Gaming on the Go?

Clean Configs, Tracking Snippets, and More!

Author

David Thurman
April 03, 2025

Morning folks! This is Beyond Code - the newsletter designed to help developers build their careers, one Thursday at a time.

Note: This newsletter is not sponsored. Any websites/tools/apps we recommend are purely because we enjoy them personally

Did You Know…

Nokia Began as a Paper Mill

Founded in Finland in 1865, Nokia started with paper manufacturing before branching into rubber, electronics, and eventually mobile phones.

So maybe Dunder Mifflin’s biggest mistake was never entering the phone market

Handy Coding Tool

Organize Your Snippets Like a Pro - SnippetsLab

SnippetsLab

If your “coding snippets” are scattered across sticky notes, random files, or the back of a napkin, SnippetsLab is here to help. It’s a powerful snippet manager that keeps your code snippets neatly organized and ready for reuse.

Key Features:

  • Group and tag snippets for easy searching.

  • Syntax highlighting for 500+ languages.

  • Syncs with iCloud, Dropbox, and Git for backup.

Website: SnippetsLab

Tech Highlights

Handheld Gaming is Having a Moment

When it comes to handheld gaming, most people only talk about the Steam Deck or upcoming Switch 2. Despite this, there have been some interesting developments lately to keep an eye on:

Xbox Handheld: Microsoft Might Join the Race - Microsoft is reportedly developing an Xbox handheld codenamed “Keenan,” expected in 2025. It’s designed to deliver full Xbox console experiences on the go, integrating cloud gaming and Game Pass. (Link)

MagicX Zero 40: A Love Letter to the Nintendo DS - The MagicX Zero 40 is a new emulator handheld built for DS lovers, featuring a vertical 4-inch touchscreen and native support for DS, N64, PSP, and Dreamcast emulation. Launching in April 2025 for $75. (Link)

Retroid Pocket 5: The Ultimate Emulation Machine - Running Android, the Retroid Pocket 5 can emulate PS2, GameCube, and more. It features a 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED display, 8GB RAM, and 128GB storage for $219. (Link)

Playdate: Cranking Up Nostalgia - The Playdate is a tiny, indie-friendly handheld with a black-and-white screen and a crank for unique game mechanics. It’s weird, it’s fun, and it has a growing library of quirky games. (Link)

But most importantly, it only took Nintendo 8 years to update the Switch

Programming Tip

Avoid Hardcoding Configuration Values

Don’t scatter API keys, database credentials, or configuration values across your code. Use environment variables or a configuration file.

Why It Matters:

  • Improves security by keeping sensitive data out of the codebase.

  • Makes code portable across environments.

  • Simplifies updates to configuration values.

Bad:

api_key = "12345"

Good:

import os
api_key = os.getenv("API_KEY")

Ask the Experts

“What are some effective ways to stand out during a job interview for a software development position?”

Try to talk through problems with the interviewer. Even if you don’t know the answer, you should make an effort to convey your intelligence and what you do know. Explain your thought process when doing whiteboarding problems and if you get stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help- often times interviewers want to know that candidates are willing to collaborate. With the understanding that an interview is not one-sided, don’t be afraid to ask questions to the interviewer.

James N, Senior Software Engineer @ Clayton

Open Source Highlight

Create Beautiful CLI Tools with Ink

Ink is an open-source React framework for building CLI applications. It brings the component-based approach of React to the command line, making your CLI tools both functional and gorgeous.

Why It’s Awesome:

  • Leverages React knowledge for CLI apps.

  • Supports advanced UI components.

  • Great for tools requiring user interaction.

What’s Open Source?
“Open sourced projects” refer to projects that have their code open to the public. They allow anyone to contribute to the project and help maintain it. Not only are they a great way to get hands on experience early on in your career, they also provide you a way to add bigger projects to your resume!

Shameless Plug

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Pop Quiz

What’s the Problem with This Query?

SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = "[email protected]";

A) email should be enclosed in single quotes (')
B) email should use LIKE instead of =
C) email should be indexed first
D) There’s nothing wrong

Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

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Pop Quiz Answer: A) email should be enclosed in single quotes (') – SQL string values must use single quotes ('[email protected]').