Blog
design
Markdown to HTML: Which Converter for Which Job (and the Cheatsheet)
The same Markdown file produces different HTML depending on the tool. Which converter fits which job — browser, pandoc, Python, JS, VS Code — plus the cheatsheet.
8 min read
design
Image Compression Without Losing Quality: The Real Trade-Off Explained
"Compression without quality loss" only exists in lossless. The real goal is visually lossless — here's the honest difference and how to hit it deliberately.
11 min read
design
Cron Syntax Cheatsheet (2026): Read and Build Any Crontab Expression
Cron syntax explained: the 5-field order, a 10-second reading model, 16 verified recipes, the day-of-week OR gotcha, DST traps, and cron vs systemd timers.
10 min read
design
Regex Tester & Pattern Builder: A Practical Guide to Patterns That Actually Work
How to build regular expressions that actually work: anchors, quantifiers, the flavor traps across engines, and the ReDoS pattern that can hang your server. Test as you go.
9 min read
design
JSON vs YAML vs TOML: When to Pick Each (a Developer's Decision Guide)
JSON vs YAML vs TOML, decided: JSON for APIs and data, YAML for Kubernetes/CI config (mind the Norway problem), TOML for explicit app config like Cargo.toml. A clear decision guide.
9 min read
design
Base64 Encoding Explained: When and Why Developers Use It (and the Traps)
What Base64 does (3 bytes to 4 ASCII chars, +33% size), the real use cases (data URIs, JWT, Basic auth), and the traps: it is not encryption and not compression.
8 min read
design
Custom-Branded QR Codes: Add a Logo and Colors With a Free QR Code Generator
How error correction lets you overlay a logo on a QR code, the contrast and quiet-zone rules that keep it scannable, and the static-vs-dynamic catch.
8 min read
design
HEX to RGB to CMYK in 2026: Why the Print Color Never Matches the Screen
HEX to RGB is exact math. RGB to CMYK is a lossy guess that depends on the press, the paper, and an ICC profile.
8 min read
design
Color Palette Tools for Accessibility: Why Most Palettes Fail Before You Ship
83.6% of homepages fail contrast. How to pick tools that verify accessible palettes, avoid common mistakes, and test the right combinations.
9 min read
design
WCAG Contrast for SaaS Dashboards: The 5-minute Audit That Catches Most Sins
Most SaaS dashboards quietly fail WCAG contrast on the metrics, sparklines, and disabled states nobody checks.
8 min read