GitHub Actions: An In-depth Guide for Beginners
Actions Platform? It would not be wrong to mention that GitHub Actions has significantly transformed the workflow of web developers. This Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) platform enables them to build, test, and deploy web codes straight from GitHub. Are you a beginner? Do you want to learn how this tool can boost your productivity? Read this guide until the end. It makes you aware of the components and features of GitHub Actions. Let’s get started! What is GitHub GitHub Actions is an automated tool powered by GitHub. It supports the automation of software building, testing, and deployment within the repositories of GitHub. Since the user does not need to leave GitHub, it naturally enhances the workflow and productivity. Developers can perform repetitive tasks while reducing manual intervention. GitHub Actions utilizes a YAML file to outline different steps of a workflow. These steps include running a script, testing, deploying codes, and sending notifications. Components of GitHub Actions GitHub Actions is a powerful tool that makes web development smooth and quick. Wondering what mechanisms make GitHub Actions work so well? Let’s learn about them. Workflow A workflow is a programmed process that runs one or more jobs. This configurable process is defined by a YAML file in the .github/workflows directory in a repository. This repository can have several workflows. And each workflow can perform a different set of jobs. For instance, you can use one workflow to create and test pull requests while another to deploy your application. Events An event is a particular activity in a repository. It is like a trigger for workflows. When events occur within a repository, GitHub Actions respond to them. These events can push requests, pull requests, or other actions. Jobs Jobs are a set of steps in a workflow. They are executed under the same runner. Each step is either a shell script or an action. Scripts execute while actions run. Action An action is an application for the GitHub Actions. It performs frequently repeated tasks. The application helps web developers to reduce the number of repetitive codes they write in their workflow files. Runner A runner is a server that runs workflows when they are triggered. One runner can perform a single task at a time. Essential Features of GitHub Actions Though GitHub Actions offers various advantages to web developers, a few prominent features are below. Variable in Workflows The default GitHub actions environment variables, incorporated in every workflow, run automatically. However, users can customize the environment variables by setting them in their YAML files. In the following example, you can see how one can create custom variables for POSTGRES_HOST and POSTGRES_PORT. These variables are available in the node client.js script. jobs: demo-job: steps: – name: Connect to your PostgreSQL run: node client.js env: POSTGRES_HOST: postres POSTGRES_PORT: 5432 Addition of Scripts to Workflow GitHub Actions allow the addition of scripts to workflow. You can employ actions for running scripts and shell commands. They get executed on the selected runner. Find out how an action can use the run keyword to execute npm install –g bats on the runner in the flowing example. jobs: demo-job: steps: – run: npm install -g bats Sharing Data Between Jobs One of the crucial features of GitHub Actions is that you can reuse the jobs you created earlier. You can save files for later use as artifacts on GitHub. These files get generated while building and testing web code. These files could be screenshots, binary, test results, and package files. You can also make your file and upload it on artifacts for later use. jobs: demo-job: name: Save output steps: – shell: bash run: | expr 1+1 > output.log – name: Upload output file users: actions/upload-artifact@v3 with: name: output-log-file path: output.log Step-by-Step Creation of GitHub Action File If you want to learn the workings of the GtiHub actions workflows, here is the step-by-step guide. You will need a GitHub repository to create the GitHub actions. Set up of the GitHub Action File ⦁ Make a .github/workflows directory in your repository on GitHub in case it does not already exist. ⦁ In the directory, you may create a file name: GitHub-actions-demo.yml. ⦁ Next, copy the following YAML content into the GitHub-actions-demo.yml file. name: GitHub Actions Example on: [push] jobs: Explore-GitHub-Actions: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: run: echo " The job was automatically triggered by a ${{Github.event_name }} event." run: echo " This job is now running on a ${{ runner.os }} server hosted by GitHub!" run: echo " The name of your branch is ${{ GitHub.ref }} and your repository is ${{ GitHub.repository }}." name: Check out repository code user: actions/checkout@v3 run: echo " The ${{ GitHub.repository }} repository has been cloned to the runner." run: echo " The workflow is now ready to test your code on the runner." name: List files in the repository run: | Is ${{ GitHub.workspace }} run: echo " This job's status is ${{ job.status }}." ⦁ Create a new branch for this commit and begin a pull request. ⦁ To create a pull request, click Propose new file. ⦁ When you commit your workflow file to a branch within your repository, it initiates the push event and then executes your workflow. Run the Files Your next step should be running the file. ⦁ Visit github.com and go to the main page of the repository. ⦁ Beneath your repository name, click Actions. ⦁ On the left sidebar, hit the workflow you want ⦁ Under Jobs, click on the Explore-GitHub-Actions job. The above log shows the breakdown of each step carried out. You can expand these steps to view its details. Conclusion GitHub Actions is a robust automation tool that streamlines development workflows. Web developers can leverage its flexibility, automation, and integration within GitHub. In addition to this, the platform supports event-driven workflows. In this blog, we learned about components of GitHub Actions. Also, we came to know about its essential features. All-in-all, GitHub Actions is a versatile tool for developers that simplifies the
Bun 1.0: Unveiling the Ultimate Development Tool
Since its launch, Bun 1.0 has become the talk of town in the web development community. It is gaining popularity as an all-in-one tool for JavaScript and TypeScript development. If you haven’t used it yet and want to explore Bun 1.0 features, this post is for you. Before we jump into the Bun 1.0 features, let’s learn about it briefly. Overview of Bun and its Significance Bun is a renowned open-source bundler for JavaScript and TypeScript. Jarred Sumner is the key person behind the foundation of this JavaScript runtime. Unlike Node.js and Deno, the bundler uses JavaScriptCore as the JavaScript engine. Bun 1.0 was launched on September 8, 2023. It is a versatile tool to build, test, debug, and run JavaScript and TypeScript applications. Bun 1.0 is quite fast in comparison to Node.js and Deno. Let us uncover all the Bun 1.0 features one by one. Features of Bun 1.0 Universal Tool Bun 1.0 meets the requirements of both JavaScript and TypeScript developers. Whether you are working on a single-file project or developing a full-stack application, Bun provides an efficient development environment. Below are some features that make Bun 1.0 worth using: Bun supports quick command execution, thanks to npx. NPX is part of Bun. It eliminates the requirement of nodemon as it features a built-in watch mode. It is an ideal replacement for Node.js. Bun is capable of reading .env files. It means you don’t need any 3rd party configuration. You get support for various file formats such as .js, .ts, .cjs, .mjs., tsx, etc. Bun provides you with an integrated bundling solution. It replaces web pack, parcel, rollup, rebuild, etc. Bun 1.0 also features testing libraries that remove the requirement for jest and similar tools. Bun is an npm-compatible package manager. Therefore, it naturally reduces the need for yarn and npm. High Speed and Performance Speed and performance are other aspects of Bun impressing JavaScript developers. It lets you run your code at an excellent speed. Bun 1.0 is several times faster. You won’t need to use tools like yarn, npm, and pnpm. Bun takes about 0.36 seconds to compile a code. In the case of pnpm, compilation may take up to 6.44 seconds. With npm, code compilation takes 10.58 seconds, while Yarn takes 12.08 seconds for the same task. Compared to Node.js, Bun is about four times faster. Bun 1.0 provides top-notch performance, thanks to its advanced optimization technology and efficient code bundling. In addition, it minimizes the load times for web applications. As a result, it provides a better user experience. Built-in Support for JavaScript and TypeScript Bun 1.0 provides complete support for JavaScript and TypeScript. Developers can work with both languages without using any third-party transpilers. Bun makes it easy to set up your development process. You do not need to struggle with various tools. Bun handles everything so that you can focus on coding entirely. Hot Reloading Bun 1.0 allows you to see instant updates in applications as you make changes. All credit goes to hot reloading. Bun features built-in hot reloading that enhances the development process by providing real-time updates to code and configurations. As a result, you can quickly spot all issues and fix them. With Bun, you do not need Nodemon. It automatically refreshes the server when developers run TypeScript or JavaScript code. If you have been using npm rum, you can replace it with bun run. It will reduce command execution time by at least 150 milliseconds on every run. Installation Speed It can be frustrating and time-consuming to install development tools. Fortunately, Bun 1.0 supports lightning-fast installation that reduces the setup hassle. Bun uses a global module cache system to avoid redundant downloads from the npm registry. Consequently, it uses quick system calls, available in different operating systems. Compatibility Adaptability is one of the primary Bun 1.0 features that users appreciate. This open-source bundler can effortlessly integrate with well-known server frameworks such as Hono, Koa, and Express. Web developers also get support for applications built using full-stack frameworks, including Next.js, Nuxt, Astro, Vite, Remix, etc. In addition to this, Bun 1.0 is also compatible with ESM and CommonJS. It means you can use both of them together in the same file. This feature was missing in Node.js. Conclusion Bun 1.0 is an ideal choice for developers working on JavaScript and TypeScript. It has numerous built-in features, making it a game-changer in the ever-evolving web development era. The bundle ends your dependency on complex and slow fragmented tool chains. It won’t be wrong to mention that Bun has brought revolutionary changes in the development of JavaScript projects. So these are a few worth mentioning Bun 1.0 features.
What’s New in Vue 3.3? Explore the Differences
Vue.js is a renowned JavaScript framework that helps web developers build UIs (User interfaces) and SPAs (Single-page applications). This open-source JavaScript library undergoes updates from time to time. It has released various versions so far. Lately, on May 11, 2023, Vue announced its new version, i.e., Vue 3.3. Numerous developers are keen to learn what’s new in Vue 3.3. If you’re one of them, here is the comprehensive guide. Vue 3.3 Updates Vue is evolving fast, and with each new version, it brings a lot of improvements. In version Vue 3.3, you will notice the following features and enhancements. 1. Improvements in TypeScript TypeSupport Improvement in TypeScript is one of the significant improvements in Vue.js 3.3. It helps users write type-safe in Vue applications. Earlier, they could use only local types like type literals and interfaces in the type parameter position of the defineProps and defineEmits compiler macros. With Vue 3.3 updates, this issue has been resolved. The Vue compiler is now capable of handling both imported types and a limited set of complex types. The type interface for reactive properties is more accurate in this new version of Vue. It naturally minimizes the possibility of type-related errors. <script setup lang="ts"> import type { Props } from './foo' // imported + intersection type defineProps<Props & { extraProp?: string }>() </script> 2. Support for Different Data Types Vue 3.3 features a plethora of improvements. One significant among them is support for different data types. It gives you support for generic components. Now users can easily make reusable components that work with various data types smoothly. This feature is highly beneficial for those developing components that deal with varying data types. What makes it better is users can do this without compromising on safety. 3. Suspense Vue 3.3 has introduced the Suspense feature, allowing the users to handle asynchronous operation seamlessly in the components. The user can define fallback content to display while waiting for data to load. The suspense feature of Vue 3.3 can significantly improve your user experience, especially when your component needs to fetch data from an API. <template> <Suspense> <template #default> <AsyncComponent /> </template> <template #fallback> <LoadingSpinner /> </template> </Suspense> </template> 4. Improved Syntax for defineEmits Another notable improvement you can see in this latest version of Vue.js is enhanced syntax for the defineEmits function. It enables you to declare the events that a component releases. The function improves the readability of code and lets you define Emits with an object notation. It helps users to make a better representation of the emitted events inside the component. <script> import { defineEmits } from 'vue'; export default { emits: defineEmits(['click', 'input']), }; </script> In the above code snippet, the ‘emits’ property utilizes the ‘defineEmits’ function in conjunction with an array having event names. This approach guarantees a concise declaration of the component’s emitted events. Therefore, it enhances the readability of the code. 5. defineModel: Streamlining Two-way Binding Components The innovative defineModel function introduced in Vue 3.3 makes it easy to create two-way binding components. It provides a user-friendly method for defining the modelValue prop and update:modelValue event. Generally, it is used in v-model bindings. 6. Easy Access to Reactive Props Vue 3.3 has simplified the access to reactive props inside a component’s setup function. This improvement streamlines the process of managing props, supporting easy writing and reading of code and conciseness. <script> import { reactive } from 'vue'; export default { props: { user: Object, }, setup(props) { const { user } = props; // Destructuring reactive props // Utilizing the destructured user object console.log(user.name); // … }, }; </script> The provided code snippet destructures the user prop within the setup function. It allows direct access to its properties. It helps in simplifying the code readability. 7. Improvements in Devtools Devtools in Vue 3.3 have undergone various improvements. Some of the major updates are as per below. Event Inspector The Event Inspector in Vue 3.3 gives better insights into the event system of applications. It lets you inspect event listeners and find out which components are listening to particular events. Pinning Components You can now “pin” components in Vue. As a result, it is easier to keep track of a particular component while steering through an application’s component tree. 8. Type Slots with defineSlots Vue 3.3 features an innovative function named defineSlots. As the name indicates, it encourages precise specification of slot types within a component. This feature boosts type safety in components. Furthermore, it improves IDE support for slot content. <template> <div> <slot name="header" :data="headerData" /> <slot :data="defaultData" /> </div> </template> <script> import { defineSlots } from 'vue'; export default { slots: defineSlots({ header: { data: { type: Object, required: true, }, }, default: { data: { type: String, required: false, default: 'Default Slot Content', }, }, }), }; </script> In the above code snippet, the slots use the defineSlots function to define the type of slots used in the component. It helps developers to do type-checking and relish autocompletion during leveraging slots. Conclusion In the ever-involving world of web development, it is necessary to keep pace with cutting-edge innovations. What’s new in Vue 3.3 is worth exploring for web developers. Vue.js has been constantly improving to empower users and provide them with a better experience. The Vue 3.3 updates have brought substantial improvement in TypeScript support and APIs. You can definitely consider using Vue 3.3 for your next project. Unlock the boundless opportunities with Vue 3.3. These are a few major updates in Vue 3.3. For complete details, you can refer to Vue 3.3 release notes.
Ceph Persistent Storage for Kubernetes with Cephfs
Kubernetes is a prominent open-source orchestration platform. Individuals use it to deploy, manage, and scale applications. It is often challenging to manage stateful applications on this platform, especially those having heavy databases. Ceph is a robust distributed storage system that comes to the rescue. This open-source storage platform is known for its reliability, performance, and scalability. This blog post guides you on how to use Ceph persistent storage for Kubernetes with Cephfs. So let us learn the process step-by-step. Before we jump into the steps, you must have an external Ceph cluster. We assume you have a Ceph storage cluster deployed with Ceph Deploy or manually. Step 1: Deployment of Cephfs Provisioner on Kubernetes Deployment of Cephfs Provisioner on Kubernetes is a straightforward process. Simply log into your Kubernetes cluster and make a manifest file to deploy the RBD provisioner. It is an external dynamic provisioner that is compatible with Kubernetes 1.5+. vim cephfs-provisioner.yml Include the following content within the file. Remember, our deployment relies on RBAC (Role-Based Access Control). Therefore, we will establish the cluster role and bindings before making the service account and deploying the Cephs provisioner. — kind: Namespace apiVersion: v1 metadata: name: cephfs — kind: ClusterRole apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1 metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs rules: – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["persistentvolumes"] verbs: ["get", "list", "watch", "create", "delete"] – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["persistentvolumeclaims"] verbs: ["get", "list", "watch", "update"] – apiGroups: ["storage.k8s.io"] resources: ["storageclasses"] verbs: ["get", "list", "watch"] – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["events"] verbs: ["create", "update", "patch"] – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["services"] resourceNames: ["kube-dns","coredns"] verbs: ["list", "get"] — kind: ClusterRoleBinding apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1 metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs subjects: – kind: ServiceAccount name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs roleRef: kind: ClusterRole name: cephfs-provisioner apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io — apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1 kind: Role metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs rules: – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["secrets"] verbs: ["create", "get", "delete"] – apiGroups: [""] resources: ["endpoints"] verbs: ["get", "list", "watch", "create", "update", "patch"] — apiVersion: rbac.authorization.k8s.io/v1 kind: RoleBinding metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs roleRef: apiGroup: rbac.authorization.k8s.io kind: Role name: cephfs-provisioner subjects: – kind: ServiceAccount name: cephfs-provisioner — apiVersion: v1 kind: ServiceAccount metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs — apiVersion: apps/v1 kind: Deployment metadata: name: cephfs-provisioner namespace: cephfs spec: replicas: 1 selector: matchLabels: app: cephfs-provisioner strategy: type: Recreate template: metadata: labels: app: cephfs-provisioner spec: containers: – name: cephfs-provisioner image: "quay.io/external_storage/cephfs-provisioner:latest" env: – name: PROVISIONER_NAME value: ceph.com/cephfs – name: PROVISIONER_SECRET_NAMESPACE value: cephfs command: – "/usr/local/bin/cephfs-provisioner" args: – "-id=cephfs-provisioner-1" serviceAccount: cephfs-provisioner Next, apply the manifest. $ kubectl apply -f cephfs-provisioner.yml namespace/cephfs created clusterrole.rbac.authorization.k8s.io/cephfs-provisioner created clusterrolebinding.rbac.authorization.k8s.io/cephfs-provisioner created role.rbac.authorization.k8s.io/cephfs-provisioner created rolebinding.rbac.authorization.k8s.io/cephfs-provisioner created serviceaccount/cephfs-provisioner created deployment.apps/cephfs-provisioner created Make sure that the Cephfs volume provisioner pod is in the operational state. $ kubectl get pods -l app=cephfs-provisioner -n cephfs NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE cephfs-provisioner-7b77478cb8-7nnxs 1/1 Running 0 84s Step 2: Obtain the Ceph Admin Key and Create a Secret on Kubernetes Access your Ceph cluster and retrieve the admin key to be used by the RBD provisioner. sudo ceph auth get-key client.admin Save the value of the admin user key displayed by the above command. Later, we will incorporate this key as a secret in Kubernetes. kubectl create secret generic ceph-admin-secret \ –from-literal=key='<key-value>' \ –namespace=cephfs Where <key-value> is your Ceph admin key. Verify the creation by using the following command. $ kubectl get secrets ceph-admin-secret -n cephfs NAME TYPE DATA AGE ceph-admin-secret Opaque 1 6s Step 3: Make Ceph Pools for Kubernetes and Client Key To run a Ceph file system, you will need at least two RADOS pools, one for data and another for metadata. Usually, the metadata pool contains only a few gigabytes of data. Generally, individuals use 64 or 128 for large clusters. Therefore, we recommend a small PG count. Now let us make Ceph OSD pools for Kubernetes: sudo ceph osd pool create cephfs_data 128 128 sudo ceph osd pool create cephfs_metadata 64 64 Create a Ceph file system on the pools. sudo ceph fs new cephfs cephfs_metadata cephfs_data Confirm Ceph File System Creation. $ sudo ceph fs ls name: cephfs, metadata pool: cephfs_metadata, data pools: [cephfs_data ] UI Dashboard Confirmation Step 4: Make Cephfs Storage Class on Kubernetes A StorageClass serves as a means to define the “classes” of storage you offer in Kubernetes. Let’s create a storage class known as “Cephrfs.” vim cephfs-sc.yml Add the following content to the file: — kind: StorageClass apiVersion: storage.k8s.io/v1 metadata: name: cephfs namespace: cephfs provisioner: ceph.com/cephfs parameters: monitors: 10.10.10.11:6789,10.10.10.12:6789,10.10.10.13:6789 adminId: admin adminSecretName: ceph-admin-secret adminSecretNamespace: cephfs claimRoot: /pvc-volumes Where: ⦁ Cephfs is the name of the StorageClass to be created. ⦁ 10.10.10.11, 10.10.10.12 & 10.10.10.13 are the IP addresses of Ceph Monitors. You can list them with the command: $ sudo ceph -s cluster: id: 7795990b-7c8c-43f4-b648-d284ef2a0aba health: HEALTH_OK services: mon: 3 daemons, quorum cephmon01,cephmon02,cephmon03 (age 32h) mgr: cephmon01(active, since 30h), standbys: cephmon02 mds: cephfs:1 {0=cephmon01=up:active} 1 up:standby osd: 9 osds: 9 up (since 32h), 9 in (since 32h) rgw: 3 daemons active (cephmon01, cephmon02, cephmon03) data: pools: 8 pools, 618 pgs objects: 250 objects, 76 KiB usage: 9.6 GiB used, 2.6 TiB / 2.6 TiB avail pgs: 618 active+clean Once you have updated the file with the accurate value of Ceph monitors, give the Kubectl command to make the StorageClass. $ kubectl apply -f cephfs-sc.yml storageclass.storage.k8s.io/cephfs created Next, list all the available storage classes: $ kubectl get sc NAME PROVISIONER RECLAIMPOLICY VOLUMEBINDINGMODE ALLOWVOLUMEEXPANSION AGE ceph-rbd ceph.com/rbd Delete Immediate false 25h cephfs ceph.com/cephfs Delete Immediate false 2m23s Step 5: Do Testing and Create Pod Create a test persistent volume claim to ensure that everything is smooth. $ vim cephfs-claim.yml — kind: PersistentVolumeClaim apiVersion: v1 metadata: name: cephfs-claim1 spec: accessModes: – ReadWriteOnce storageClassName: cephfs resources: requests: storage: 1Gi Apply manifest file $ kubectl apply -f cephfs-claim.yml persistentvolumeclaim/cephfs-claim1 created The successful binding will show the bound status. $ kubectl get pvc NAME STATUS VOLUME CAPACITY ACCESS MODES STORAGECLASS AGE ceph-rbd-claim1 Bound pvc-c6f4399d-43cf-4fc1-ba14-cc22f5c85304 1Gi RWO ceph-rbd 25h cephfs-claim1 Bound pvc-1bfa81b6-2c0b-47fa-9656-92dc52f69c52 1Gi RWO cephfs 87s Next, we can launch a test pod using the claim we made. First, create a file to store that data: vim cephfs-test-pod.yaml Add content
How to choose a Freelance Full Stack Web Developer
Hiring a full-stack web developer is a crucial decision for any web development company. The kind of candidate they choose can make or break their project’s aspiration. Full-stack web development requires comprehensive knowledge of developing, testing and deploying web applications. Consequently, you can’t hire any random developer you find on a job portal or the web. Companies that want to recruit a freelance full-stack web developer but don’t know how to get started must read this post. Below, we have accumulated factors to consider when selecting a full-stack web developer. So let’s get started. Step 1: Define Your Project Requirements Clearly Before you begin searching for a full-stack web developer, learn your project requirements. Define the scope of work, the end goal, and the technologies required for the same. It will help you determine the search criteria for a suitable web developer. Step 2: Consider the Skills of the Developer A full-stack web developer is a versatile professional. They must be skilled in both front-end and back-end development. Ensure the developer has the required skill set your project needs. Make a list of programming languages, software, and frameworks needed for the project. On this basis, you can decide the kind of web developer you need. Generally, skills to look for in a full-stack web developer include: Front-end development: Expertise in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Furthermore, the developer must have experience in front-end libraries and frameworks. Back-end Development: Knowledge of programming languages, including Node.js and Python is crucial. It will be advantageous if the developer is familiar with back-end frameworks such as Flask or Express. Database Management: Knowledge of different kinds of databases, both SQL and NoSQL, is also essential. Step 3: Check Portfolio Don’t forget to check the portfolio and experience of your potential web developer. A strong portfolio validates the skills and capability of a developer to work on real-world projects. You can visit their websites to learn about past clients and projects they completed. Though certifications alone do not confirm expertise, you can check relevant certifications to validate the developer’s skills. Step 4: Geographical Location of Freelancer The accessibility of the internet has removed all the limits of geographical boundaries. In this digital era, you do not need to confine yourself to locally available talents. You can hire developers from all over the globe. Make sure the freelancer can work in the time zone you prefer. Step 5: Set a Clear Budget and Timeline Before you finalize a full-stack developer and sign a contract, set a clear budget and timeline for the project. It will help you manage the overall cost and period of your project. The cost of hiring a full-stack developer depends on the experience and timeline of the project. Some freelancers charge on an hourly basis, while others have a set fee. Discuss the budget with your freelancer by describing your project requirements. Also, ask them about the expected timeline for the project. You can break down the timeline for your project into different stages. It will help you manage your time effectively. Step 6: Communication Skills You cannot deny the importance of effective communication in web development. Go for a full-stack developer having strong communication skills. A developer has to work with a website designer, other developers, and project managers. An effective communication ensures a smooth workflow. Developers with good communication skills can efficiently convey ideas, address concerns, and update managers about the work progress. Step 7: Team Collaboration The developer you choose must have the ability to work well with others. In a modern web development environment, developers, designers, and testers work together symphonically. Step 8: Conduct Interviews Once you have shortlisted some possible full-stack developers, conduct interviews to choose the most suitable one. An interview will help you get more insight into whether or not a candidate is proficient in meeting project requirements. Evaluate the technical expertise, background, and communication skills of candidates carefully. To assess technical knowledge, you can give programming exercises. If you do not have adequate technical experience and do not know how to check the skills of a full-stack web developer, give preference to a senior full-stack web developer with a lot of experience. Step 9: Make Clear Contracts Make sure billing contracts are clear to you and your freelancers. The contract clearly defines the responsibility of a freelancer and payment terms. The payment terms must include the details of the wage structure, rate, payment schedule and more. These are a few things to consider when hiring a full-stack web developer. Let us learn whether a freelancer or company is a good choice for you. Full-Stack Web Developer: Freelancer vs. Company (Quick Comparison) Whether to choose a freelancer or a company depends on your project requirements, budget and preferences. When you work with a freelancer, you get the following benefits: Affordability Most freelancers charge a lower fee than an established web development company. If you have a limited budget, choosing a freelancer is a good decision. Flexible You have the flexibility to hire freelancers for short-term, long term or just for a specific task. Personalized Attention Since you will work directly with the developer, it will form a close working relationship. Therefore, the freelancer gives personalized attention to your project. The advantages of working with a web development company are below: More Resources Companies have more tools and technologies to manage your projects comparatively. An agency can employ dedicated managers on your project. Scalability As your project grows, you will need more resources to expand your services. Companies can better handle scalability. Delivery Time With most companies, you can expect quick delivery of your project. Conclusion If you are a small company, hiring a freelance web developer is beneficial for you. They are not just affordable but also flexible. On the other hand, if you are a big company with unlimited tasks and a substantial budget, choose a web development company.
The Ultimate Guide to GitLab CI/CD: Along with Example of Building CI/CD Pipeline for Python
No one can deny the significance of CI (Continuous Integration) and CD (Continuous Deployment) in software development. They enable a coder to integrate and deploy software codes and identify possible issues simultaneously. Consequently, the process naturally saves the time and effort of a developer. While several platforms support CI/CD, GitLab has grown in popularity. It automates software development in several aspects. This guide makes you aware of the features of GitLab CI/CD. In addition, you will learn to build CI/CD pipelines on GitLab. So let us get started. What is GitLab CI/CD? CI stands for Continuous Integration, while CD for Continuous Deployment/Delivery. CI supports the continuous integration of code changes from various contributors into a shared repository. On the other hand, CD allows code deployment while being developed. GitLab CI/CD is a set of tools and techniques automating software development. It enables users to create, test and deploy code changes inside the GitLab to the end users. The platform aims to support consistent workflow and improve the speed and quality of code. Features of GitLab CI/CD GitLab has several benefits over conventional software development methods. Some key benefits are as per below: ⦁ GitLab keeps CI/CD and code management in the same place. ⦁ It’s a cloud-hosted platform. You do not need to worry about setting up and managing databases or servers. ⦁ You can sign up for the subscription plan that suits your budget. ⦁ You can run different types of tests, such as unit tests, integration tests, or end-to-end tests. ⦁ GitLab automatically builds and tests your code changes as they are pushed to the repository. ⦁ Since GitLab CI/CD is built-in, there is no need for plugin installation. ⦁ The platform supports continuous code collaboration and version control. The Architecture of GitLab CI/CD GitLab CI/CD architecture consists of the following components: GitLab Server Like every online platform, GitLab works on a server. The GitLab server is accountable for hosting all your Git repositories. It helps you keep your data on the server for your client and team. The GitLab server hosts your applications and configures the pipeline. It also manages the pipeline execution and assigns jobs to the runners available. GitLab.com is run by a GitLab instance that further comprises an application server, database, file storage, background workers, etc. Runners Runners are applications that run CI/CD pipelines. GitLab has several runners configured. Every user can access these runners on gitlab.com. Users are allowed to set up their own GitLab runners. Jobs Jobs are tasks performed by the GitLab pipeline. Each job has a unique name and script. Each script gets finished one after the other. A user moves on to the next one only when the previous one is complete. Stages Stages are referred to the differences between jobs. They ensure the completion of jobs in the pipeline. For instance, testing, building, and deploying. Pipeline The pipeline is a complete set of stages. Every stage comprises single or multiple jobs. You can find various types of pipelines in GitLab. These types include basic pipelines, multi-branch pipelines, merge request pipelines, parent-child pipelines, scheduled pipelines, multi-job pipelines, etc. Commit Commit is a record of changes made in the code or files. It is similar to what we see in a GitHub repository. So this is an architecture of GitLab CI/CD. Let us learn how to build a simple CI/CD pipeline with GitLab. Building a Simple CI/CD pipeline for a Python Application 1. First, create an account on GitLab. 2. Next, create a new project. You get four different options to create your project. Choose any method convenient to you. In this example, we will import the project from GitHub. 3. Once the project is set up, create a yaml file. Give it a name that is easy to remember. For example, .gitlab-ci.yml. Above is an example of tests run. Image: It is the image we intend to use to execute our script. before_script: Before script helps you install the prerequisites required to run your scripts. It also includes commands you need to run before the script command. after_script: This script outlines commands running after each job. It may also include failed jobs handling. To add the Python image, we are using images available on DockerHub. 4. Under the CI/CD tab, you will find the ‘Jobs’ tab to get detailed logs and troubleshooting. 5. Next, create an account on DockerHub. You can find the image for Docker on Dockerhub. 6. Go back to the yaml script and write a script to upload the docker image to the repository. You will need to use credentials. To ensure the safety of credentials, use another GitLab feature. Go to Settings-> CI/CD-> Variables Here you can make global variables that you can refer to in the code. If you use the masked variable option, it will prevent the visibility of variable content in logs. 7 Next, upload the image to a private repository. Tag the repository name in Dockerhub. It will help you when writing the Docker push command. The stage clause guarantees that each stage will execute one after another. You can create variables both globally and inside the jobs. You can use them as: $var1 8. In our example, we are following docker in the docker concept. It means we have to make docker available inside its container. The docker client and daemon are inside the container to execute the docker command. 9. Now it is time for the preparation of the deployment server. The process involves configuring the tools and settings to automate the deployment. You can use any remote server. In this example, we are using an Ubuntu server. 10. We used the following command to create a private key. ssh-keygen The method to create a private variable is the same as mentioned in step 6. 11. Next, add the yaml script. Before using the docker run command, stop existing containers. Especially those running on the same port. For this, we have added line 37. By default,
Keras Core 3.0 — Pioneering the Next Frontier in Deep Learning APIs
In the dynamic landscape of artificial intelligence, where breakthroughs occur in rapid succession and the boundaries of what’s possible are constantly pushed, the Keras framework has emerged as a steadfast companion for machine learning practitioners and researchers. With the advent of Keras Core 3.0, the framework embarks on a transformative journey, poised to redefine the very essence of capabilities, performance, and adaptability, and solidify its position as a trailblazer in the realm of deep learning. This article delves into the evolution of Keras, highlights the remarkable features of version 3.0, and explores its compatibility with various backends. Understanding Keras — A Journey from Inception to Innovation Keras, born from the visionary mind of François Chollet in 2015, swiftly rose to prominence as a high-level neural networks API known for its intuitive design and unparalleled experimentation agility. Its initial incarnation and subsequent integration with TensorFlow marked a pivotal moment, propelling Keras into the limelight of machine learning tools. As the AI landscape evolved, Keras adapted in tandem, shaping itself to meet the diverse demands of an ever-expanding user community. Now, with the unveiling of Keras Core 3.0, this evolutionary saga culminates in a symphony of enhancements that not only elevate the framework’s capabilities but also redefine its role as an indispensable asset in the arsenal of AI practitioners. Redefining Possibilities — Unveiling Keras 3.0’s Game-Changing Features Embracing the Multi-Backend Landscape Keras 3.0 emerges as a trailblazer with its unprecedented support for multiple backends. While its roots are anchored in TensorFlow, this version casts a wider net, inviting frameworks like jAX and PyTorch into its fold. The result? A harmonious coexistence that empowers researchers and practitioners to wield their preferred framework without renouncing the prowess of Keras. Precision Perfected — Advanced Performance Optimization Keras Core 3.0 doubles down on performance optimization, seamlessly weaving techniques like mixed-precision training and distributed training into its fabric. The result is a turbocharged training process and maximized hardware resource utilization. These optimization strategies work behind the scenes, enabling users to focus on the art of model development and experimentation, confident that the framework is orchestrating the complex ballet beneath. Expanding the Horizons — A Flourishing Ecosystem The Keras ecosystem flourishes with renewed vigour in Keras 3.0. The framework’s enhanced support for KerasCV and KerasNLP, specialized libraries tailored for computer vision and natural language processing, empowers it to excel in these domains. This synergy doesn’t just streamline the development process; it equips users with an extensive toolkit to conquer the intricate challenges inherent in these fields. Uniting the Diverse — Cross-Framework Compatibility Keras Core 3.0 ushers in an era of harmony across deep learning frameworks. Models crafted in Keras effortlessly traverse the boundaries between TensorFlow, jAX, and PyTorch backends, reflecting a unification in an ecosystem historically divided. This seamless compatibility erases barriers, fostering an environment of collaboration and experimentation, where diverse tools coalesce to drive innovation. Evolution by Design — The Philosophy of Progressive Disclosure Keras 3.0 embodies the ethos of progressive disclosure, catering to both novices and seasoned practitioners. The API unfolds in a manner that facilitates the gentle onboarding of newcomers while gradually unveiling the advanced features craved by experts. This balanced approach ensures Keras remains accessible and indispensable, irrespective of users’ proficiency levels. A Stateless Symphony of Design — The Stateless API Paradigm The introduction of the stateless API marks a paradigm shift in Keras 3.0. Aligned with the trend of integrating functional programming concepts in deep learning, this design choice fosters modular architecture, encourages code reusability, and champions clean code organization. This leap not only elevates the development experience but also fortifies code maintenance and collaborative prowess. Navigating the Possibilities — Keras for TensorFlow, jAX, and PyTorch Embarking on the Voyage: Installation Embarking on the journey with Keras Core 3.0 is an effortless endeavour. Installation guides for each supported backend are readily available in the official documentation, providing users the freedom to opt for the backend that resonates with their ethos and project requisites. This adaptability cements Keras as an indispensable entity amid the ever-shifting currents of AI technology. For installation, $ pip install keras-core import keras_core as keras Aligning with the Core: Backend Configuration Configuring the backend is a seamless ritual, often requiring a mere few lines of code. This configuration determines the engine propelling Keras—be it TensorFlow, jAX, or PyTorch. This flexibility empowers users to fluidly transition between backends, paving the way for efficient exploration and experimentation. Run the following command for backend configuration: $ export KERAS_BACKEND="jax" $ python train.py Or $ KERAS_BACKEND=jax python train.py Mastery in Action: Integrating KerasCV and KerasNLP The integration of KerasCV and KerasNLP into Keras Core 3.0 paints a transformative landscape. KerasCV brings forth a symphony for computer vision tasks, providing dedicated APIs and pre-fabricated models for image classification, object detection, and segmentation. Meanwhile, KerasNLP empowers users to navigate the challenges of natural language processing with access to cutting-edge language models, tokenization tools, and sequence manipulation layers. And here is some KerasCV usage example: import keras_cv import keras_core as keras filepath = keras.utils.get_file(origin="https://i.imgur.com/gCNcJJI.jpg") image = np.array(keras.utils.load_img(filepath)) image_resized = ops.image.resize(image, (640, 640))[None, …] model = keras_cv.models.YOLOV8Detector.from_preset( "yolo_v8_m_pascalvoc", bounding_box_format="xywh", ) predictions = model.predict(image_resized) A Confluence of Innovation: In the ever-accelerating tapestry of deep learning, Keras Core 3.0 emerges as a beacon of innovation and adaptability. With its embrace of multiple backends, advanced performance optimization, amplified ecosystem, cross-framework harmony, philosophy of progressive disclosure, and the advent of the stateless API, Keras 3.0 redefines itself as the quintessential deep learning API. It resonates across the spectrum of users—novices venturing forth and experts charting the boundaries of possibility. As the grand symphony of deep learning unfolds, Keras Core 3.0 remains a steadfast companion, empowering developers to manifest their visions with unmatched finesse and precision.
Qwik Framework — Symbolizing Resumability & Serialization
An efficient JavaScript framework can build a road to success in your front-end development. Well, we live in a furiously innovative world with a variety of JavaScript Frameworks outperforming each other. But the Qwik stands out as a blazing fast yet developer-friendly framework designed to streamline your development process. Thanks to resumability and lazy loading, Qwik is 5-10 times faster than all the existing JavaScript frameworks. Meanwhile, its productive features and convenience to use craft a perfect environment for complex front-end development. Since there’s a lot to cover about Qwik, we have incorporated everything you need to know in this guide. Let’s start with understanding the framework itself and there’s a lot more waiting for you in the queue! What is Qwik? — A Solution to Developer Problems! Developed by the creator of Angular, Qwik is an open-source frontend framework known for offering super-fast page load speed and efficiency. It delivers HTML with minified JavaScript featuring the necessary elements only for an incredible performance. Thanks to its fine-grained architecture, Qwik can isolate the segments and hydrate them so that they can be used whenever required. The framework has reached a new potential with the v1.0 update offering better optimized rendering time and features like Lazy execution. Generally, developers need to incorporate a glut of JavaScript to make a website interactive. Qwik allows you to conduct the same level of development with efficient execution and trimmed JavaScript. Therefore, it gets you rid of slow loading times, network consumption, and compromised startup times. How Qwik is Overtaking Other Frameworks? Ultimate User Experience What do you expect from a framework that enables you to build a lightning-fast website? First and foremost, an amazing user experience out of the box! With JavaScript streaming, Qwik delivers digital products optimized for CWV scores regardless of the complexity of your project. Also, the framework works with Data Fetching that prevents waterfall delays and sustains the performance even on devices with unstable networks. Integrations Despite using a minified code, Qwik can still make your website highly capable with its exclusive integrations. You can write your application in a hosting provider and deploy it in various adaptors from Azure Cloudflare to Google Cloud Run. Additionally, Qwik supports UI components and libraries including QwikUI, Papanasi UI, Material UI, ChakraUI, and Radix. All this with just a command “npx quik add” and Qwik will give you access to a complete list to hunt for integrations. Interoperability Nothing can compete with Qwik when it comes to interoperability or just say communications between the devices. You have Qwik-React designed for lazy hydrating the React components to speed up your React application. The framework allows you to leverage the React ecosystem and migrate it over to Qwik for ultimate interoperability. Productive Developer Experience Not only does it ensure optimum user experience, but Qwik also unlocks a productive development environment for the developers. The framework features Directory-Based Routing and Middleware Logic ensuring convenient website creation and deployment. Moreover, its familiar JSX and unified execution model bolsters both front-end and back-end development in a single application codebase. Even if you’re looking to pin functions specifically to a server or browser, you can do it easily with “server$()”. Community of Passionate Developers Qwik is a globally connected framework with an exclusive community of developers from all around the world. The motivating and supportive community always appreciates sharing ideas and pushing the boundaries of the framework’s potential. Not to mention, the Discord community is evolving and community members are always available to answer your questions and resolve your queries. Whether it’s a bug or a general query, you can quickly reach out to the community and enjoy an unmatched development experience. Understanding Resumability & Lazy Loading Resumability: Enhancing Application Efficiency Resumability is a powerful feature allowing a program to pause its execution at a specific point and later resume from that point. Resumability enables developers to optimize resource utilization. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where long-running operations or resource-intensive tasks are involved. With the Qwik Framework, developers can leverage resumability to create more robust and responsive applications. Qwik provides mechanisms that enable the serialization of the application state, allowing for seamless pausing and resuming of execution. This empowers developers to build applications that can handle interruptions, such as network failures or user interactions, with grace. By symbolizing resumability, the Qwik Framework ensures that developers can create applications that are not only efficient but also resilient to various disruptions. Lazy Loading: Improving Performance through On-Demand Loading Lazy loading is a technique that enhances application performance by deferring the loading of certain resources until they are needed. Instead of loading all resources upfront, lazy loading enables the on-demand loading of data, components, or modules when they are required during runtime. Qwik Framework leverages lazy loading to optimize application performance. By splitting an application into smaller, independently loadable units, Qwik allows loading of only the necessary components when needed. This approach reduces the initial load time of an application and improves its responsiveness. Additionally, lazy loading can also save bandwidth and reduce memory usage, making it particularly useful for large-scale applications or those accessed over slower network connections. Conclusion: All right! Here you have industry’s most efficient JavaScript framework that is 10x faster than its alternatives. As discussed above, Qwik can split the application into independent units that only load whenever required. Similarly, the framework can isolate the segments and hydrate them to offer blazing-fast load speed and optimize the site performance. Especially if you’re working with Qwik v1.0, you can unlock all the features that we have discussed above. Whether you are an enterprise or just working on a complex project, an experienced developer is always worthwhile. Having a professional Qwik developer at your side makes the development more productive and gets you the best out of your investment.
NetDevOps — A Comprehensive Guide with Components and Obstacles
Considering the automation through Agile development processes, the software development industry has experienced a massive shift towards NetDevOps. The credit goes to its underlying network infrastructure offering network automation to fast-paced modern businesses. Since the non-DevOps approach hovers around tools, developers may experience a lack of traceability, testing, and collaboration. Here NetDevOps can help you cop with these limitations and eliminate security vulnerabilities while ensuring expected performance. Similarly, there’s a glut of things you need to know about NetDevOps if you’re looking to incorporate it into your development process. This guide will lead you to the various NetDevOps components and obstacles for a better understanding. What is NetDevOps and Why is it Worth Using? As the term describes itself, NetDevOps is a technical blend of Networking and DevOps. It streamlines the DevOps principles for the deployment and management of network services. If we dig deeper, NetDevOps apply CI/CD DevOps concepts to networking activities for faster delivery. In addition to this, its automated workflows bolster the abstraction, codification, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) implementation. NetDevOps also eliminate the configuration drift to embed quality and resiliency within the network. In a nutshell, it improves agility by driving clear workflows aiding auditing, governance, and troubleshooting. Challenges You May Face During NetDevOps Development Risk Aversion One of the challenges that organizations may face during NetDevOps development is risk aversion. Many companies are hesitant to adopt new technologies and practices due to the fear of potential failures or disruptions to their existing network infrastructure. This risk aversion can hinder the adoption of NetDevOps methodologies, which emphasize automation, continuous integration, and continuous delivery. To address this challenge, organizations need to focus on building trust by demonstrating the benefits and success stories of NetDevOps implementation. Technical Debt Technical debt refers to the accumulated shortcuts, workarounds, and suboptimal code or configurations that result from rushed or incomplete implementation of network automation processes. This can lead to various issues, including increased complexity, reduced maintainability, and decreased scalability. To mitigate technical debt, organizations should prioritize code quality, conduct regular code reviews, and follow established best practices and coding standards. Implementing automated testing frameworks and leveraging continuous integration and delivery pipelines can help identify and address technical debt early in the development process. Skills Shortage NetDevOps development requires a unique set of skills that combine network engineering, software development, and automation expertise. However, finding individuals with a strong skill set in these areas can be challenging due to the shortage of qualified professionals. To address this issue, organizations can invest in training and upskilling their existing network and IT teams. This can include providing access to relevant courses, certifications, and hands-on training programs. Collaboration with external training providers or universities can also help bridge the skills gap. Documentation Effective documentation plays a crucial role in NetDevOps development, as it ensures that network configurations, automation workflows, and troubleshooting processes are well-documented and accessible to the team. However, maintaining up-to-date and comprehensive documentation can be challenging, especially when changes occur rapidly in dynamic network environments. Organizations can address this challenge by adopting documentation frameworks and tools that facilitate automated documentation generation. Version control systems, wiki platforms, and collaborative document editing tools can also help streamline the documentation process. Unstandardized Data NetDevOps development relies on gathering and analyzing network data to drive automation and decision-making processes. However, network data can be highly diverse and unstandardized, making it challenging to extract meaningful insights and build reliable automation workflows. Organizations should invest in data normalization and standardization techniques to ensure consistency and compatibility across different data sources. This can include using standardized data models, implementing data transformation pipelines, and leveraging data analytics tools for data cleansing and preprocessing. Tool Limitations NetDevOps development often requires the use of various tools and technologies, including network configuration management systems, automation frameworks, and orchestration platforms. However, tool limitations can arise, such as a lack of integration capabilities, limited scalability, or inadequate support for specific network devices or protocols. To overcome these challenges, organizations should thoroughly evaluate and choose tools that align with their specific requirements and network environment. They should also consider open-source solutions that offer flexibility and community support. Top NetDevOps Components Modularity Modularity is a key component of NetDevOps, enabling the creation of flexible and scalable network architectures. By breaking down network systems into modular components, organizations can easily adapt and scale their networks as per evolving requirements. Modularity facilitates the deployment of microservices, allowing for the independent development and deployment of specific network functionalities. This approach not only enhances agility but also simplifies troubleshooting and maintenance, as issues can be isolated to specific modules. For instance, using containerization technologies like Docker, network functions can be encapsulated within lightweight, portable containers, ensuring consistent behavior across different environments. Example 1 – Multiple applications in a single VPC network architecture Example 2 – Single application per VPC network architecture Cultural Changes Cultural changes play a crucial role in successfully implementing NetDevOps. Traditionally, network and operations teams operated in silos, with limited collaboration between them. However, NetDevOps encourages a cultural shift towards increased collaboration, communication, and shared responsibility. By fostering a DevOps culture, organizations can break down barriers between different teams, promoting a collaborative approach to network management. This cultural shift involves embracing shared goals, establishing cross-functional teams, and encouraging continuous learning and skill development. Automation and Infrastructure as Code Automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) are pivotal components of NetDevOps, enabling organizations to achieve faster and more efficient network deployments. Automation eliminates manual, error-prone tasks and accelerates the provisioning and configuration of network devices. Tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef enable the automation of network device configurations, ensuring consistency and reducing human errors. Infrastructure as Code allows network infrastructure to be defined and managed through machine-readable configuration files, promoting version control and reproducibility. Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) practices are integral to NetDevOps, enabling organizations to rapidly and reliably deploy network changes. CI/CD pipelines automate the process of integrating code changes, testing them, and deploying them to
