A Byte of Coding Issue 413

Hey-yo,

Here’s the issue.

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Your Node is Leaking Memory? setTimeout Could be the Reason

Published: 5 June 2024

Tags: javascript

Armin Ronacher explains how the setTimeout function in Node.js can cause memory leaks due to the retention of Timeout objects and AsyncLocalStorage states. He offers a workaround to manage these leaks until a bug in Node.js is resolved.

Some highlights:

• Timeout objects in Node.js hold references that prevent garbage collection, leading to memory leaks.

• AsyncLocalStorage attaches state to timeouts, exacerbating the issue.

• Using numeric IDs instead of Timeout objects can mitigate the problem, pending a Node.js bug fix.

Chopping UTF-8

Published: 4 June 2024

Tags: perl

Thomas Klausner explains how to chop a string to a specific byte length in Perl, dealing with UTF-8 characters. He highlights challenges in handling Unicode within byte-limited formats like USMARC.

Some highlights:

• UTF-8 uses variable-length encoding, leading to differences between byte and character lengths.

• Perl’s bytes::length() and bytes::substr() can manage byte-specific string operations, but require care with UTF-8 encoding.

• Encode::FB_QUIET can be used to avoid invalid byte sequences when truncating UTF-8 strings.

The Developer’s Guide to Directory Sync / SCIM

Published: 25 January 2024

Tags: sponsored, auth

WorkOS discusses what Directory Sync and System for Cross Identity Management are, and why they’re necessary for large organizations.

Some highlights:

• Directory sync “automates the lifecycle management process by providing a single source of truth for identity”

• “SCIM is an open source protocol for implementing Directory Sync”

• Includes comparison to just-in-time provisioning

From the Circle to Epicycles (Part 1) - An animated introduction to Fourier Series

Published: 24 April 2024

Tags: math

Andrei Ciobanu introduces Fourier Series with animations, starting with trigonometric basics and leading up to complex sinusoids and epicycles. The series aims to make Fourier mathematics more accessible and engaging through visual aids and step-by-step explanations.

Some highlights:

• Trigonometric functions like sine and cosine are foundational to understanding Fourier Series.

• Euler’s identity and formula connect exponential functions to trigonometric functions.

• Fourier Series decompose periodic functions into sums of sinusoids, enabling analysis and reconstruction of complex waveforms.