The best articles by Ciro Santilli Updated +Created
These are the best articles ever authored by Ciro Santilli, most of them in the format of Stack Overflow answers.
Ciro posts update about new articles on his Twitter accounts.
A chronological list of all articles is also kept at: Section "Updates".
Some random generally less technical in-tree essays will be present at: Section "Essays by Ciro Santilli".
Codaisseur/feathersjs-react-redux-ssr Updated +Created
Also webpack and Babel, looks promising!
As of 2021, last commit from 2017.
Running:
git clone https://github.com/Codaisseur/feathersjs-react-redux-ssr
cd feathersjs-react-redux-ssr
npm install
failed on Ubuntu 20.10 Node.js v14.15.3 with:
../src/create_string.cpp:17:37: error: no matching function for call to ‘v8::String::Utf8Value::Utf8Value(v8::Local<v8::Value>&)’
   17 |   v8::String::Utf8Value string(value);
      |                                     ^
Likely similar bullshit from: stackoverflow.com/questions/50111688/node-sqlite-node-gyp-build-error-no-member-named-forceset-in-v8object because the Node.js version is too new.
If I try nvm install v10
I Google error messages until reaching:
diff --git a/gulpfile.js b/gulpfile.js
index b931e06..24d2cc8 100644
--- a/gulpfile.js
+++ b/gulpfile.js
@@ -14,34 +14,34 @@ gulp.task('css', function() {
            .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist'))
 })
 
-gulp.task('css:watch', ['css'], function() {
+gulp.task('css:watch', gulp.series('css', function() {
   gulp.watch('app/styles/**/*.sass', ['css'])
-})
+}))
 
 gulp.task('moveAssets', function() {
   return gulp.src('./app/assets/**/*')
              .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist/assets'))
 })
 
-gulp.task('build:revAssets', ['css', 'moveAssets'], function() {
+gulp.task('build:revAssets', gulp.series('css', 'moveAssets', function() {
   var rev = new $.revAll()
   return gulp.src('./dist/**/*')
              .pipe(rev.revision())
              .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist/public'))
              .pipe(rev.manifestFile())
              .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist'))
-})
+}))
 
 gulp.task('build:cpServer', function() {
   return gulp.src('./app/**/*.{js,ejs}')
              .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist/server-build'))
 })
-gulp.task('build:revServer', ['build:cpServer'], function() {
+gulp.task('build:revServer', gulp.series('build:cpServer', function() {
   var manifest = gulp.src('./dist/rev-manifest.json')
   return gulp.src('./dist/server-build/{components,containers}/**/*')
              .pipe($.revReplace({ manifest: manifest }))
              .pipe(gulp.dest('./dist/server-build'))
-})
+}))
 
 gulp.task('build', function() {
   runSequence('build:revAssets', 'build:revServer')
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index bcb29c3..86bd593 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     "redux-thunk": "^0.1.0",
     "request": "^2.79.0",
     "rewire": "^2.3.4",
-    "run-sequence": "^1.2.2",
+    "run-sequence": "^2.2.1",
     "serve-favicon": "^2.3.2",
     "socket.io-client": "^1.7.2",
     "superagent": "^1.4.0",
@@ -86,16 +86,16 @@
     "concurrently": "^2.0.0",
     "cross-env": "^1.0.7",
     "enzyme": "^2.3.0",
-    "gulp": "^3.9.0",
+    "gulp": "^4.0.2",
     "gulp-autoprefixer": "^3.1.0",
     "gulp-load-plugins": "^1.2.0",
     "gulp-rev": "^6.0.1",
-    "gulp-sass": "^2.1.1",
+    "gulp-sass": "4.1.0",
     "gulp-sourcemaps": "^1.6.0",
     "jsdom": "^7.0.1",
     "mocha": "^2.4.5",
     "nock": "^2.17.0",
-    "node-sass": "^3.4.2",
+    "node-sass": "^5.0.0",
     "nodemon": "^1.6.0",
     "react-addons-test-utils": "^15.3.2",
     "react-transform-catch-errors": "^1.0.0",
and the next problem is: stackoverflow.com/questions/48513573/gulp-error-gulp-hastask-is-not-a-function
@cirosantilli/_file/test_executables.js Updated +Created
This script tests all executables under a selected directory.
Ciro Santilli has been writing scripts of that type for a long time in order to test his programming self-learning setups with asserts.
The most advanced of those being the test system of Linux Kernel Module Cheat.
But had too much stuff that would be specific to that project, so Ciro decided to start this new one in Node.js, hopefully it will also be the last he ever writes.
A sample usage of the test library can be seen at: nodejs/sequelize/test.
Functional programming is a subset of imperative programming Updated +Created
Ciro Santilli thinks imperative programming is just a superset of functional programming where you can have state.
C and C++: OK, you're old before the Internet and compiled, forgiven.
Python: OMG, please, just make it work!!! Your are interpreted!!! You are a hot web technology!!! Node.js and Ruby are doing just fine, and Ruby is not newer than you!!! See also: pip.
gothinkster/realworld Updated +Created
Basically puts together every backend with Front-end web framework to create the exact same website.
The reference live demo can be found at: demo.realworld.io/#/ It is based on Angular.js as it links to: github.com/gothinkster/angularjs-realworld-example-app TODO backend?
There are however also live demos of other frontends, e.g.:
Note that all those frontends communicate with the same backend.
As of 2021 Devs are seemed a bit too focused on monetizing the project through their "how to use this project" premium tutorial, and documentation could be better: just getting the hello world of the most popular backend with the most popular frontend is not easy... come on.
github.com/gothinkster/realworld/issues/578 asks for community support, as devs have moved on since unfortunately.
Remember:
  • by default, the frontends hardcode the upstream public data API: https://conduit.productionready.io/api so you have to hack their code to match the port of the backend. And each backend can have a different port.
  • when you switch between backends, you must first manually clear client-side storage cookies/local new run will fail due to authentication issues!
Important missing things from the minimum base app:
First you should the most popular backend/frontend combination running, which is the most likely to be working. We managed to run on Ubuntu 20.10, React + Node.js Express.js as described at github.com/gothinkster/node-express-realworld-example-app/pull/116:
Then just:
npm install
npm start
on both server and client, and then visit the client URL: localhost:4100/
One cool thing is that the main repo has unified backend API tests:
git clone https://github.com/gothinkster/realworld
cd realworld
git checkout e7adc6b06b459e578d7d4a6738c1c050598ba431
cd api
APIURL=http://localhost:3000/api USERNAME="u$(date +%s)" ./run-api-tests.sh
so the per-repository tests are basically useless, and that single test can test everything for any backend! There is no frontend testing however: github.com/gothinkster/realworld/issues/269 so newb.
JavaScript is single threaded Updated +Created
MySQL Updated +Created
Create user for further logins without sudo askubuntu.com/questions/915585/how-to-login-mysql-shell-when-mysql-have-no-password/1325689#1325689:
sudo mysql -e "CREATE USER $USER"
Create test user with password:
sudo mysql -e 'CREATE USER user0 IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY "a"'
sudo mysql -e 'GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON database_name.* TO "user0"'
and login as that user:
mysql -u user0 -p
Login with password given on the command line:
mysql -u user0 -pmypassword
The IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password part is to overcome "Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server" when connecting from Node.js.
List users:
sudo mysql -e 'SELECT * FROM mysql.user'
View permissions for each user on each DB: serverfault.com/questions/263868/how-to-know-all-the-users-that-can-access-a-database-mysql
sudo mysql -e 'SELECT * FROM mysql.db'
List databases:
sudo mysql -e 'SHOW DATABASES'
Create database:
sudo mysql -e 'CREATE DATABASE mydb0'
Destroy database:
sudo mysql -e 'DROP DATABASE mydb0'
Show tables in database:
sudo mysql -e 'SHOW TABLES' mydb0
or:
sudo mysql -e 'SHOW TABLES FROM mydb0'
Programming language Updated +Created
A language that allows you to talk to and command a computer.
There is only space for two languages at most in the world: the compiled one, and the interpreted one.
For 2020 now, when you have a choice, you must go for:
  • Python as the interpreted one
  • C++ for compiled
Those two are languages not by any means perfect from a language design point of view, and there are likely already better alternatives, they are only chosen due to a pragmatic tradeoff between ecosystem and familiarity.
Ciro predicts that Python will become like Fortran in the future: a legacy hated by most who have moved to JavaScript long ago (which is slightly inferior, but too similar, and with too much web dominance to be replaced), but with too much dominance in certain applications like machine learning to be worth replacing, like Fortran dominates certain HPC applications. We'll see. Maybe non performance critical scripting languages are easier to replace.
C++ however is decent, and is evolving in very good directions in the 2010's, and will remain relevant in the foreseeable future.
Bash can also be used when you're lazy. But if the project goes on, you will sooner or later regret that choice.
The language syntax in itself does not matter. All that matters is how many useful libraries and tooling it has.
This is how other languages compare:
  • C: but cannot make a large codebase DRY without insanity
  • Ruby: the exact same as Python, and only strong in one domain: web development, while Python rules everything else, and is not bad on web either. So just kill Ruby, please.
  • JavaScript: it is totally fine if Node.js destroys Python and becomes the ONE scripting language to rule them all since Python and JavaScript are almost equally crappy (although JavaScript is a bit more of course).
    One thing must be said tough: someobject.not_defined_property silently returning undefined rather than blowing up is bullshit.
  • Go: likely a good replacement for Python. If the ecosystem gets there, will gladly use it more.
  • Java: good language, but has an ugly enterprisey ecosystem, Oracle has made/kept the development process too closed, and API patenting madness on Android just kills if off completely
  • Haskell: many have tried to learn some functional stuff, but too hard. Sounds really cool though.
  • Rust: sounds cool, you will gladly replace C and C++ with it if the ecosystem ramps up.
  • C: Microsoft is evil
  • Tcl, Perl: Python killed them way back and is less insane
  • R, GNU Octave and any other "numerical computing language": all of this is a waste of society's time as explained at: Section "Numerical computing language"
  • Swift: Ciro would rather stay away from Apple dominated projects if possible since they sell a closed source operating system
Ruby on Rails Updated +Created
The only reason why Ruby exists.
This web framework is pretty good as of 2020 compared to others, because it managed to gain a critical community size, and there's a lot of basic setup already done for you.
it is just big shame it wasn't written in Python or even better, Node.js, because learning Ruby is completely useless for anything else. As of 2020 for example, most Node.js web frameworks feel like crap compared to Rails, you just have to debug so much there.
Used in GitLab, which is why Ciro Santilli touched it.
Sylvain Poirier Updated +Created
Ciro Santilli feels a bit like this guy:
singlesunion.org/ so cute, he's looking for true love!!! This is something Ciro often thinks about: why it is so difficult to find love without looking people in the eye. The same applies to jobs to some extent. He has an Incel wiki page: incels.wiki/w/Sylvain_Poirier :-)
Figure 1.
Sylvain's photo from his homepage.
Source. He's not ugly at all! Just a regular good looking French dude.
Video 1.
Why learn Physics by yourself by Sylvain Poirier (2013)
Source.
Two.js Updated +Created
Examples at: two-js/.
JavaScript library, works both on browser and headless with Node.js to SVG.
Feels good. Maybe not ultra featured, and could have more simple examples in docs, but still good.
One of the main features of Two.js appears to be the fact that it can natively render to either SVG and canvas, rather than creating SVG through DOM hacks as done by other projects.
Universal Module Definition Updated +Created
Since JavaScript devs are incapable of defining an unified import standard, this design pattern emerged where you just check every magic global one by one. Here's a demo where a Js library works on both the browser and from Node.js:
webpack Updated +Created
Webpack is like a magic hydra that can eat any type of file and bundle it into a single output: .js, .ts, .ccs, .scss, .jsx, .tsx, require, import, import css from .js, it doesn't matter at all, it just digests all into the same dump.
When it works, you are just left in awe and with a single Js file. When it doesn't, you're fucked and have to debug for several hours.
Demos under: webpack/. To run all of them by default:
cd webpack/min
npm install
npm run build
xdg-open index.html
To easily make changes and reload the .js output live let this run on a terminal:
npx webpack watch
Examples: