⚡️ Essential Rules for Real-World Software Engineering
Hard-won lessons that separate good engineers from great ones. These principles, forged through trial and error, cut through theory and focus on what actually works when code meets reality. A sharp reminder that true craftsmanship is built on habits, not hacks.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Hard-won lessons that separate good engineers from great ones. These principles, forged through trial and error, cut through theory and focus on what actually works when code meets reality. A sharp reminder that true craftsmanship is built on habits, not hacks.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Meziantou's blog
Essential Rules of Software Engineering
A collection of hard-learned lessons and principles that every software engineer should keep in mind for building better, more maintainable software.
⚡️ PostgreSQL on Azure gets an AI upgrade
Azure infuses PostgreSQL with deep AI capabilities — from GitHub Copilot integration that streamlines coding to native model management that simplifies deployment. For teams running data-driven apps, this turns a database staple into a smarter, more autonomous platform for AI workloads.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Azure infuses PostgreSQL with deep AI capabilities — from GitHub Copilot integration that streamlines coding to native model management that simplifies deployment. For teams running data-driven apps, this turns a database staple into a smarter, more autonomous platform for AI workloads.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft Azure Blog
PostgreSQL on Azure supercharged for AI | Microsoft Azure Blog
Find out why PostgreSQL is the most-loved database among developers, and with Azure’s latest innovations, it’s now more intelligent.
⚡️ Azure Cosmos DB Data Explorer Adds Dark Mode
Azure Cosmos DB Data Explorer finally embraces Dark Mode — a small update with a big usability payoff for developers living in the Azure Portal. It syncs seamlessly with the Portal’s own Dark Mode, bringing visual consistency and less eye strain during long data sessions.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Azure Cosmos DB Data Explorer finally embraces Dark Mode — a small update with a big usability payoff for developers living in the Azure Portal. It syncs seamlessly with the Portal’s own Dark Mode, bringing visual consistency and less eye strain during long data sessions.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Azure Cosmos DB Data Explorer now supports Dark Mode
Dark Mode is now supported in Cosmos DB Data Explorer.
⚡️ Inside .NET’s System.Diagnostics.Metrics Generators
A deep dive into the source generators in Microsoft.Extensions.Telemetry.Abstractions reveals a mixed bag. While they automate Metrics boilerplate, their design feels underwhelming — limited flexibility, moderate payoff. Useful for light telemetry, but hardly a breakthrough for .NET developers chasing real performance insights.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
A deep dive into the source generators in Microsoft.Extensions.Telemetry.Abstractions reveals a mixed bag. While they automate Metrics boilerplate, their design feels underwhelming — limited flexibility, moderate payoff. Useful for light telemetry, but hardly a breakthrough for .NET developers chasing real performance insights.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Andrew Lock | .NET Escapades
Exploring the (underwhelming) System.Diagnostics.Metrics source generators
In this post I explore the source generators shipped in Microsoft.Extensions.Telemetry.Abstractions, explore the code, and discuss whether I would use them
⚡️ Building a Python CRUD API with Azure Functions
This part of the Azure serverless series moves beyond the basics — from a simple HTTP API to a full Python CRUD API powered by Azure Functions and Azure Cosmos DB. The focus: how serverless compute and FastAPI combine to deliver scalable, infrastructure-free apps with clean, modern API design.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
This part of the Azure serverless series moves beyond the basics — from a simple HTTP API to a full Python CRUD API powered by Azure Functions and Azure Cosmos DB. The focus: how serverless compute and FastAPI combine to deliver scalable, infrastructure-free apps with clean, modern API design.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Part 2: Building a Python CRUD API with Azure Functions and Azure Cosmos DB
Series: Building Serverless Applications with Azure Functions and Azure Cosmos DB In the first post of this series, we focused on establishing the fundamentals of serverless architecture by building and deploying a simple HTTP API using Azure Functions and…
⚡️ Visual Studio 2026 turbocharges MEF extensions
MEF-based editor productivity extensions now load noticeably faster in Visual Studio 2026, cutting startup overheads for developers. Microsoft also highlights VisualStudio.Extensibility, a streamlined way to build and maintain extensions moving forward — less friction, more performance focus.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
MEF-based editor productivity extensions now load noticeably faster in Visual Studio 2026, cutting startup overheads for developers. Microsoft also highlights VisualStudio.Extensibility, a streamlined way to build and maintain extensions moving forward — less friction, more performance focus.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Performance improvements to MEF-based editor productivity extensions
If you use editor productivity extensions for Visual Studio 2026, there’s good news—they can now load faster! Extension developers with existing MEF-based editor productivity extensions should read this blog to learn about recent changes and how they might…
⚡️ VS Code Engineer Defends Workspace Trust Model
A lively Hacker News debate erupted after Jamf Threat Labs uncovered repo-based attack vectors. A VS Code team member argued that Workspace Trust remains the key defense, even as UX friction tempts users to bypass warnings — a reminder that security design is only as strong as user patience.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
A lively Hacker News debate erupted after Jamf Threat Labs uncovered repo-based attack vectors. A VS Code team member argued that Workspace Trust remains the key defense, even as UX friction tempts users to bypass warnings — a reminder that security design is only as strong as user patience.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Visual Studio Magazine
VS Code Team Member Blames User Trust Decisions in Repo-Based Attacks -- Visual Studio Magazine
In a a robust Hacker News thread sparked by Jamf Threat Labs research, a VS Code team member defended the editor's Workspace Trust model as the primary safeguard against repo-based malware -- while acknowledging UX problems that can lead users to click through…
⚡️ Azure NetApp Files adds Elastic ZRS for higher resiliency
Microsoft brings Elastic zone‑redundant storage to Azure NetApp Files, raising the bar for data resiliency and compliance. The upgrade ensures continuous data availability and zero data loss — a vital shift for organizations running mission‑critical workloads in regulated environments.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft brings Elastic zone‑redundant storage to Azure NetApp Files, raising the bar for data resiliency and compliance. The upgrade ensures continuous data availability and zero data loss — a vital shift for organizations running mission‑critical workloads in regulated environments.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft Azure Blog
Enhanced storage resiliency with Azure NetApp Files Elastic zone-redundant service | Microsoft Azure Blog
Learn how Azure NetApp Files Elastic zone‑redundant storage delivers multi‑AZ resiliency and zero data loss for mission‑critical workloads.
⚡️ WinGet Configuration automates your dev setup
Windows devs can now spin up a fully configured environment with one command using WinGet Configuration files. No more manual installs or endless tweaks — even GitHub Copilot CLI can assist in generating setup configs. It’s a smarter, faster path from blank OS to productive workspace.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Windows devs can now spin up a fully configured environment with one command using WinGet Configuration files. No more manual installs or endless tweaks — even GitHub Copilot CLI can assist in generating setup configs. It’s a smarter, faster path from blank OS to productive workspace.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
WinGet Configuration: Set up your dev machine in one command
I’ve set up a lot of dev machines in my life. Traditionally, this takes a lot of time to get everything just right, but now there’s a faster way with WinGet Configuration files. Let me show you how to go from a fresh Windows install to a fully configured…
⚡️ Visual Studio doubles down on AI reliability
Microsoft refocuses its AI strategy in Visual Studio on dependability and workflow polish. February’s roadmap spotlights sturdier agent behavior and a new Planning Agent—an early step toward multi-step task orchestration inside the IDE. The goal: make AI assistance less flashy, more fundamental.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft refocuses its AI strategy in Visual Studio on dependability and workflow polish. February’s roadmap spotlights sturdier agent behavior and a new Planning Agent—an early step toward multi-step task orchestration inside the IDE. The goal: make AI assistance less flashy, more fundamental.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Roadmap for AI in Visual Studio (February)
Discover the February roadmap for AI in Visual Studio, with improvements in reliability and integrations for better performance.
⚡️ .NET Framework 3.5 switches to standalone deployment on new Windows
.NET Framework 3.5 is no longer bundled with new Windows versions, and Microsoft will ship its servicing updates separately. This means you install it only when you actually need it. For anyone maintaining old apps, it's worth noting how updates will now arrive independently of the OS.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
.NET Framework 3.5 is no longer bundled with new Windows versions, and Microsoft will ship its servicing updates separately. This means you install it only when you actually need it. For anyone maintaining old apps, it's worth noting how updates will now arrive independently of the OS.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
.NET Framework 3.5 Moves to Standalone Deployment in new versions of Windows
An announcement of .NET Framework 3.5 servicing updates on new versions of Windows.
⚡️ Cosmos DB NoSQL gets full Microsoft Entra ID support
Cosmos DB now lets you use Microsoft Entra ID for both the control plane and the data plane. No more long‑lived secrets or shared account keys — you can switch to a passwordless, least‑privilege setup. It’s a cleaner way to secure access without dragging around legacy key‑based auth.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Cosmos DB now lets you use Microsoft Entra ID for both the control plane and the data plane. No more long‑lived secrets or shared account keys — you can switch to a passwordless, least‑privilege setup. It’s a cleaner way to secure access without dragging around legacy key‑based auth.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
How to Enable Microsoft Entra ID for Azure Cosmos DB (NoSQL)
Strengthen Azure Cosmos DB security by eliminating account keys and using Microsoft Entra ID, modern RBAC, and Zero Trust access for cloud apps.
⚡️ Soft delete in Azure SQL without relying on fragile filters
If your app needs to hide data without actually dropping rows, Azure SQL now plays nicely with soft delete. That’s handy when you expose a database to an AI agent through something like SQL MCP Server, where mistakes need to be reversible. The catch is simple: filtering on a delete flag in every query is easy to mess up, and one missing filter leaks data.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
If your app needs to hide data without actually dropping rows, Azure SQL now plays nicely with soft delete. That’s handy when you expose a database to an AI agent through something like SQL MCP Server, where mistakes need to be reversible. The catch is simple: filtering on a delete flag in every query is easy to mess up, and one missing filter leaks data.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Enable Soft Delete in Azure SQL
Learn how to enforce soft delete at the database layer in Azure SQL using Row Level Security so applications cannot accidentally expose deleted data.
⚡️ VS Code 1.109 turns into a multi‑agent dev playground
The January 2026 release of VS Code drops a big AI update: structured planning agents, parallel subagents, and a single orchestration layer that works the same locally and in the cloud. It feels less like a code editor update and more like the team wiring in a full multi‑agent workflow right into your dev setup.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
The January 2026 release of VS Code drops a big AI update: structured planning agents, parallel subagents, and a single orchestration layer that works the same locally and in the cloud. It feels less like a code editor update and more like the team wiring in a full multi‑agent workflow right into your dev setup.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Visual Studio Magazine
VS Code 1.109 Deemed a Multi-Agent Development Platform -- Visual Studio Magazine
The January 2026 release of Visual Studio Code expands AI-assisted development with structured planning agents, parallel subagents, and unified orchestration across local and cloud environments.
⚡️ azd dev containers now auto-install extensions
The azd dev container feature finally learned how to auto-install its extensions. You drop into a container and the tools you need are already there. No manual setup, no extra steps — it just installs them on launch.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
The azd dev container feature finally learned how to auto-install its extensions. You drop into a container and the tools you need are already there. No manual setup, no extra steps — it just installs them on launch.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Auto-install `azd` extensions in dev containers
The azd development (dev) container feature now supports an extensions option. You can specify a comma-separated list of azd extensions in your dev container configuration, and they install automatically when the container builds.
⚡️ Azure SQL can mask sensitive data for you
Sometimes an app needs to read records but shouldn’t see everything inside them — like SSNs, emails, or phone numbers. Azure SQL can handle that by storing the raw values but applying masking rules automatically, so the database decides what each caller is allowed to see. The example in the post shows a simple table with sensitive fields and built‑in masking turned on.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Sometimes an app needs to read records but shouldn’t see everything inside them — like SSNs, emails, or phone numbers. Azure SQL can handle that by storing the raw values but applying masking rules automatically, so the database decides what each caller is allowed to see. The example in the post shows a simple table with sensitive fields and built‑in masking turned on.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft News
Masking Sensitive Data in Azure SQL
Protect sensitive data in Azure SQL by masking SSNs, emails, and phone numbers at query time using built-in Dynamic Data Masking with no application changes.
❤1
⚡️ Claude Opus 4.6 lands in Microsoft Foundry
Microsoft quietly added Claude Opus 4.6 to Foundry, so teams can hand off entire workflows to the model instead of wiring every step manually. The idea is that Opus now handles complex tasks end‑to‑end and runs them in production without babysitting. Useful if you’re building agents or heavy enterprise automation.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft quietly added Claude Opus 4.6 to Foundry, so teams can hand off entire workflows to the model instead of wiring every step manually. The idea is that Opus now handles complex tasks end‑to‑end and runs them in production without babysitting. Useful if you’re building agents or heavy enterprise automation.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft Azure Blog
Claude Opus 4.6: Anthropic's powerful model for coding, agents, and enterprise workflows is now available in Microsoft Foundry…
Delegate complex tasks end-to-end and execute reliably with Claude Opus 4.6, now available in Microsoft Foundry.
⚡️ F# Weekly digs into FScript and the charm of slow, handcrafted code
This week’s F# Weekly highlights two things: a look at FScript and a piece celebrating intentionally slow, handcrafted code. If you're into lightweight scripting or enjoy stories about writing code by hand instead of rushing optimizations, this issue is worth a scroll.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
This week’s F# Weekly highlights two things: a look at FScript and a piece celebrating intentionally slow, handcrafted code. If you're into lightweight scripting or enjoy stories about writing code by hand instead of rushing optimizations, this issue is worth a scroll.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Sergey Tihon's Blog
F# Weekly #6, 2026 – FScript & An ode to “Slowly” handcrafted code
Welcome to F# Weekly, A roundup of F# content from this past week: Microsoft News .NET Framework 3.5 Moves to Standalone Deployment in new versions of Windows – .NET Blog Build AI Agents with…
⚡️ How to squeeze more detail out of MSBuild binlogs
MSBuild binlogs already pack a ton of data, but there’s a way to pull in even more. The post highlights how property tracking adds extra visibility that you don’t get from the default log. Useful when a regular binlog still leaves you guessing about what actually happened during the build.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
MSBuild binlogs already pack a ton of data, but there’s a way to pull in even more. The post highlights how property tracking adds extra visibility that you don’t get from the default log. Useful when a regular binlog still leaves you guessing about what actually happened during the build.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Meziantou's blog
Getting more information in MSBuild binlogs with property tracking
Learn how to enable MSBuild property tracking to get detailed information about property changes in your build logs.
⚡️ SQLCon launches this March in Atlanta
The SQL community is meeting in Atlanta for the first‑ever SQLCon, running March 16–20. The event is co‑located with FabCon, the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, so you get both worlds in one trip. If you work with SQL or Fabric, this is a pretty packed week in one place.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
The SQL community is meeting in Atlanta for the first‑ever SQLCon, running March 16–20. The event is co‑located with FabCon, the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, so you get both worlds in one trip. If you work with SQL or Fabric, this is a pretty packed week in one place.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
Microsoft
Five Reasons to attend SQLCon | Microsoft Fabric Blog | Microsoft Fabric
The SQL community is gathering in Atlanta this March for the first‑ever SQLCon, co‑located with FabCon, the Microsoft Fabric Community Conference, March 16-20. One registration unlocks both events, giving you access to deep SQL expertise and the latest in…
⚡️ Using lenses to tighten up weak test assertions
The author revisits a test from a previous article that felt too weak and uses it as a starting point to show how lenses can strengthen similar cases. The new examples walk through tests with underpowered assertions and demonstrate how lens-based checks make them more precise. No magic, just cleaner and more reliable test code.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
The author revisits a test from a previous article that felt too weak and uses it as a starting point to show how lenses can strengthen similar cases. The new examples walk through tests with underpowered assertions and demonstrate how lens-based checks make them more precise. No magic, just cleaner and more reliable test code.
♻️ Subscribe for free now!
ploeh blog
Simplifying assertions with lenses
Get ready for some cryptic infix operators.