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The best problem-solving writing in software engineering — databases, performance, security, frontend and distributed systems, in one feed.

11,794 articles
Frontend — Bringing Jetpack Compose to Instagram for Android

Bringing Jetpack Compose to Instagram for Android

Introducing a new Android UI framework like Jetpack Compose into an existing app is more complicated than importing some AARS and coding away. What if your app has specific performance goals to meet? What about existing design components, integrations with navigation, and logging frameworks? On this episode of the Meta Tech Podcast Pascal Hartig is […]

CWChris Wiltz·January 24, 2025Frontend
Distributed — Refactoring with Codemods to Automate API Changes

Refactoring with Codemods to Automate API Changes

Refactoring is something developers do all the time—making code easier to understand, maintain, and extend. While IDEs can handle simple refactorings with just a few keystrokes, things get tricky when you need to apply changes across large or distributed codebases, especially those you don’t fully control. That’s where codemods come in. By using Abstract Syntax Trees (AST), codemods allow you to a

JQJuntao QIU | 邱俊涛·January 22, 2025Distributed
Security — Attacks on Maven proxy repositories

Attacks on Maven proxy repositories

Learn how specially crafted artifacts can be used to attack Maven repository managers. This post describes PoC exploits that can lead to pre-auth remote code execution and poisoning of the local artifacts in Sonatype Nexus and JFrog Artifactory.

MSMichael StepankinMichael Stepankin·January 22, 2025Security
Security — How Meta discovers data flows via lineage at scale

How Meta discovers data flows via lineage at scale

Data lineage is an instrumental part of Meta’s Privacy Aware Infrastructure (PAI) initiative, a suite of technologies that efficiently protect user privacy. It is a critical and powerful tool for scalable discovery of relevant data and data flows, which supports privacy controls across Meta’s systems. This allows us to verify that our users’ everyday interactions […]

CWChris Wiltz·January 22, 2025Security
Engineering — The fall and rise of TikTok (traffic)

The fall and rise of TikTok (traffic)

On January 19, 2025, ByteDance suspended TikTok and related apps for US users. We examine the 14-hour traffic plunge, recovery near Donald Trump’s inauguration, and how alternatives like RedNote surged.

JTJoao TomeJoao Tome·January 21, 2025Engineering
Performance — Strobelight: A profiling service built on open source technology

Strobelight: A profiling service built on open source technology

We’re sharing details about Strobelight, Meta’s profiling orchestrator. Strobelight combines several technologies, many open source, into a single service that helps engineers at Meta improve efficiency and utilization across our fleet. Using Strobelight, we’ve seen significant efficiency wins, including one that has resulted in an estimated 15,000 servers’ worth of annual capacity savings. Strobe

CWChris Wiltz·January 21, 2025Performance
AI & ML — AI SDK 4.1

AI SDK 4.1

AI SDK 4.1 introduces image generation, non-blocking data streaming, improved tool calling, and more

VVercel·January 20, 2025AI & ML