RPC calls allow one service to call functions in another service as if it is a part of the same service. And unlike a REST API, one gets strong type checking. The two services can even be in different languages. gRPC is a great framework for implementing an RPC service. Another language-agnostic framework for making RPC calls is GraphQL. Many people don’t think of GraphQL that way, however, it can serve the same purpose. ...
There are three mandatory layers of any non-trivial user-facing web application. Storage, compute and view. The view is the front-end website and the mobile app(s). The storage is the database layer like MySQL or Mongo DB. The compute layer is the actual backend service serving the web content and related APIs.
In the decade of the 2010s, after Facebook became mainstream, social became a building block for websites. A lot of websites added a concept of user profiles consisting of a name, a display picture, a profile description, and the ability to see/follow the activity stream of other users. Slowly, this became the standard expectation. ChatGPT will have a similar impact. More and more users will get used to asking questions in natural language. Eventually, all the FAQ and knowledge-base articles would be replaced with a single box where users will ask a question in their preferred natural language. And then even the idea of actions would switch over to that one box, that users can use to navigate around and perform actions in the web applications. ...
We visited Malta in winter. Water activities are not possible in winter, so, this post will tell you what else there is to do in Malta. If you have only one day then go to Mdina. If you have two days, then do Gozo as well. If you have three days, then do the old temples. And if you have four days then do Valletta as well. The island has excellent public transport that you can count on. 1.5 Euro one-way ticket valid for a 2-hours journey in any direction. I would recommend staying in Sliema or St. Julian’s for maximum comfort. If you want a Mediterranean-style stay then go to Valletta or Mdina instead. The Tallinja app gives better suggestions than Google Maps regarding intra-island public transport. Day 1 - Mdina Visit the old capital of Mdina. It has a classy Mediterranean look to it. ...
A charity is when your customers capture value when you don’t. A scam is when you capture value but your customers don’t. A business is when you and your customers both capture value. - unknown
The reasons behind our portfolios and investment choices reveal a lot more about us than we might initially think. Half of all US mutual fund portfolio managers do not invest a cent of their own money in their funds, according to Morningstar. " How Doctors Die” showed the degree to which doctors choose different end-of-life treatments for themselves than they recommend for their patients. This book does the same for financial money managers. “Don’t tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.” - Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
One unique aspect of Indian culture is its desire to innovate in culinary. Tomato was first introduced to India in the 16th century. Now, it is an integral part of Indian cooking and is used in ways most others cultures won’t.
The world views of Lee Kuan Yew, the architect of the modern Singapore.
The Tijuana border (between the US and Mexico) is one of the busiest land crossings in the world.
Málaga, a port city in the south of Spain is known for its beautiful beaches. We went there in December, so, this blog post will tell you what to do if you can’t or won’t do water activities. Day 1 - Museums Málaga is the birthplace of Picasso. So, a visit would be incomplete without a visit to the Picasso museum. The entrance fee is 9 euros. And do take the free audio tour along with it. ...