Another week, another opportunity to do better.

I am always curious about how things work in the background. Because of such curiosity, I found myself curious about what happens when you run Python code, whether in a string, stream or a file. Naturally, I wrote about it because if I have to think about it, you should too: How CPython Processes Python Source Code

How to read code: We are used to reading text linearly; however, with code, we should use “dyadic scanning” because code is structured around execution and complex dependencies. Dyadic scanning is skimming the overall structure, looking at the function calls and all other relevant dependencies. The idea is to build a mental model of how the code works generally before reading it line by line.

How to use AI to learn faster: Engineers now use AI to get onboarded to unfamiliar codebases, map the system architectures and understand the testing strategies.

What is Cross-Model Verification: Instead of blindly accepting one model's answers, you can run the same query across different providers and models.

What is a pattern and what isn’t: A pattern is a recurring problem within a context and constraints that make it difficult to resolve. Loosely labelling principles and practices as patterns weakens what a pattern means. Patterns improve architectural decision-making by evaluating trade-offs and consequences.

Five principles for working with Loops: Identify repetitive tasks that are good for delegating, start small and expand from there, make use of existing organisational context, use AI to refine automation instructions, and maintain team collaboration.

How AI has changed my engineering leadership role: Value comes from keeping technical leaders close to the code, improving team effectiveness, and developing intuition through experimentation.

How Docker Works Under the Hood: To understand Docker, you need to understand the Linux kernel behind it. With this knowledge, engineers will be able to configure safer containers, troubleshoot resource exhaustion, and reason better about container isolation and runtime behaviour.

Why might users remember the first and last items in a list better than the ones in between: Serial Position Effect is a psychological principle that suggests people are more likely to remember items positioned at the beginning or end of a list than those in the middle. This is due to two cognitive phenomena: the Primacy Effect, where earlier items are recalled more strongly, and the Recency Effect, where recently encountered items remain more memorable. However, this does not necessarily translate to more clicks or engagement because use behaviour is dependent on simultaneous constraints. Good UX design is about what information is presented, where it appears and using cognitive principles thoughtfully.

12 things I miss since coding died: Investigating complex production incidents and discovering subtle issues during code reviews, among others, are now done with AI.

The word of the day is estimable. Estimable describes a person deserving of respect and admiration.

Example in a sentence:

She dedicated her life to helping others and built an estimable legacy for future generations.

I am making my grand departure into the unknown.

Take care of yourself!

Until the next fortnight, my treasured reader, go forth, and may the odds be ever in your favour! 👏 🤖 ✊ ☠️ 🏹 🪖