From the blog
Practical tips for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is one of the best (and easiest) ways to specialize an LLM over your own data, but successfully applying RAG in practice involves more than just stitching together pretrained models.
Navigating cities of code with Norris Numbers
Settling down in a new city (or codebase) is a marathon, not a sprint.
Scaling systems to manage all the metadata ABOUT the data
On this episode, Ryan and Cassidy talk to Satish Jayanthi, CTO and co-founder of Coalesce, about the growth of metadata and how you can manage it, especially in systems using generative AI. They explore the importance of providing context and transparency to data, how metadata can be generated automatically, and the future of metadata including knowledge graphs.
How we’re making Stack Overflow more accessible
A conversation with our developers about how we made Stack Overflow for accessible for everyone.
Enabling zero-trust security on AWS without disruption
Amazon Web Services (AWS) presents an article and companion video showcasing how Palo Alto Networks’ powerful Cloud Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) integrates with AWS environments for flexible, scalable zero-trust security across all runtimes and locations.
Interesting questions
I stopped an interview because I couldn't solve some difficult problems involving technology I haven't used in years. What could I have done instead?
“You could have skipped the assessment and discussed your experience instead.”
Why did evolution fail to protect humans against sun?
“Simply put, humans’ currently level of adaptation to the sun is ‘good enough.’”
Why didn't Walter White choose to work at Gray Matter instead of becoming a drug lord in Breaking Bad?
One word: pride.
Should I pay off my mortgage if the cash is available?
“This is one of those situations where you can’t really make a wrong decision.”
Links from around the web
Patterns for memory efficient DOM manipulation with modern vanilla JavaScript
Websites can get large and heavy if you add a lot of interactivity. Here are some best practices to help reduce the load.
How I won $2,750 using JavaScript, AI, and a can of WD-40
How one developer "gamed the system" to win a contest. It will make you laugh!
First ever decode of Voyager audio images, in real time
A decoding of more than 100 images that were packed into the audio channels of a record placed on each of the Voyager spacecraft.
Nintendo completely sat out the video game graphics wars. It’s winning anyway
Good graphics can only get you so far, and user experience reigns supreme.
Onboard, organize, and bring your team up to speed in a jiffy. Try Stack Overflow for Teams.