Base64 Encoding Explained: When to Use It and When Not To
A practical guide to Base64 — what it does, what it doesn't do, and the four scenarios where it's actually the right tool.
Notes on privacy, engineering, and building for the web.
A practical guide to Base64 — what it does, what it doesn't do, and the four scenarios where it's actually the right tool.
How client-side processing eliminates privacy concerns, latency, and infrastructure costs — and why every developer should care.
Stop reusing passwords. Stop writing them on sticky notes. Here's how to generate strong passwords that stick in your head — and the science behind why they work.
A deep dive into UUID v7 (RFC 9562), why it's a huge upgrade from v4 for databases, and how to use it in production.
From email validation to URL extraction — ten battle-tested regular expressions with explanations, edge cases, and copy-paste-ready snippets.
Practical patterns for inspecting JWTs in development — what's safe, what isn't, and how to avoid the most common mistakes.
JavaScript has two URL encoding functions, and using the wrong one causes subtle bugs. Here's the difference, with examples and a decision tree.
Cross-site scripting is still one of the most common web vulnerabilities. Here's how HTML entity encoding prevents it — and why it's not the whole story.
Every QR code has a hidden error-correction level that determines how much damage it can survive. Here's how to pick the right one for your use case.
A good URL slug is short, descriptive, keyword-rich, and stable. Here's how to generate slugs that don't break when titles change.
Color contrast isn't just about aesthetics — it's about whether 1 in 12 users can read your site. Here's how to meet WCAG AA and AAA in practice.
JSON looks simple — until a trailing comma breaks your API. Here are the ten most common JSON errors, with explanations and fixes.
Git, Google Docs, and every text comparison tool rely on a clever algorithm called LCS. Here's the math behind showing what changed.
Word count and reading time are the two metrics every content tool shows — but what do they actually tell you? Less than you'd think, and more than you'd guess.
It's been the standard placeholder text since the 1500s. Here's why designers still reach for it — and the alternatives that don't work as well.
Four hash functions, four use cases. Here's when each is appropriate — and why MD5 is still useful despite being 'broken.'
Why every developer deals with '1695024000' and what to do when it doesn't mean what you think it means.