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Showing posts from January, 2020

How to Tackle a Python Interview

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Have you cleared the first round of calls with the HR? Are you going for a Python interview in person? If you’re wondering what Python-related questions may be asked, this guide should be of help. In the first section, we’ll discuss a few questions about Python's philosophy — those that help you make decisions about the architecture of a project. In the next section, we cover questions related to the Pythonic way of programming — which may manifest in the form of review or finding the output of a code snippet. A word of caution before we start. This guide talks primarily about Python's built-in capabilities. The aim of this guide is to help you get up to speed with the inherent Python functionalities that enable quick development. So we won't be able to cover every question you may face from the various types of companies out there. Development in Python: Project Architecture What is Python? Why should you use Python? If you’re interviewing for a Python role, you shoul

Machine Learning Pipelines: Setting Up On-premise Kubernetes

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In this multi-part series, I'll walk you through how I set up an on-premise machine learning pipeline with open-source tools and frameworks. Prologue: Model Training is Just A Tiny Part When most people think about machine learning, they imagine engineers and data scientists tweaking network architectures, loss functions, and tuning hyper-parameters, coupled with the constant retraining until the results are satisfactory. Indeed, training machine learning models takes a lot of hard work. A tremendous amount of time and resources are expended on research and experimentation. However, there comes a point in time when you need to start to productionize the model that you've lovingly trained and tuned. And oh, by the way, the model is expected to perform as well on next weeks' batch of data. It slowly dawns on you that Machine Learning is much bigger than models, hyper-parameters, and loss functions. It's also what happens before, during, and after training. And it d

Leave an Impression with Print Peppermint’s Fresh Designs & Premium Paper

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This article was created in partnership with Print Peppermint . Thank you for supporting the partners who make SitePoint possible. Everyone has a business card —is yours any different? Designing the ideal card for your business is a project that deserves real time and thought. For a fresh approach, consider Print Peppermint . Their in-house design services ensure your business cards will be absolutely custom and unique, and their high-end special finishes add a touch of class. They’re not the new kids on the block. Over the last seven years, they’ve produced thousands of innovative print projects, and have attracted the business of industry-leading creative companies such as Vice, Google, Geico, Wendy’s . They’ve even printed circular die-cut business cards for Grammarly —one of our office-favorite web apps! They can hand-craft something unique for you, too. You could get started with their Free Online Design Tool . It’s an easy-to-use online app that will help you design your own

How to Install MySQL

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Almost all web applications require server-based data storage, and MySQL continues to be the most-used database solution . This article discusses various options for using MySQL on your local system during development. MySQL is a free, open-source relational database. MariaDB is a fork of the database created in 2010 following concerns about the Oracle acquisition of MySQL. (It's is functionally identical, so most of the concepts described in this article also apply to MariaDB.) While NoSQL databases have surged in recent years, relational data is generally more practical for the majority of applications. That said, MySQL also supports NoSQL-like data structures such as JSON fields so you can enjoy the benefits of both worlds. The following sections examine three primary ways to use MySQL in your local development environment: cloud-based solutions using Docker containers installing on your PC. Cloud-based MySQL MySQL services are offered by AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, O

Trends in Python: What’s Hot in the Hottest Language Today

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Python is arguably the programming language nowadays. We'll explore why that might be the case, what the current trends within the Python community are, and what packages and tools you might want to get acquainted with if you don't want to be left behind. If you were pondering what programming language you should be investing time and effort in, you can stop searching now. It’s Python. Alright, that was an oversimplification. Admittedly, you aren't going to jump into a Java project that's been in development for years just to port all that code into Python just because it's “hot”. Programming languages are a means to an end, and you have to carefully consider the cost/benefit of adopting a given technology. That said, when things are massively moving in a certain direction, that has to mean something. And for some time already, things have been moving towards Python. Want to level up your Python skills and stand out in a rapidly growing market? Check out SiteP

Pair Programming: Benefits, Tips & Advice for Making it Work

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Pair Programming — a pair that's greater than the sum of its parts. You may have heard about pair programming and wondered whether it was worth trying in your workplace. On the surface it sounds simple, but two developers sitting together are not all that it takes to achieve productive pairing. Logistical and personal hurdles such as scheduling, tool choices, and distractions can stop you from getting the most out of pairing. But the potential advantages can make it worth the trouble of recognizing and surmounting these challenges. Why Pair? How could it be more productive to take two programmers who were previously working on separate projects and have them work together on a single project? Won't everything take twice as long? To an outsider the idea of pairing may sound counterproductive at first, but the advantages become apparent when you start to think about why we code and what we're trying to accomplish. Programming is not about churning out the most lines of co

Using MySQL with Node.js and the mysql JavaScript Client

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NoSQL databases are rather popular among Node developers, with MongoDB (the "M" in the MEAN stack) leading the pack. When starting a new Node project, however, you shouldn't just accept Mongo as the default choice. Rather, the type of database you choose should depend on your project's requirements. If, for example, you need dynamic table creation, or real-time inserts, then a NoSQL solution is the way to go. If your project deals with complex queries and transactions, on the other hand, an SQL database makes much more sense. In this tutorial, we'll have a look at getting started with the mysql module — a Node.js client for MySQL, written in JavaScript. I'll explain how to use the module to connect to a MySQL database and perform the usual CRUD operations, before looking at stored procedures and escaping user input. Quick Start: How to Use MySQL in Node If you've arrived here looking for a quick way to get up and running with MySQL in Node, we've g