Category: tooling
-
Unix dotfiles and rc files: a developer’s guide
Files like .eslintrc, .npmrc, and .babelrc appear in almost every modern project but are rarely explained. This article covers what dotfiles are, where the rc naming convention comes from, and why modern tools are moving away from it.
-
Setting up WordPress locally with Docker
Running WordPress locally means recreating the same web server, database, and PHP stack it runs on in production. This guide walks through setting up WordPress with Docker Compose, including fixes for two common problems you are likely to encounter on macOS.
-
A guide to frontend tooling
Frontend tooling can feel overwhelming, with competing tools, deprecated projects, and new alternatives appearing every few years. This article explains what each category of tool does and where things stand today.
-
What is Docker? Containers, images, and core commands explained
Docker packages applications and their dependencies into standardised containers that run consistently on any machine. This article explains what Docker is, how it compares to virtual machines, and covers the core commands you need to get started.
-
What is a shebang? How scripts know which interpreter to use
That strange #! at the top of a script file is called a shebang, and it tells the operating system which interpreter to use when running the script. This article explains what it is, why it is called that, and the difference between absolute path and env conventions.
-
Getting started with the Command-Line Shell
A practical guide to using the command-line shell on modern operating systems. Covers how to find, change, and configure your shell, how to run shell scripts, and what developers need to know about Bash and Zsh compatibility.