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Picture this scenario: you’re writing Python code that calls a library for ML inference in the middle. You notice the program runs slowly.

My friend who works on high-frequency trading systems once told me a story that completely changed how I think about database internals:

Working with large-scale data at Semrush, I’ve often faced the classic problem: “Is this item in my massive dataset?” When you’re dealing with billions of entries, even the most optimized database queries can become a bottleneck.

Design patterns aren’t just academic exercises - they’re communication tools. When you tell someone “this is a factory”, they immediately understand not just the structure, but the intent behind your code.

When designing high-load concurrent servers, the age-old question always comes up: “How expensive are threads, really?” After years of working with concurrent systems at Semrush and various startups, I’ve heard all the claims - “context switches will kill your performance!

After years of optimizing concurrent systems at Semrush, I’ve come to appreciate the elegance of Linux’s futex mechanism. While most developers never directly interact with futexes (and that’s perfectly fine), understanding them gives you deeper insight into how higher-level synchronization primitives actually work.

ccache, the compiler cache, is probably one of the most underrated tools for C/C++ development. If you’re compiling the Linux kernel regularly (and honestly, who isn’t these days?

In today’s digital landscape, personalization is no longer a luxury – it’s an expectation. From movie streaming services suggesting your next binge-watch to e-commerce platforms highlighting products you might love, recommender systems are the invisible engines driving user engagement and satisfaction.

Ensuring the stability of services in high-scale production environments is one of the most critical aspects of building reliable software systems.

When working with MySQL databases, it’s crucial to have a set of tools and queries at your disposal to diagnose issues, monitor performance, and ensure everything is running smoothly.