Programming

Exploring Major Software Architecture Patterns: A Comprehensive Guide Here are 20 major software architecture patterns along with brief explanations: Layered (N-Tier) Architecture: Organizes software into layers, each with a specific responsibility, such as presentation, business logic, and data access. This separation enhances maintainability and scalability. Microservices Architecture: Breaks down an application into small, independent services that communicate over a network. This allows for flexible scaling and deployment. Event-Driven Architecture (EDA): Uses events to trigger and communicate between decoupled services. It is highly scalable and suitable for real-time processing. ...

Microservices vs Distributed Systems Architecture: A Deep Dive Let’s dive deeper into Microservices Architecture and Distributed Systems Architecture. Microservices Architecture Microservices Architecture is an architectural style that structures an application as a collection of small, autonomous services modeled around a business domain. Each service is self-contained and implements a single business capability. Here are some key aspects: Independence: Each microservice can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. This allows teams to work on different services simultaneously without affecting others. Communication: Microservices communicate with each other using well-defined APIs, typically over HTTP/HTTPS, WebSockets, or messaging protocols like AMQP. Data Management: Each service is responsible for its own data persistence. This decentralization helps avoid bottlenecks and allows services to use different databases or storage solutions. Polyglot Programming: Services can be built using different programming languages, frameworks, or technologies, enabling teams to choose the best tools for each service. API Gateway: An API Gateway often serves as the entry point for clients, handling requests, routing them to the appropriate services, and performing cross-cutting concerns like authentication and logging. Distributed Systems Architecture Distributed Systems Architecture involves multiple software components spread across different computers that work together as a single system. Here are some key aspects: ...

When you sync a forked repository, the goal is to update your forked repository to match the current state of the original repository (often referred to as the “upstream” repository). Let me break it down, especially considering the scenario you described: 1. Syncing with Upstream Changes When you sync, your forked repository fetches updates from the upstream repository. It then integrates those updates into your fork, typically into the main or equivalent branch. 2. Merge Conflicts If both your fork and the upstream repository have changes in the same files or lines, you may encounter merge conflicts. Merge conflicts require manual resolution. You’ll need to decide which changes to keep—yours, upstream’s, or a combination of both. 3. How Syncing Works (Common Commands) Here’s a typical workflow in Git: ...

To check how headers are being sent on your Lighttpd server, including verifying if the X-Robots-Tag header is set properly, you can use the following steps: Modify Lighttpd Configuration: Ensure the header is being set in your Lighttpd configuration file (lighttpd.conf). Use the following syntax to add the X-Robots-Tag header: setenv.add-response-header = ("X-Robots-Tag" => "noindex, nofollow") Restart Lighttpd: After updating the configuration file, restart the server to apply changes: ...

Exploring Software Engineering: Insights from the Stack Overflow Survey Recently, my daughter was assigned a homework project on software engineering. As she began asking me questions, I realized many of the answers could be found in the famous Stack Overflow Developer Survey. Together, we explored the survey, diving into its insights and summarizing key points for her school presentation. Here’s what we discovered: Key Findings from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey The Stack Overflow Developer Survey provides fascinating insights into the global developer community. Here are the highlights we found most useful: ...

Exploring the Tools Developers Love: Insights from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey The technology section of the Stack Overflow Developer Survey offers a fascinating snapshot of the tools and technologies that developers use and admire. Here’s a summary of the most noteworthy highlights: 1. Programming Languages JavaScript, Python, and SQL remain at the top of the popularity charts. Rust continues to stand out as the most admired language, with developers praising its reliability and satisfaction rate. 2. Databases PostgreSQL has secured its position as the most popular database for the second year running, surpassing MySQL. SQLite is gaining traction and is increasingly seen as a desired choice for future projects. 3. Cloud Platforms AWS leads in usage, followed closely by Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. Hetzner, known for its affordability and performance, is the most admired cloud platform. 4. Web Frameworks Node.js and React continue to dominate as the most used web frameworks. Svelte has captured developers’ admiration, with many expressing interest in continuing to work with it. 5. Embedded Technologies Raspberry Pi and Arduino are the most popular embedded systems, reflecting their accessibility and versatility. Cargo, the package manager for Rust, is highly admired for its ease of use and efficiency. 6. Developer Tools Docker leads as the most widely used and admired tool, followed by npm and Kubernetes. Visual Studio Code maintains its status as the favorite IDE, while Neovim has emerged as the most admired by developers who prefer lighter, extensible setups. 7. AI Tools ChatGPT is the most widely used AI tool, with GitHub Copilot following closely. Developers are increasingly integrating AI into their workflows, indicating a growing reliance on AI-powered tools to boost productivity and creativity. Closing Thoughts This section of the survey sheds light on the evolving preferences and trends shaping the developer community. The mix of legacy tools like JavaScript and rising stars like Rust, alongside the growing integration of AI, shows how dynamic the world of technology continues to be. These insights provide valuable guidance for anyone looking to stay current in the ever-changing tech landscape. ...

The Evolving Nature of Work: Insights from the Stack Overflow Developer Survey The “Work” section of the Stack Overflow Developer Survey provides a fascinating look into employment trends, work environments, salaries, and more. Here’s a summary of the key findings: 1. Employment Status 84% of respondents are employed, with 69% working full-time and 16.4% as independent contractors or freelancers. Full-time employment in the U.S. has slightly decreased compared to the previous year. 2. Work Environment Hybrid work remains the most common setup (42%), followed by remote work (38%). In-person work has risen to 20%, reflecting a gradual shift back to office environments. 3. Company Size Nearly half (47%) of respondents work for organizations with fewer than 100 employees. Larger organizations (10,000+ employees) account for 11.4% of respondents. 4. Salaries Site reliability engineers (SREs) and cloud infrastructure engineers are among the highest-paid roles. Salaries vary significantly by region and role, with senior executives earning the most on average. 5. Technology Purchases 62% of respondents influence technology purchases at their organizations. A “build-and-buy” approach is preferred by 60% of developers when adopting new tools. 6. Coding Outside of Work 68% of developers code as a hobby, while 39.5% do so for professional development or self-paced learning. Open-source contributions and freelance work are also common activities outside regular jobs. Closing Thoughts This section highlights the evolving dynamics of work in the developer community, from flexible work setups to the importance of continuous learning. For more details, you can explore the full 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey. ...

Accessing and Manipulating Data in Dataverse with the XRM Client Using the XRM client, you can perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations and retrieve related data in Microsoft Dataverse. This guide walks you through these tasks step-by-step. Setup Ensure the following packages are installed: Install-Package Microsoft.CrmSdk.XrmTooling.CoreAssembly Install-Package Microsoft.CrmSdk.XrmTooling.CrmWebApi Connect to Dataverse Establish a connection to your Dataverse environment: using Microsoft.Xrm.Tooling.Connector; using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk; var connectionString = "AuthType=OAuth;Username=YOUR_USERNAME;Password=YOUR_PASSWORD;Url=https://YOUR_ORG.crm.dynamics.com;AppId=YOUR_APP_ID;RedirectUri=YOUR_REDIRECT_URI;"; var service = new CrmServiceClient(connectionString); 1. Read (Retrieve) Operation Retrieve an entity record by its ID: ...

Automating Development Tools Installation with WinGet and DSC Streamline the installation of essential development tools using winget (Windows Package Manager) and Desired State Configuration (DSC). With this approach, you can automate the setup of applications and tools, ensuring consistency across your environment. General Overview This configuration leverages winget to install applications and tools automatically. It adopts the version format configurationVersion: 0.2.0. Resources are defined using the Microsoft.WinGet.DSC schema for WinGetPackage, simplifying the setup process. Key Resources and Their Purpose 1. Git Installs Git for version control, supporting collaborative coding and repository management. Pre-release versions are enabled (allowPrerelease: true). Package ID: Git.Git. 2. GitHub CLI Facilitates command-line interaction with GitHub repositories, streamlining workflows. Pre-release versions are enabled. Package ID: GitHub.cli. 3. WinMerge Provides powerful tools for comparing and merging files, a must-have for developers. Pre-releases are supported. Package ID: WinMerge.WinMerge. 4. Microsoft .NET SDK 8.0 Installs the latest version of .NET SDK (8.0) for application development. Pre-releases are enabled for early access. Package ID: Microsoft.DotNet.SDK.8. 5. Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition Sets up Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition for comprehensive development. Includes support for pre-release features. Package ID: Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.Community. 6. VS Components Installs additional Visual Studio workloads as specified in the .vsconfig file located in the ${WinGetConfigRoot} directory. Depends on the installation of Visual Studio. DependsOn: VisualStudio. 7. Visual Studio Code Deploys VS Code, a lightweight and versatile code editor. Supports pre-release versions for cutting-edge features. Package ID: Microsoft.VisualStudioCode. How It Works Directives: Specify metadata like descriptions and enable pre-release versions. Settings: Define the package ID and source (winget) for each tool. Dependencies: Manage installation order; e.g., VS Components require Visual Studio to be installed first. Configuration Example Here is an example configuration using the Microsoft.WinGet.DSC schema: ...

Automating FusionCache with a Source Generator: A Step-by-Step Guide Using a source generator to automate code for calling the GetOrSetAsync function from FusionCache is an elegant way to handle caching. Let’s walk through how you can use Roslyn, the .NET Compiler Platform, to create a generator tailored to your needs. Step 1: Create the Custom Attribute Start by defining a FusionCacheAttribute that will decorate the methods you want to cache: ...

Crafting Effective User Stories for Agile Product Backlogs Writing a good user story for a product backlog item (PBI) is all about being clear, concise, and user-focused. This guide walks you through the essentials of creating impactful user stories that drive collaboration and deliver value. Steps to Write a Good User Story 1. Stick to the Format A widely-used formula for user stories is: As a [user role], I want to [action] so that [benefit/goal]. This format keeps the focus on the user and clearly defines the purpose. ...

CrmServiceClient vs IOrganizationService: Understanding the Differences Both CrmServiceClient and IOrganizationService play crucial roles in Dynamics 365 and Dataverse development. While they serve similar purposes, they offer different advantages depending on your development scenario. CrmServiceClient The CrmServiceClient is a more modern, feature-rich client that extends the functionality of IOrganizationService. Advantages: Connection String Support: Easily connect using a connection string Automatic Token Management: Handles authentication token renewal automatically Retry Policies: Built-in support for retrying failed connections Helper Methods: Includes additional utility methods for common operations Example Usage: string connectionString = "AuthType=OAuth;Url=https://myorg.crm.dynamics.com;AppId=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000;RedirectUri=http://localhost;LoginPrompt=Auto"; using (var svc = new CrmServiceClient(connectionString)) { if (svc.IsReady) { Entity account = new Entity("account"); account["name"] = "Sample Account"; Guid accountId = svc.Create(account); Console.WriteLine($"Created account with ID: {accountId}"); } } IOrganizationService The IOrganizationService interface is the core interface for interacting with Dataverse/Dynamics 365 data. ...

Scrutor: Enhancing Dependency Injection in .NET Core Scrutor is a lightweight library for .NET Core that enhances dependency injection (DI) by enabling automated assembly scanning and registration of services. With Scrutor, you can reduce manual configuration by automatically discovering and registering services based on conventions or attributes. How It Works Scrutor builds on top of .NET Core’s built-in Dependency Injection (DI) framework. It simplifies service registration by: Scanning Assemblies: It scans through your project’s assemblies for classes or interfaces that match certain patterns or conventions. Auto-Registering Services: It automatically registers discovered classes with the DI container, specifying their lifetimes (e.g., Transient, Scoped, or Singleton). Applying Filters: You can use predicates to include or exclude specific types during registration. How to Set It Up 1. Install Scrutor Add the NuGet package to your project: ...

Implementing Distributed Locking with Redis and IDistributedLock Distributed locking is a critical feature for ensuring resource safety in distributed applications. Here’s how you can implement a distributed lock using the IDistributedLock interface and Redis as the backing store, leveraging the StackExchange.Redis library. Step 1: Implement the IDistributedLock Interface Let’s start by creating the RedisDistributedLock class to implement the IDistributedLock interface: using StackExchange.Redis; using System; using System.Threading.Tasks; public class RedisDistributedLock : IDistributedLock { private readonly IDatabase _database; private readonly string _lockKey; private string _lockToken; public RedisDistributedLock(IDatabase database, string lockKey) { _database = database; _lockKey = lockKey; _lockToken = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); } public async Task<bool> AcquireLockAsync(string resource, TimeSpan leaseTime) { _lockToken = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); return await _database.StringSetAsync(resource, _lockToken, leaseTime, When.NotExists); } public async Task RenewLockAsync(TimeSpan leaseTime) { if (!await _database.StringGetAsync(_lockKey).ConfigureAwait(false).Equals(_lockToken)) { throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot renew a lock that is not held."); } await _database.KeyExpireAsync(_lockKey, leaseTime); } public async Task ReleaseLockAsync() { var token = await _database.StringGetAsync(_lockKey); if (token == _lockToken) { await _database.KeyDeleteAsync(_lockKey); } } public void Dispose() { ReleaseLockAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult(); } } Step 2: Create a Sample Console Application Next, build a console application to demonstrate the functionality of the RedisDistributedLock: ...

Mastering Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP): Concepts and Examples Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) is a programming paradigm that takes modularity to the next level. It allows you to neatly separate cross-cutting concerns like logging, security, or transaction management from your main business logic. Think of it as an enhancement to Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) that brings even more structure and reusability to your codebase. link to link to Key Concepts of AOP Here’s a quick dive into the foundational elements of AOP: ...

To create a code generator that automatically caches any function with a cache attribute that takes a duration, you can use a source generator in .NET. Source generators allow you to generate additional source code at compile time. Step 1: Define the Cache Attribute First, define the cache attribute that will be used to mark methods for caching: using System; [AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Method, Inherited = false, AllowMultiple = false)] public sealed class CacheAttribute : Attribute { public CacheAttribute(int durationInSeconds) { DurationInSeconds = durationInSeconds; } public int DurationInSeconds { get; } } Step 2: Create the Source Generator Next, create the source generator that will generate the caching logic for methods marked with the CacheAttribute. ...

RedisDistributedLock Implementation in Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) lends itself well to distributed resource management tasks such as locking. Below is an implementation of a Redis-based distributed lock using the StackExchange.Redis library, focusing on resource isolation and concurrency control. RedisDistributedLock Class Here is the complete implementation: using StackExchange.Redis; using System; using System.Threading.Tasks; public class RedisDistributedLock : IDisposable { private readonly IDatabase _redisDb; private readonly string _lockKey; private readonly string _lockValue; private bool _acquired; public RedisDistributedLock(IDatabase redisDb, string resourceKey) { _redisDb = redisDb; _lockKey = $"lock:{resourceKey}"; _lockValue = Guid.NewGuid().ToString(); // random token } /// <summary> /// Attempts to acquire a lock for the specified lock key with a given expiry. /// </summary> /// <param name="expiry">Duration for lock expiry.</param> /// <returns>True if the lock was acquired; otherwise, false.</returns> public async Task<bool> AcquireAsync(TimeSpan expiry) { _acquired = await _redisDb.StringSetAsync( key: _lockKey, value: _lockValue, expiry: expiry, when: When.NotExists); return _acquired; } /// <summary> /// Releases the lock if it’s still held by this instance. /// </summary> public async Task ReleaseAsync() { if (_acquired) { // Verify token before deleting. var currentValue = await _redisDb.StringGetAsync(_lockKey); if (currentValue == _lockValue) { await _redisDb.KeyDeleteAsync(_lockKey); } _acquired = false; } } /// <summary> /// Cleanup method ensuring the lock is freed. /// </summary> public void Dispose() { ReleaseAsync().GetAwaiter().GetResult(); } } Acquiring and Releasing the Lock Using the RedisDistributedLock class to acquire and release locks ensures concurrency control in distributed systems. ...

Performing CRUD Operations and Joining Tables with IOrganizationService When working with Microsoft Dataverse, IOrganizationService is a powerful API that enables direct interaction with the Dataverse environment. This guide demonstrates how to perform CRUD operations and retrieve related records using the OrganizationService in an ASP.NET Core application. Setup Before starting, ensure the required packages are installed: Install-Package Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreAssemblies Install-Package Microsoft.CrmSdk.XrmTooling.CoreAssembly Connect to Dataverse Establish a connection to your Dataverse environment using a connection string: ...

Setting Up a Development Environment for SharePoint with Microsoft Graph API Setting up a development environment for SharePoint, especially one integrated with the Microsoft Graph API, doesn’t have to be daunting! This guide breaks it down step by step. 1. Choose Your SharePoint Environment You have two main options: SharePoint Online (Office 365): Perfect for Microsoft Graph integration—always current and feature-rich. SharePoint Server (On-Premises): More complex and doesn’t directly support Microsoft Graph. For beginners, SharePoint Online is a no-brainer! ...

Understanding Distributed Locks: Use Cases, Benefits, and Implementation Distributed locks play a vital role in ensuring safe and synchronized access to shared resources in distributed systems. Let’s explore when and why to use distributed locks, their benefits, and practical implementation examples. 1. Introduction to Distributed Locks A distributed lock ensures that only one process or service can access a shared resource at a time, even in a system with multiple nodes. For example, you can use distributed locks to: ...

Understanding FetchXML: Breaking Down a Query Example FetchXML is a powerful XML-based query language for retrieving data from Microsoft Dataverse. Let’s break down a sample FetchXML query and understand its components. FetchXML Query <fetch> <entity name='contact'> <attribute name='fullname' /> <attribute name='emailaddress1' /> <link-entity name='account' from='accountid' to='parentcustomerid' alias='account'> <filter> <condition attribute='accountid' operator='eq' value='ACCOUNT_ID' /> </filter> </link-entity> </entity> </fetch> Explanation of Components <fetch>: The root element of the query, containing the definition of what data to retrieve. <entity>: Defines the primary entity for the query. In this example: ...

Using Wolverine to Delay Messages in C# Wolverine’s feature for delaying messages can be a great alternative to using Task.Delay. Below, I’ll show you how to modify the solution to use Wolverine’s delayed messaging capabilities. 1. Setup Wolverine with Delayed Messaging Make sure you have the Wolverine NuGet package installed. dotnet add package Wolverine 2. Create a Wolverine Configuration with Delayed Messaging Configure Wolverine to handle delayed messaging. using Wolverine; using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting; public class WolverineConfig : IWolverineRegistry { public void Configure(IWolverineOptions options) { options.PublishAllMessages().ToRabbitMq("rabbitmq://localhost"); options.ListenToRabbitMq("rabbitmq://localhost").QueueName("writeQueue"); } } 3. Modify WriteOperation Class Publish a delayed message using Wolverine after synchronizing the time. ...

Mastering System Design Through Diagrams: A Personal Journey A few years ago, I found myself in an interview where I was asked about architecture diagrams—and honestly, I choked. That moment was a wake-up call. I realized that if I wanted to be confident in system design and convey my ideas clearly, I needed to make diagrams a core part of my process. Today, I’m sharing my step-by-step approach to diagramming through the various stages of system development. Not only will this guide help you in interviews, but it also serves as a roadmap to developing well-thought-out systems. ...