Code Quality on Caktus Group

JavaScript Variable Declaration in the 21st Century

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:32:15 +0000

October 2020 marked the 14th anniversary of the introduction of “let” and "const" to Javascript. Yes, it was in 2006 that this feature was first introduced, and we’re still having conversations about it. So why, you ask, are we still talking about this? It seems that a lot of confusion remains, not to mention a lot of old code being passed around on StackOverflow with “var” all over the place. Here I’ll discuss the difference between these three declarations, and come to a conclusion about best practices

Suggestions For Picking Up Old Projects

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 18:36:49 +0000

At Caktus, we work on many projects, some of which are built by us from start to finish, while others are inherited from other sources. Oftentimes, we pick up a project that we either have not worked on in a long time, or haven’t worked on at all, so we have to get familiar with the code and figure out the design decisions that were made by those who developed it (including when the developers are younger versions of ourselves). Moreover, it is a good idea to improve the setup process in each project, so others can have an easier time getting set up in the future. In our efforts to work on such projects, a few things have been helpful both for becoming familiar with the projects more quickly, and for making the same projects easier to pick up in the future.

My New Year’s Resolution: Work Less to Code Better

Thu, 27 Dec 2018 12:00:00 +0000

You may look at my job title (or picture) and think, “Oh, this is easy, he’s going to resolve to stand up at his desk more.” Well, you’re not wrong, that is one of my resolutions, but I have an even more important one. I, Jeremy Gibson, resolve to do less work in 2019. You’re probably thinking that it’s bold to admit this on my employer’s blog. Again, you’re not wrong, but I think I can convince them that the less work I do, the more clear and functional my code will become. My resolution has three components.

Culture of Unit Testing

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 14:30:00 +0000

Unit testing is something that deeply divides programmer communities. Nearly everyone agrees that it’s good to have unit tests in place, but some developers question whether the time invested in writing unit tests would be better spent writing “real” code, doing manual QA, or debugging.

False Peaks and Temporary Code

Mon, 11 Sep 2017 13:30:00 +0000

In the day-to-day work of building new software and maintaining old software, we can easily lose sight of the bigger picture. I think we can find perspective when we step back and walk through the evolution of a single piece of software.

How to write a bug report

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 13:00:00 +0000

Here are some brief thoughts on writing good bug reports in general.

Main elements

There are four crucial elements when writing a bug report:

Plan for mistakes as a developer

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 18:44:30 +0000

I Am Not Perfect.

I've been programming professionally for 25 years, and the most important thing I have learned is this:

Insights into software development from a quality assurance (QA) pro

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:51:24 +0000

Because quality assurance (QA) is all about creating a seamless application experience across any number of devices, it’s most successful when no one notices it. The craft and expertise behind the work of QA professionals, as a result, can sometimes feel hidden. Charlotte Fouque, Caktus’ QA Analyst, sheds light onto what exactly quality assurance is and the intricacies of doing it well.

How I Built a Power Debugger (PyCon 2016 Must-See Talk: 3/6)

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 14:15:27 +0000

Part three of six in our annual PyCon Must-See Series, a weekly highlight of talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. With so many fantastic talks, it’s hard to know where to start, so here’s our short list.

What We’re Clicking - July Link Roundup

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Here’s external links our team’s been chatting about and sharing on social media since the last roundup.

Web Service Efficiency at Instagram with Python (Instagram)

“Instagram currently features the world’s largest deployment of the Django web framework, which is written entirely in Python. We initially chose to use Python because of its reputation for simplicity and practicality, which aligns well with our philosophy of ‘do the simple thing first.’”

What We’re Clicking - May Link Roundup

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 14:16:14 +0000

Below you can find this month’s roundup of articles and posts shared by Cakti that drew the most attention on Twitter. The list covers coding for matrix factorization algorithms in Python, designing apps that optimize for sequential dual screen usage, preventing technical debt, and understanding the complexities and limitations involved in building apps for low-income American families.

Webinar: Testing Client-Side Applications with Django

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 16:40:09 +0000

Technical Director Mark Lavin will be hosting a free O’Reilly webinar today at 4PM EST or 1PM PT on Testing Client-Side Applications with Django. Mark says testing is one of the most popular question topics he receives. It’s also a topic near and dear to Caktus’ quality-loving heart. Mark’s last webinar garnered more than 500 viewers, so sign up quick!

Caktus Hosts Lightweight Django Book Launch with Girl Develop It

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 03:13:42 +0000

With Girl Develop It RDU, we celebrated the launch of Lightweight Django (O’Reilly) with the authors, Caktus Technical Director Mark Lavin and Caktus alum Julia Elman. Sylvia Richardson of Girl Develop It MCed. The event was open to the public and so popular we kept recounting the RSVPs and fretting over the fire code. But, phew, we were good. In attendance were friends, family, fellow Cakti, and Django fans from around the Triangle.

A Culture of Code Reviews

Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Code reviews are one of those things that everyone agrees are worthwhile, but sometimes don’t get done. A good way to keep getting the benefits of code reviews is to establish, and even nurture, a culture of code reviews.

Why Caktus Uses Django

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:45:31 +0000

Here at Caktus, we use the popular Django web framework for a lot of our custom web application development. We don't use Django simply because it's popular, easy to learn, or happened to be the first thing we found. We've written web apps in PHP, Java, and Ruby on Rails--all before we discovered Django--but were never quite satisfied. Following are just a few of the reasons that we both enjoy working with Django and believe it gives you (the client) the best end-product.