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08 Dec 2024

The ultimate guide to boosting productivity with the Pomodoro Technique

In a world buzzing with distractions, maintaining focus and productivity can feel like trying to catch a greased pig. Whether it’s the relentless ping of notifications, the lure of social media, or the temptation to procrastinate, staying on task requires a solid strategy. One technique that has stood the test...

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02 Dec 2024

Master PDF digital signing with eMudhra and Proxkey in .NET: step-by-step guide

One of my recent projects involved coding a simple .NET app that signs PDFs in bulk using Proxkey digital signature. These purchased CA verified digital signatures, like eMudhra and Proxkey, typically come with their own custom apps which can digitally sign PDFs. You can even use software like Adobe Reader...

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01 Dec 2024

Building a secure and efficient MQTT-HTTP gateway with Node.js

One of my recent projects involved creating a Node.js script that acts as a gateway or middleware, capturing messages from an MQTT broker and relaying (streaming) them on the HTTP side via GET requests. Similarly, it should also handle POST requests from the HTTP side and publish them to the...

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20 Nov 2024

Building a simple customer management system in PHP with MySQL

Creating a customer management system (CMS) is a great way for beginners to learn PHP and MySQL. This hands-on project will guide you through the process of building a simple CMS from scratch, covering database design, CRUD operations, and form handling. What is a customer management system? A customer management...

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11 Nov 2024

Unlocking Text from Embedded-Font PDFs: A pytesseract OCR Tutorial

Extracting text from a PDF is usually straightforward when it’s in English and doesn’t have embedded fonts. However, once those assumptions are removed, it becomes challenging to use basic python libraries like pdfminer or pdfplumber. Last month, I was tasked with extracting text from a Gujarati-language PDF and importing data...

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09 Nov 2024

The indie blogger’s guide to seamless commenting: meet giscus

Indie bloggers are on the constant lookout for tools that simplify their work while keeping costs low and user experience seamless. One of the most overlooked aspects of running a blog is finding the right comment hosting system. Enter giscus, a modern solution that stands out among its peers for...

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08 Nov 2024

The emotional toll of Agile: burnout in the name of agility

There is no doubt that over the last few years, Agile methodologies have gained prominence as a means to foster flexibility, innovation, and responsiveness to change. However, beneath the surface of this seemingly effective approach lies a troubling reality: the emotional toll it can take on teams. This article delves...

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04 Nov 2024

Working with JSON data in PHP and MySQL: storing and retrieving complex structures

In the ever-evolving world of web development, the ability to manage complex data structures efficiently is vital. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) has become a standard for data exchange due to its lightweight format and ease of use. If you’re working with PHP and MySQL, understanding how to store and retrieve...

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03 Nov 2024

Handling large datasets in PHP: best practices for database management

When dealing with vast amounts of data in PHP, the challenges are not just technical but strategic. Efficiently managing large datasets ensures that web applications remain fast, responsive, and user-friendly. In this guide, we’ll explore essential practices such as pagination, batch processing, and crafting efficient SQL queries. Why handling large...

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02 Nov 2024

Escaping the pseudo-innovation loop: why we need real progress, not just syntactic sugar

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, we often celebrate every new tool, library, or framework as a breakthrough. Headlines scream about the “next big thing” in coding, and developers rush to adopt the latest trend, eager to stay ahead of the curve. But amidst this frenzied pace, an unsettling...

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