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Exploring Large Codebases

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Strategy Design Pattern in Go

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Tech Writing Cookbook - Writing tips for you and my future self

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Cryptographically strong random string

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Using defaultdict to handle key not in dict

Using difflib in Python for fuzzy string matching

Writing Unit Tests in Python ✅

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Alternative to 'ls' commnand

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Check battery status

Colorize Output in Terminal

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Extract file id from drive shareable link

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Get Release notes from Github API

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Get Total System Memory using `vmstat` command

Get total download stats from GitHub & Homebrew

Line Discipline in Unix/Linux Machines

Line Editors in Linux, Tips and Tricks

Monitor network (data) usage

Print lines between 2 words

Print value of `$PATH` in readable format

Random emoji 😲 in one line

Reuse arguments from last command

Shell Redirections ↔ Quick Guide

Writing a simple file watcher using GNU Utils

grep cheatsheet

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Configuring LSP on NeoVim

Convert bulleted/unordered lists to numbered lists

How to make Vim faster ⚡️

My Vim Cheatsheet

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Sum column values in Vim

ctags in Vim - Quick Cheatsheet

vim surround: quick cheatsheet

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Auto-complete in plain HTML

I learned about Open Graph protocol

Live Editing HTML

Turning Emojis to site favicons

`async` & `defer` Attributes

ffmpeg

Converting videos to High quality GIFs

Generate Video thumbnail using ffmpeg

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Exploring Large Codebases

Posted on 25 May, 2021
Since more than 50% of the time developers spent reading & modifying existing source code rather then writing new one, reading code is an essential skill for a developer that's why I am maintaining a log of resources, tips etc. to explore unknown Codebases
Usually picking a small task will help explore the codebase but ofc as a developer we need some powerstuff as well.
Write a glossary (class/function names, file/variable prefixes), As you read the code and encounter terms/words you don't know, write them down. Try to explain what they mean and how they relate to other terms. Create Docs for yourself
Check commit log in general for some interesting commits.
Check most commonly edited files
Read and run the tests (if any). The tests are (usually) a very clear and simple insight into otherwise complex functionality. This method should do this, this class should do that etc.
Read the documentation and comments (if any). This can really help you understand the how's and why's.
Tools
​ack​
​ag​
​Sourcetrail​
​codetour​
​vim-bookmarks​
When exploring a git repo add these aliases to find more insights like
git top10: most actively edited files.
git his: Examples of commits that modify a file (helps in understanding what needs to be changed)
git wot: See how a function evolved
[alias]
      # find commits that changed a file: git his <filepath>
      his = log --follow --color=always --date=format:'%d %b, %Y' --pretty=format:'(%Cgreen%h%Creset)[%ad] %C(blue bold)%s%Creset'
      # search code in commit history: git wot :function_name:filepath
      wot = log --date=format:'%d %b, %Y' --pretty='%n%C(yellow bold)📅️ %ad%Creset by (%C(green bold)%an%Creset) %C(cyan bold)%h%Creset' --graph -L
      # top 10 most edited files
      top10 = ! git log --pretty=format: --name-only | sort | uniq -c | sort -rg | head -10
Resources & Internet Threads
​Ask HN: How do you familiarize yourself with a new codebase?​
​General Guide For Exploring Large Open Source Codebases​
​A better way to learn a new codebase​
​7 tools for visualizing a codebase​
​How to interrogate unfamiliar code​

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Invest in decision-making skills early in career

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