Top picks — 2021 January
Maximally optimizing image loading for the web in 2021
It is crazy how difficult it is to serve well-optimised image to the end-user, considering supporting image format, screen density, preferred operating system appearance mode and picture’s container size. Hopefully, the web platform will come with some less ridiculous-looking solution at some point, but for the time being, we have to follow every single advice given by Malte Ubl.
Webbed Briefs
I love Heydon Pickering for his expertise in web development and his sense of humour. His new idea is another masterpiece — a vlog that is not on YouTube. It is all about web and accessible only on the canonical website (nope, you cannot embed his videos — brilliant idea). I instantly subscribed this website using my RSS reader.
Figma Crash
Pablo Stanley created another fantastic resource to help you to master Figma. For the time being the part about the Auto Layout is ready. More to come in 2021: Illustration Systems, Animation & Prototyping and also Components & Systems. This is probably the best resource to pick up more advanced parts of this tool.
What I’ve Learned in 45 Years in the Software Industry
Recently retired Joel Goldberg shares few insights and bits of advice to people new to software development after being part of this crowd for over 45 years. I love the most “Focus on the Fundamentals” but this post is full of undervalued knowledge for fresh software engineers.
One of Stephen Covey’s seven habits is, “Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood.” This maxim has helped me more than any other advice to become a good listener and teammate. If you want to influence and work effectively with others, you first need to understand them. Actively listen to understand their feelings, ideas, and point of view before you begin trying to make your own thoughts known.
State of JS 2020
The results are here. I love this annual roundup of results from this survey. The growing popularity of TypeScript, GraphQL and async/await is not a big surprise for me. The overall score for decorators shocked me, though. Please have a look. I am sure you find a lot of exciting things there.
Running GitHub Actions for Certain Commit Messages
A quick tip by Ryan Chandler about running (or not) GitHub Action based on a commit message. Typical “TIL” write-up, short and informative.
Alt vs Figcaption
Images on the web can be described using alt attribute on an img tag and using figcaption element inside figure element. Elaina Natario explains the difference between these two methods. Handy front-end read.
10 best practices to containerize Node.js web applications with Docker
Liran Tal and Yoni Goldberg put together this resource for all Node.js developers who contenerize their applications. There is a lot to learn from this post. Tips cover subjects like picking the right image, through correct handling of kernel signals to advanced secrets management.