Best of InfoWorld — July 2025

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   InfoWorld·45w

   Database design tips for developers

   A comprehensive guide covering essential database design practices to prevent schema degradation over time. Key recommendations include using simple 'ID' primary keys for all tables, avoiding spaces in naming conventions, using plural table names, implementing clear foreign key labeling patterns, indexing all queried fields, enforcing referential integrity, and separating SQL from application code. Additional best practices cover proper data types, timestamp fields, stored procedures, and avoiding common pitfalls like boolean null states and string-based state management.

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   InfoWorld·43w

   JetBrains working on higher-abstraction programming language

   JetBrains is developing a new higher-abstraction programming language that would allow developers to write code in English-like syntax to describe program architecture and functionality. The language aims to make AI code generation more controllable and transparent, enabling developers to create cross-platform applications by writing specifications that AI agents can then translate into platform-specific code for iOS, Android, web, and other platforms.

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   InfoWorld·46w

   What you absolutely cannot vibe code right now

   Large language models excel at generating repetitive, well-understood code like CRUD applications and web development, but struggle significantly with algorithmic problems and novel implementations. Through practical experience porting a patch system from Python to TypeScript, the author demonstrates that LLMs fail at medium to hard difficulty problems where they cannot rely on well-known templates. While LLMs are valuable tools for routine development tasks, they require human oversight and cannot autonomously handle complex algorithmic design or domains with limited training examples.

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   InfoWorld·47w

   Meet Zig: The modern alternative to C

   Zig is a modern systems programming language designed as a safer, simpler alternative to C. Created by Andrew Kelley in 2015, it features explicit memory management through allocator objects, compile-time code execution with 'comptime', and strong C/C++ interoperability. Unlike C, Zig eliminates preprocessors and macros in favor of conditional compilation, uses error union types instead of exceptions, and includes a built-in package manager. Currently at version 0.14.0, Zig is already used in production by projects like Bun.js runtime and TigerBeetle database, with the language moving toward self-hosted compilation beyond LLVM dependency.

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