In this issue, June 24, 2025 View it in your browser.

AlphaWrite, ML at Netflix, Kafka Stretch Clusters, AWS Innovation Sandbox, Void IDE, Engineering Leadership, Compact Object Headers, Agents Toolkit, TC39, Biome v2.0 Beta, Android 16, Docs-as-Code, Decentralized Architecture, Staff+

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https://res.infoq.com/podcasts/microservices-benefits-supersede-caveats/en/smallimage/the-infoq-podcast-logo-thumbnail-1749113940289.jpg

Do Microservices’ Benefits Supersede Their Caveats? A Conversation with Sam Newman

Sam Newman, one of the pioneers of microservices, encourages architects to use distributed systems as a last resort architecture. He stresses the importance of focusing on the desired outcome and starting with monoliths, gradually evolving the architecture. (Podcast)

https://res.infoq.com/podcasts/productivity-play-better-software-engineers/en/smallimage/engineering-culture-podcast-thumbnail-1750072197882.jpg

Productivity Through Play: Why Messing Around Makes Better Software Engineers

In this podcast, Shane Hastie, Lead Editor for Culture & Methods, spoke to Holly Cummins about productivity in creative knowledge work like software engineering. She talks about how "messing around and having fun" actually enhances problem-solving, while exploring the shift from coding to code management with AI tools and the importance of managing cognitive load in modern development practices. (Podcast)

TOP AI, ML & Data Engineering NEWS HEADLINES

  1. Phoenix.new Launches Remote Agent-Powered Dev Environments for Elixir

  2. AlphaWrite: Improving AI Narratives Through Evolution

  3. Yearly MariaDB LTS Release Integrates Vector Search

  4. OpenAI Launches o3-pro Model Focused on Reliability, Amid Mixed User Feedback

  5. Agentica Project's Open Source DeepCoder Model Outperforms OpenAI's O1 on Coding Benchmarks

Supporting Diverse ML Systems at Netflix

David Berg and Romain Cledat discuss Metaflow, Netflix's machine learning infrastructure. They cover its use cases - from content recommendations to intelligent infrastructure - and delve into design principles that minimize cognitive load for developers, emphasizing productivity and efficient scaling. (Presentation with transcript included)

TOP DevOps NEWS HEADLINES

  1. Docker Launches Hardened Base Images

  2. GitHub CLI Enhances Support for Triangular Workflows

Analyzing Apache Kafka Stretch Clusters: WAN Disruptions, Failure Scenarios, and DR Strategies

Proficient in analyzing the dynamics of Apache Kafka Stretch Clusters, I assess WAN disruptions and devise effective Disaster Recovery (DR) strategies. With deep expertise, I ensure high availability and data integrity across multi-region deployments. My insights optimize operational resilience, safeguarding vital services against service level agreement violations. (Article)

Evaluating and Deploying State-of-the-Art Hardware to Meet the Challenges of Modern Workloads

Rebecca Weekly discusses the company's strategic re-evaluation of its "cloud-all-in" approach. She explains the significant cost increases and reliability challenges faced, detailing how Geico is optimizing its hybrid cloud footprint for enhanced efficiency and developer agility. (Presentation with transcript included)

TOP Cloud NEWS HEADLINES

  1. AWS Shield Network Security Director: Network Topology Visibility and Remediation Guidance

  2. AWS Open-Sources Smithy API Models for Public Access and Developer Tooling

Innovation Sandbox on AWS: Provisioning and Managing Temporary Environments

AWS has recently introduced Innovation Sandbox on AWS, a new open source solution for managing AWS sandbox environments through a web user interface. This solution enables developers to provision and manage secure, cost-effective, and recyclable temporary sandbox environments. (News)

TOP Development NEWS HEADLINES

  1. DevSummit Boston: Humans in the Loop: Engineering Leadership in a Chaotic Industry

The Void IDE, Open-Source Alternative to Cursor, Released in Beta

The Void IDE was recently released in beta, positioning itself as a privacy-focused and free alternative to popular closed-source AI editors like Cursor and GitHub Copilot. Void IDE is a fork of Visual Studio Code. While Microsoft recently announced plans to open Source its GitHub Copilot Chat Extension possibly in a few months, the beta release is available now for the community to fiddle with. (News)

TOP Java NEWS HEADLINES

  1. Java News Roundup: Spring Milestone, Payara Platform, Jakarta EE 11 Update, Apache Fory

Java 25 Integrates Compact Object Headers with JEP 519

Java 25 introduces Compact Object Headers (JEP 519), delivering up to 30% CPU savings and reduced memory usage for applications with small objects. This user-friendly feature compresses object headers from 12 bytes to 8, requiring only a JVM flag to activate. Extensively validated by Amazon, it enhances performance, reduces GC pressure, and is ideal for modern cloud deployments. (News)

Teams Toolkit Rebranded to Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit

Microsoft has introduced the Microsoft 365 Agents Toolkit, a developer framework designed to streamline the creation of AI-powered agents that automate tasks across Microsoft 365 applications. The toolkit provides tools and APIs to build, test, and deploy intelligent agents capable of handling workflows in Outlook, Teams, Word, and other M365 apps. (News)

TOP Web Development NEWS HEADLINES

  1. Deno 2.3 Now Supports Local NPM Packages

  2. Biome Releases v2.0 Beta

  3. Svelte Releases Attachments to Enhance DOM with Interactive and Reactive Features

TC39 Advances Nine JavaScript Proposals, Including Array.fromAsync, Error.isError, and using

The Ecma Technical Committee 39 (TC39), the body responsible for the evolution of JavaScript (ECMAScript), recently advanced nine proposals through its stage process, with three new language features becoming part of the standard: Array.fromAsync, Error.isError, and explicit resource management with using. (News)

Android 16 Introduces Wide-Ranging Features and Changes

Google has released Android 16, now available for supported Pixel devices. The new release introduces a wide range of new APIs and changes, some of which affect existing apps and require developers to update their code. Material 3 Expressive, the new paradigm for Android user interfaces, is not yet included and will roll out later this year. (News)

TOP Architecture & Design NEWS HEADLINES

  1. How Docs-as-Code Helped Pinterest Improve Documentation Quality

Decentralized Architecture Needs More Than Autonomy

Architectural success in decentralized systems depends more on how decisions are made than on system design alone. Replacing control with trust requires visible, structured practices—such as ADRs and advice forums—to build confidence and clarity. (Article)

TOP Culture & Methods NEWS HEADLINES

  1. How Software Engineers Can Grow Their Career

How Staff+ Engineers Can Develop Strategic Thinking

This article outlines a personal framework for cultivating strategic thinking at any career stage, with a focus on Staff+ engineers. Whether you're an established Staff+ engineer or someone with aspirations to grow into this role, this article offers the tools, perspectives, and insights you need to navigate your journey to greater influence and impact. (Article)

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