TLDR Web Dev

TLDR WEB DEV 2024-08-22

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01GENERAL

Sponsored

NO AI WITHOUT APIS

To build for the new AI era, APIs and developer platforms need to evolve. Join the API Summit by Kong (free, virtual) [5] to explore the intersection of AIs and APIs, alongside technical leaders from Kong, Goldman Sachs, Axa France, Maersk, and others.

konghq.comSponsor

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P.S. don't miss the pre-event hackathon [6], where you can compete for cash prizes at the main event.

konghq.com

02ARTICLES & TUTORIALS

THE 1 HOUR PER YEAR BUG (BUT ONLY IN PACIFIC TIME!)

Google Docs encountered a peculiar bug in 2021. Users in the Pacific Time Zone reported seeing timestamps for new comments and replies in Docs that were displayed as being created "tomorrow", despite being created the previous day. The cause was traced to an error in the date formatting logic used by Google Docs, which incorrectly calculated the number of hours between the current time and a past time due to the change in time zone offset caused by daylight saving time. This bug only affected users in the Pacific Time Zone during the single hour when daylight saving time transitioned.

tomeraberba.ch5 min read

NEXT.JS + SUPABASE APP IN PRODUCTION: WHAT WOULD I DO DIFFERENTLY

This developer built a mid-sized Next.js application with Supabase and, as a result, he recommends using server components for data fetching, server actions for data mutations, and shared utility wrappers for authorization, validation, and authentication. In terms of database design, the developer emphasizes the importance of using surrogate keys, implementing row-level security (RLS) in a performant way, and utilizing server-side routing for mutations.

catjam.fi13 min read

EVERYTHING ABOUT GOOGLE TRANSLATE CRASHING REACT (AND OTHER WEB APPS)

Google Translate can cause significant issues for modern web apps that rely on dynamic DOM manipulation, especially React applications. These issues stem from Google Translate's modification of the DOM. The responsibility lies with browser extension developers to minimize interference with web apps. A platform-level solution might be necessary in the future.

martijnhols.nl21 min read

03OPINIONS & ADVICE

I'VE BUILT MY FIRST SUCCESSFUL SIDE PROJECT, AND I HATE IT

This developer built a successful side project that generated over $15,000 in revenue, but he quickly grew tired of the maintenance and customer support demands. While he initially enjoyed the entrepreneurial adventure, the constant stream of emails, disputes, and requests for features became overwhelming, especially after he stopped using the project himself. The developer ended up putting the project on autopilot by automating payment processing, trial access, and customer support.

switowski.com22 min read

THE DYING WEB

The dominance of Chrome has created a browser monoculture, which has resulted in websites being optimized for Chrome. While convincing people to switch to other browsers is hard, it's important to try other browsers so that the web stays open and alive.

endler.dev6 min read

BEING ON THE SEMANTIC WEB IS EASY, AND, FRANKLY, WELL WORTH THE BOTHER

The Semantic Web refers to machine-readable websites. This technology is already widely adopted and utilizes JSON-LD (JSON for Linked Data) to embed metadata within web pages, providing information for bots and search engines to interpret content more effectively. Its use results in better website previews, richer search results, and increased discoverability for web content.

csvbase.com7 min read

04LAUNCHES & TOOLS

PERMIFY

Permify is an open-source authorization-as-a-service, inspired by Google Zanzibar, designed to build and manage fine-grained and scalable authorization systems for any application.

github.comGitHub repository

ZEN BROWSER

Zen browser is an open-source, privacy-focused browser based on Firefox.

zen-browser.appTool

LEGEND MOTION

Legend Motion is a declarative animations library for React Native that makes it easy to transition between styles without needing to manage animations.

github.comGitHub repository

05MISCELLANEOUS

THE U.S. NAVY'S $100 MILLION CHECKBOX

A poorly designed user interface contributed to the 2017 collision of the USS John S McCain. A confusing checkbox on a touchscreen caused the crew to lose control of the ship's propellers, leading to a collision with a tanker. Afterwards, the Navy reverted to physical controls.

adrian3.com27 min read

AN UNPOPULAR PERSPECTIVE ON THE SSO TAX

The so-called "SSO Tax" in SaaS pricing is not an unfair practice but rather a form of price discrimination that is both logical and beneficial for both vendors and customers. Price discrimination is inherent in any market, as buyers have different preferences and willingness to pay. Vendors need to segment their customers to maximize their revenue. For example, airlines have different pricing tiers that allow vendors to offer more affordable basic tiers while still catering to the needs of high-paying customers.

ssoready.com13 min read

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS LOSING HYPE

AI enthusiasm is going down. Some argue this dip is merely a natural part of the "hype cycle," but others think that AI won't be able to provide the value that it was promised to provide.

economist.com6 min read