Advanced terms
A* Pathfinding Algorithm
Heuristic search algorithm that finds the lowest-cost path using f(n)=g(n)+h(n), widely used in maps and game AI.
2mo ago
algorithms advanced
Abstract readonly Properties
PHP 8.4+
PHP 8.4 allows abstract readonly properties in abstract classes and interfaces — defining that implementations must provide a readonly property of a specific type.
2mo ago
php advanced
Actor Model
The Actor Model treats everything as an actor — isolated units that communicate only by message passing, never sharing state — eliminating race conditions by design.
2mo ago
concurrency advanced
AI Agent Pattern
1
An LLM-powered system that takes multi-step actions autonomously — calling tools, reading results, and deciding next steps in a loop until a goal is achieved.
2mo ago
ai_ml advanced
Apache Kafka Fundamentals
PHP 7.0+
A distributed event streaming platform that stores messages as an immutable ordered log partitioned across a cluster — optimised for high-throughput, durable, replayable event streams rather than traditional task queues.
2mo ago
messaging advanced
Branded / Opaque Types in TypeScript
A technique to make structurally identical types incompatible — a UserId and an OrderId are both strings, but branding makes them distinct types so passing an OrderId where UserId is expected is a compile-time error.
2mo ago
typescript advanced
Change Data Capture (CDC)
A pattern for tracking and streaming every insert, update, and delete from a database — by reading the database's internal transaction log rather than polling tables — enabling real-time event-driven integrations without impacting query performance.
2mo ago
database advanced
Compare-And-Swap (CAS)
1
CAS atomically compares a memory location to an expected value and only swaps it if equal — the foundation of lock-free algorithms and optimistic concurrency control.
2mo ago
concurrency advanced
Consistent Hashing
A hashing technique used in distributed systems where adding or removing a node rebalances only a fraction of keys rather than remapping everything — essential for distributed caches, load balancers, and sharded databases.
2mo ago
architecture advanced
CQRS Pattern
PHP 7.0+
Command Query Responsibility Segregation — separating the write model (commands that change state) from the read model (queries that return data), allowing each to be optimised independently.
2mo ago
messaging advanced
CRDTs — Conflict-Free Replicated Data Types
Data structures designed to be replicated across multiple nodes where concurrent updates are automatically merged without conflicts — no coordination or consensus required, enabling high availability with eventual consistency.
2mo ago
architecture advanced
DNF Types (PHP 8.2)
PHP 8.2+
PHP 8.2 DNF (Disjunctive Normal Form) types allow unions of intersections — (Countable&Iterator)|null — combining PHP 8.1 intersection types with union types.
2mo ago
php advanced
Exactly-Once Delivery
Exactly-once delivery ensures each message is processed exactly once — achievable only with coordination between broker and consumer using transactions or idempotent producers.
2mo ago
messaging advanced
FFI — Foreign Function Interface (PHP 7.4)
PHP 7.4+
PHP 7.4 FFI allows calling C functions and accessing C data structures directly from PHP — enabling Python-like ctypes integration for native libraries without writing C extensions.
2mo ago
php advanced
Fibers — Cooperative Concurrency (PHP 8.1)
PHP 8.1+
PHP 8.1 Fibers enable cooperative multitasking — suspending execution at yield points and resuming later — the foundation for async PHP frameworks without OS threads.
2mo ago
php advanced
infer Keyword in Conditional Types
2.8
The infer keyword inside conditional types lets TypeScript extract and name a type from within a generic structure — enabling ReturnType<T>, Awaited<T>, and custom type extraction.
2mo ago
typescript advanced
Intersection & DNF Types in Practice
PHP 8.1+
PHP 8.1 intersection types (A&B) and PHP 8.2 DNF types ((A&B)|null) allow precise type constraints for objects implementing multiple interfaces.
2mo ago
php advanced
JIT Compiler Introduction (PHP 8.0)
PHP 8.0+
PHP 8.0's JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler compiles hot bytecode to native machine code at runtime — significant gains for CPU-bound tasks, minimal gains for typical web requests.
2mo ago
php advanced
Leader Election in Distributed Systems
A coordination protocol where distributed nodes agree on a single 'leader' that takes responsibility for a specific task — preventing multiple nodes from performing the same action simultaneously (duplicate work, split-brain).
2mo ago
architecture advanced
Lock-Free Programming
1
Lock-free algorithms guarantee system-wide progress without mutexes — using atomic CPU instructions (CAS) so at least one thread always makes forward progress even if others are delayed.
2mo ago
concurrency advanced