Hacking the Grepson

Advent of Code is not the only periodic programming puzzle game in town. Matt and Mike discuss Everybody Codes, a similar development challenge that is inspired by it.

Note: we spoil the first 2 of 20 quests with our approaches and answers.

* Everybody Codes

* Advent of Code

Ever wanted to automate industry on an alien world? Factorio has got you covered. Matt and Mike finally dig into this fascinating factory simulator that features familiar programming challenges.

* Factorio

* The Planet Crafter

* PlateUp!

* Don't Starve

Matt explains the computer science behind Big O notation. Mike mainly listens.

• Big O notation

Matt and Mike talk about Mike's latest web game: Deckdle. Try your hand (oof, sorry) at a new solitaire setup each day, as you attempt to move all the cards in the tableau to your base before your stock runs out!

* Deckdle, a daily solitaire card game

* Solitaire (Wikipedia)

  * Golf variant (Wikipedia)

Rubber duckies may make bath time lots of fun, but they can also make debugging easier. Matt and Mike discuss this curiosity of the development world.

Blogging is a way to share your thoughts about something in a long-form way, and doing so about development or programming can be helpful to others, as well as yourself. Matt and Mike chat about it.

What's with all the sound in this podcast that isn't talking? Mike explains.

You write code, you run it through linting, you run it through tests, it gets built somewhere and gives you a report. But did you have another human being look at it, regardless? Code reviews can have benefits and drawbacks, and Matt and Mike discuss them.

While we probably spend just as much, if not more, time on file formats, the crux of this episode is data formats. What are they? Why so many? Matt and Mike discuss.

Sure, you wrote some code. But have you considered...rewriting it? Actually, just refactor it a little, for the sake of Future You. Matt and Mike talk about a man who once tried some IRL "refactoring" and the realizations that came from it.

* How refactoring almost ruined my marriage