Intermediate terms
Service Worker
7
A JavaScript file that runs in the background separate from the web page, intercepting network requests to enable offline support, background sync, and push notification delivery.
6mo ago
Mobile intermediate
Simplifying Complex Conditional Logic
6
Complex conditionals can be simplified with De Morgan's laws, guard clauses, decomposing into named predicates, and consolidating duplicate conditions.
6mo ago
Style intermediate
SLO / SLI / SLA
SLI (what you measure), SLO (your internal target), SLA (your customer commitment) — the hierarchy that turns vague 'uptime' promises into measurable operational objectives.
6mo ago
Observability intermediate
SPL Introduction — Standard PHP Library
PHP 5.0+
SPL (Standard PHP Library, PHP 5.0) added data structures, iterators, and interfaces — SplStack, SplQueue, SplHeap, ArrayObject, and the Iterator/Countable interfaces.
6mo ago
PHP intermediate
SQLite in Production
PHP 5.1+
2
SQLite is a serverless, file-based SQL database that is appropriate for production use in single-server applications, edge deployments, and embedded systems — with specific limitations around concurrent writes that make it unsuitable for multi-server setups.
6mo ago
Database intermediate
Starvation & Livelock
Starvation: a thread never gets resources because others monopolise them. Livelock: threads actively respond to each other but make no progress — like two people stepping aside for each other indefinitely.
6mo ago
Concurrency intermediate
Structured Output from LLMs (JSON Mode)
PHP 8.0+
Instructing an LLM to return valid JSON rather than prose — either via a system prompt schema, a JSON mode API flag, or a tool-use response format — so the output can be reliably parsed and used programmatically.
6mo ago
AI / ML intermediate
Safe Mode Removal & Modern Alternatives
PHP 4.0+
PHP's safe_mode was removed in PHP 5.4 — it provided false security. Modern alternatives are open_basedir, OS-level permissions, and containers.
6mo ago
Security intermediate
satisfies Operator (TS 4.9)
4.9
satisfies validates that a value matches a type without widening the inferred type — keeping precise literal types while checking against an interface.
6mo ago
TypeScript intermediate
Stack Overflow from Deep Recursion
PHP 5.0+
PHP has no configurable stack size limit — deep recursion causes a fatal segfault or memory exhaustion, not a catchable exception.
6mo ago
PHP intermediate
Screen Readers — How They Parse HTML
HTML5
Screen readers build an accessibility tree — semantic HTML provides roles automatically; ARIA fills gaps for custom components.
6mo ago
Accessibility intermediate
Search Indexing Pipeline
PHP 7.0+
1
The process of transforming raw content into a searchable index — extraction, normalisation, tokenisation, stemming, and index writing with incremental update strategies.
6mo ago
Search intermediate
Search-as-You-Type Patterns
1
Implementing instant search suggestions as users type — debouncing requests, prefix indexing, highlighting matches, and managing loading/empty states.
6mo ago
Search intermediate
Secure File Downloads
PHP 5.0+
Preventing path traversal, unauthorised access, and content injection when serving file downloads — validating paths, checking authorisation, and setting correct headers.
6mo ago
Security intermediate
Sensitive Data in Logs
PHP 7.0+
Logging passwords, tokens, credit card numbers, or PII — log aggregators store data indefinitely and are often less secured than primary databases.
6mo ago
Security intermediate
Service Workers & Offline Caching
ES2015
A JavaScript worker that intercepts network requests and serves responses from cache — enabling offline access, faster loads, and background sync.
6mo ago
Frontend intermediate
Shift-Left Testing
1
Moving testing earlier in the development process — catching bugs at the developer's machine and PR stage rather than in staging or production.
6mo ago
DevOps intermediate
Signed Commits & GPG Verification
1
Cryptographically signing commits with GPG or SSH keys proves the commit was made by the stated author — important for supply chain security and verifying commit integrity.
6mo ago
Git intermediate
SPL Iterators In Depth
PHP 5.1+
PHP's Standard PHP Library iterators — SplFileObject, DirectoryIterator, RecursiveIteratorIterator, FilterIterator, and LimitIterator — for memory-efficient file and data traversal.
6mo ago
PHP intermediate
SSL/TLS Certificate Types
DV (automated domain validation), OV (organisation verified), EV (deprecated green bar), Wildcard — Let's Encrypt provides free DV with automated 90-day renewal.
6mo ago
Networking intermediate