such as Kubiya and Solo.io. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Mar 2025
12 Web3 courses to try in 2025
Gain the skills necessary to engage with the newest iteration of the web using one of the many Web3 developer courses and learning resources available online. Continue Reading
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Definition
31 Mar 2025
What is a script?
In computer programming, a script is a program or sequence of instructions that another program interprets or carries rather than the computer processor doing it (as with a compiled program). Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Mar 2025
How to write pseudocode: A guided tutorial
Writing pseudocode might feel like an extra step, but its value becomes clear in complex projects. Focus on the logic without getting tangled in language-specific syntax. Continue Reading
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News
25 Mar 2025
SREs map uncharted territory with LLMOps
Generative AI apps upend longstanding reliability engineering principles, mindsets and skill sets -- how experts weather the disruption. Continue Reading
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Video
21 Mar 2025
Introduction to JavaFX tutorial for beginners
Did you think desktop development in Java was dead? Far from it. Here's how JavaFX has brought desktop programming in Java back to life. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Mar 2025
Understanding code smells and how refactoring can help
It works, but does it pass the sniff test? Code smells can be the canary in the coal mine for poor coding, which calls for refactoring. Explore how to identify and deodorize code smells. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Mar 2025
What is security by design?
Security by design is an approach to software and hardware development that seeks to make systems as free of vulnerabilities and impervious to attack as possible through such measures as continuous testing, authentication safeguards and adherence to best programming practices. Continue Reading
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News
18 Mar 2025
Prompt engineering takes shape for devs as agentic AI dawns
Real-world best practices are emerging at companies such as LinkedIn, Oracle and AWS, and agentic AI is poised to fundamentally alter the day-to-day work of software engineers. Continue Reading
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Video
14 Mar 2025
Camel case vs. pascal case vs. snake case vs. kebab case
Want to know the differences between common code naming conventions like camel case, pascal case, snake case and kebab case? This quick tutorial has all the answers. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Mar 2025
Java's naming conventions
Ever wonder what the difference is between snake case and camel case, and what are the rules to use them? Here's how to properly apply common naming conventions in Java. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Mar 2025
Best practices for writing clean code comments
Well-written code comments are a great tool to explain code intent. Use these tips to ensure your comments are adding value to source code, not cluttering it up. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2025
How to fix software bugs: Guide and best practices
'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' -- Benjamin Franklin, 1736. The original quote pertained to fire safety, but it still applies to software bug prevention today. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Feb 2025
Why use JavaFX in 2025?
As a modern GUI framework, JavaFX is alive and kicking with a very broad community and many active projects. Here are some resources to deepen your knowledge and spark inspiration. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Feb 2025
What is open source and how does it work?
The term 'open source' refers to any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit. Continue Reading
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Video
18 Feb 2025
Run Llama LLMs on your laptop with Hugging Face and Python
How hard is it to run a large language model within a Python program? With a little help from PyTorch and the Hugging Face API, it's not hard at all. Continue Reading
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Video
10 Feb 2025
How to install Visual Studio Code for Java
What's your favorite IDE? Most Java developers say Eclipse or IntelliJ, but TypeScript and Python devs often say VS Code. Maybe it's time to give Visual Studio Code for Java a try? Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Feb 2025
What is single-page application (SPA)?
A single-page application (SPA) is a web app that is presented to the user through a single HTML page to be more responsive and to more closely replicate a desktop application or native app. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Jan 2025
How to set JAVA_HOME in Windows
How do programs that need Java find it on your operating system? They search for JAVA_HOME. Here's how to set it up on your Windows machine. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
23 Jan 2025
JavaScript, React and object-oriented programming
This tutorial ties together JavaScript, React and object-oriented programming to show developers how to use the React framework's powerful and flexible features and functions. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Jan 2025
A guide to software design documentation and specifications
Software design documents still rank as important SDLC components -- even in the age of DevOps. Learn why they are important, how to write one and who should contribute. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Jan 2025
What are vision language models (VLMs)?
Vision language models (VLMs) are a type of artificial intelligence (AI) model that can understand and generate text about images. Continue Reading
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Video
17 Jan 2025
Install Maven on Windows
Want to get started with Maven? This step-by-step guide shows you how to install Apache Maven and build your first Java application. Continue Reading
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News
16 Jan 2025
Tech industry experts digest cybersecurity executive order
IT pros assess a last-minute cybersecurity executive order with new directives on a broad swath of topics, from cybercriminal sanctions to AI and identity management. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jan 2025
The pros and cons of using generative AI for API testing
GenAI has the potential to reduce the API testing effort and improve the coverage and quality of testing. But finding the right patterns and workflows is critical to performance. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Jan 2025
What is lazy loading?
Lazy loading is a design pattern in web development that only loads necessary code components immediately, deferring nonessential components. Continue Reading
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Video
13 Jan 2025
Install Eclipse on Ubuntu
Installing Eclipse on Ubuntu has never been easier, and the latest version of Eclipse has never been better. Here's how to get started with these two popular open source tools. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Jan 2025
Swing vs. JavaFX: Compare Java GUI frameworks
Swing has been used with Java GUIs since 1998, but there are good reasons to adopt JavaFX instead. Here's how to know which to choose for your next Java project. Continue Reading
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Video
10 Jan 2025
Install Java's JDK on Ubuntu
It's incredibly easy to install Java 21 on the latest version of Ubuntu. A single command will do it. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jan 2025
What is prompt engineering?
Prompt engineering is an artificial intelligence (AI) engineering technique that refines large language models (LLMs), with specific prompts and recommended outputs. It also is part of the process of refining input to various generative AI (GenAI) services to generate text or images. Continue Reading
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Definition
03 Jan 2025
What is artificial intelligence (AI) governance?
Artificial intelligence governance is the legal framework for ensuring AI and machine learning technologies are researched and developed with the goal of helping humanity adopt and use these systems in ethical and responsible ways. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Dec 2024
What is quality assurance (QA)?
Quality assurance (QA) is any systematic process of determining whether a product or service meets specified requirements. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Dec 2024
A JavaScript functional programming basic tutorial
JavaScript's versatility makes it useful for webpages and web servers, but also functional programming. This tutorial shows how to implement JavaScript functional programming. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Dec 2024
What is traveling salesman problem (TSP)?
The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a programming optimization problem to find the shortest path that connects a given set of points. Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2024
Devs get first look at next Google Gemini model
Google Gemini 2.0 Flash makes its first appearance in Google developer tools, boasting updated multimodal features and fresh training for agentic workflows. Continue Reading
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Video
06 Dec 2024
Maven and Eclipse tutorial
Maven is the Java industry's most popular Java build tool. Eclipse is the Java industry's most popular open source IDE. Here's how to combine the two. Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2024
Salesforce revamps Heroku PaaS for Kubernetes, .NET
Thought Heroku was a 2010s artifact? Think again. Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2024
Amazon Q, Bedrock updates make case for cloud in agentic AI
Amazon and its partners rev their engines in anticipation of agentic AI with updates that challenge the cost and quality claims of self-hosted infrastructure competitors. Continue Reading
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Video
03 Dec 2024
How to install Python on Windows
Want to jump into the world of AI, ML and data science? Your first step is to install Python and get familiar with the Python programming language. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Dec 2024
What's next for APIs? 4 API trends for 2025 and beyond
As businesses navigate tightening budgets and resources, the API marketplace will continue to play a vital role in integrating services, applications and cloud environments. Continue Reading
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Video
27 Nov 2024
Constructor injection vs. setter injection in Spring Boot
Ever wonder what the difference is between setter and constructor injection in Spring Boot? Here's a deep dive into the benefits and drawbacks of both. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Nov 2024
Understanding the 7 principles of functional programming
Java and C++ ushered in object-oriented programming, but now Python and JavaScript popularize functional programming. These seven principles of functional programming explain why. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Nov 2024
Compare 7 of the best AI coding tools for 2025
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are rapidly changing how developers write code. Compare leading options' features and pricing to choose the right tool. Continue Reading
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Definition
27 Nov 2024
What is a software requirements specification (SRS)?
A software requirements specification (SRS) is a comprehensive description of the intended purpose and environment for software under development. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Nov 2024
What is a convolutional neural network (CNN)?
A convolutional neural network (CNN) is a category of machine learning model. Specifically, it is a type of deep learning algorithm that is well suited to analyzing visual data. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Nov 2024
What is web application (web apps) and its benefits?
A web application (web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and delivered over the internet through a browser interface. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2024
What is a framework?
In general, a framework is a real or conceptual structure intended to serve as a support or guide for the building of something that expands the structure into something useful. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Nov 2024
What is an application architecture?
An application architecture is a structural map of how a software application is assembled and how applications interact with each other to meet business or user requirements. Continue Reading
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Video
19 Nov 2024
Java, JDBC and SQL Server tutorial
This tutorial shows how to create a JDBC connection to Microsoft's SQL Server, and get started creating Java-based applications that are scalable and secure. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Nov 2024
Ansible vs. Docker: Differences and similarities explained
Ansible and Docker play specific roles, but when used together, Ansible's playbooks and Docker's Dockerfiles provide greater control and configurability over servers. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Nov 2024
How to migrate legacy applications to the cloud
Enticing as cloud benefits are, it takes a lot of research and planning to know all the risks and challenges before committing to a cloud migration. Continue Reading
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Video
15 Nov 2024
Spring Initializr for Spring Boot
The Spring Initializr is the easiest way to get started with a new Spring Boot project. Here's a tutorial on how to use it. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Nov 2024
MySQL vs. PostgreSQL: Compare popular open source databases
This deep dive compares two popular open source database options, MySQL vs. PostgreSQL, across key categories including performance, compliance, security, scalability and more. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Nov 2024
Application refactoring: Best practices for cloud migrations
Learn what application refactoring is, its role in cloud migration, typical challenges, the best ways to ensure success -- and when to not do it at all. Continue Reading
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Video
08 Nov 2024
Spring Batch tutorial
There are two common approaches to batch processing in Spring Boot: the Tasklet and the ItemProcessor. This tutorial explains why the ItemProcessor is best for large data sets. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Nov 2024
Ultimate Markdown guide: 5 rules to know
Markdown is crucial to documentation writers. Learn the vendor-based variations and several basic formatting rules to get started with this potent markup language. Continue Reading
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Video
06 Nov 2024
Spring vs. Spring Boot vs. the Spring Framework
Ever wonder what the distinction is between Spring Boot and the Spring Framework? Or exactly what the term 'Spring' refers to? Here's your answer. Continue Reading
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Definition
06 Nov 2024
What is Mojo programming language and what is it used for?
Mojo is a high-performance programming language initially designed to unify and simplify the development of applications across all layers of the AI stack. Continue Reading
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Video
05 Nov 2024
Create a React Hello World program
Discover a new take on the classic React Hello World program. Go beyond the basics and explore state management, event handling and best practices to build progressive web apps. Continue Reading
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Video
01 Nov 2024
Spring Boot CRUD operations
What's your preferred approach to perform Spring CRUD operations? I always choose Spring Data's CrudRepository. Anything else is too much work. Continue Reading
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Video
01 Nov 2024
SQLite tutorial for beginners
SQLite has an incredibly small footprint. That's one of the reasons why it's the most used database engine in the world. If you've never used it before, here's your chance. Continue Reading
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Video
01 Nov 2024
Java, JDBC and Postgres
Postgres has become popular in the Java community for many reasons. The ease of integration with Java apps through JDBC is one of the biggest. Here's how it works. Continue Reading