Best of InfoQ — July 2024

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   Article

   InfoQ·2y

   Thinking Like an Architect

   Key insights into the role of architects include their function as IQ amplifiers, enhancing team intelligence by simplifying complex concepts and fostering better decision-making. They bridge organizational levels, use metaphors to make technical ideas relatable, and leverage simplified models for effective problem-solving. The ability to see multiple dimensions enables architects to introduce innovative solutions, tackle constraints, and balance standardization with innovation.

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2. 2
   Article

   InfoQ·2y

   Java Virtual Threads: A Case Study

   Java Virtual Threads, introduced in JDK 21, offer a new lightweight, scalable approach to concurrency. However, they do not present clear advantages over Open Liberty's existing autonomic thread pool for typical cloud-native Java workloads. Performance evaluations revealed that while virtual threads ramp up faster, their CPU throughput is generally lower for CPU-intensive tasks. Memory footprint benefits are inconsistent and can be outweighed by other JVM memory usages. Some unexpected performance issues due to interactions with the Linux kernel and ForkJoinPool were also observed.

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3. 3
   Article

   InfoQ·2y

   CI/CD Beyond YAML

   The post discusses the evolution and scalability issues of using YAML for CI/CD systems, exemplified through the experiences of two entities, Bart and Lisa. Bart's approach with multiple YAML files becomes unwieldy as system complexity grows, leading to developer frustration and inefficiencies. Lisa's approach, presented as a superior method, avoids YAML by using tools like Dagger and focuses on local-first development to improve modularity, speed, and debugging capabilities. Airbyte implemented Lisa's approach, resulting in significant cost and performance improvements while simplifying the CI/CD process.

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