Backend Development

These backend development guides cover the parts users never see: data, queues and services. Most posts compare two options and explain when each wins.

For example, SQL vs NoSQL and Kafka vs RabbitMQ help with common choices. Also, monolith vs microservices tackles the biggest one. Language series live in the Java, Python and Node.js sections below.

149 articles

13/12/2022 2 min read

Disable WordPress Core Sitemaps

Learn how to disable the WordPress core sitemap generator and why it might be beneficial for your website,…
10/12/2022 10 min read

Lambda Expressions and Functional Interfaces in Java

Executive Summary: A Java lambda implements the single abstract method of a functional interface. I cover the standard…
07/12/2022 14 min read

Python asyncio Tutorial: async, await, and Tasks Explained

Learn how the event loop runs coroutines, how tasks and TaskGroup give you concurrency, and how to handle…
19/11/2022 9 min read

Creating Custom Exceptions and Best Practices

Executive Summary: Create a custom Java exception when a failure has domain meaning that callers need to handle…
09/11/2022 12 min read

What’s New in Python 3.11: Features, Speed, and Upgrade Notes

Python 3.11 is faster, points at the exact expression that failed, and adds exception groups, TaskGroup, and tomllib.…
16/10/2022 10 min read

The Java Exception Hierarchy: Checked, Unchecked, and Error Handling by Design

Executive Summary: Every Java exception descends from Throwable, split into Errors, checked exceptions, and unchecked RuntimeExceptions. I cover…
05/10/2022 15 min read

Pytest Tutorial: Python Testing with Fixtures and Parametrize

Go from a first assert to fixtures, parametrized cases, temporary files, environment patching, and coverage, with complete files…
18/09/2022 11 min read

Generics in Java: Type Safety, Bounded Types, and Wildcards

Executive Summary: Java generics give you type-safe, reusable code with no casts. Here I cover generic classes and…
17/09/2022 4 min read

How to Embed a PDF in WordPress

Sharing PDFs on your WordPress website is an effective way to provide resources, reports and other valuable documents…
07/09/2022 16 min read

Python Logging Tutorial: Best Practices and Examples

Nine logging practices ranked by impact, each with a wrong example, a right example, and a way to…
14/08/2022 8 min read

Choosing the Right Collection: Performance and Trade-offs

Executive Summary: Choosing a Java collection comes down to access pattern, ordering needs, key types, and data size.…
03/08/2022 12 min read

Python Project Structure and pyproject.toml: A Practical Layout

A layout that works from the first commit: src directory, one pyproject.toml, an installable package, tests, and a…
10/07/2022 10 min read

Collections Framework Part 2: Map and Queue

Executive Summary: Java Maps store values by unique keys and Queues control processing order. I cover HashMap, LinkedHashMap,…
06/07/2022 13 min read

Python Type Hints and mypy: A Practical Guide

Type hints document what your code expects, and mypy checks them before anything runs. Learn the syntax, the…