The Quantum Era Is Upon Us

Plus: Fancy Charts, Origins of the Internet, and more!

Author

David Thurman
March 20, 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…

The First-Ever Website Is Still Online

Tim Berners-Lee published the very first website in 1991 at info.cern.ch. It’s a brief guide on what the web is and how to set up a server. It’s still online and includes a cool “line mode browser simulator” to view it.

Talk about an impressive uptime

Handy Coding Tool

Catch Code Smells Early - SonarLint

SonarLint

SonarLint acts like a personal code coach, catching bugs and potential vulnerabilities as you code. Think of it as spell check, but for your programming mistakes.

Key Features:

  • Instant feedback in your IDE.

  • Supports Java, Python, JavaScript, and more.

  • Helps improve code quality and security.

Tech Highlights

Quantum Computing: The Future is Closer Than You Think

Microsoft’s Majorana 1

The quantum race is heating up, and recent breakthroughs are pushing us closer to practical quantum computing.

Here’s what’s new:

  • Microsoft’s Majorana 1 – Microsoft unveiled a new processor built on topological superconductivity, a theoretical concept that could lead to ultra-stable qubits and massive quantum computing power. (Link)

  • Amazon’s Ocelot Chip – AWS introduced Ocelot, its first quantum computing prototype, aiming to reduce quantum errors by up to 90%, a massive step toward fault-tolerant quantum machines. (Link)

  • Google’s Willow Processor – Google revealed Willow, a 105-qubit chip that has achieved groundbreaking quantum error correction, solving tasks in minutes that would take classical supercomputers millennia. (Link)

  • PsiQuantum’s Mass-Produced Quantum Chips – Startup PsiQuantum is working with GlobalFoundries to mass-produce quantum chips using photonics, meaning scalable quantum machines might not be far off. (Link)

As it turns out, unlocking the power of quantum computing has proven easier for Microsoft than getting Teams to actually work right

Programming Tip

You Know What They Say About Assuming… Validate User Input

Don’t assume users (or other systems) will send perfect input. Validate and sanitize inputs to avoid unexpected behavior, errors, or even security vulnerabilities.

Why It Helps:

  • Prevents crashes from bad input.

  • Enhances security by blocking injection attacks.

  • Improves user experience with clear error messages.

Example:

def validate_age(age):
    if not isinstance(age, int) or age <= 0:
        raise ValueError("Age must be a positive integer")

Ask the Experts

“What are some non-technical skills that are important for software developers to have, and how can someone develop them?”

“Communication and teamwork. Be able to learn from others. Don’t let your ego prevent you from asking others for help and learning from the experience.”

Senior Software Engineer @ LinkedIn

Open Source Highlight

Simplify Data Visualization with Chart.js

Chart.js

Chart.js is an open-source library for creating stunning, interactive charts. Whether it’s bar charts, line graphs, or pie charts, this library has you covered.

Why It’s Awesome:

  • Easy to use and highly customizable.

  • Lightweight with no heavy dependencies.

  • Perfect for web developers needing quick visualizations.

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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• Courses for building your tech career.
• Interviews with professional developers.
• Handy resources to make coding life easier.
• A Discord community to network with fellow devs.

www.beyondcode.app - Join for free!

Pop Quiz

JavaScript Trick Question - What does this print?

let x = "5";
let y = 2;
console.log(x + y);
console.log(x - y);

Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

Rate this weeks newsletter:

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Pop Quiz Answer:
x + y prints "52" because + triggers string concatenation
x - y prints 3 because - forces numeric conversion.

Does JavaScript make sense? No
Should you have got this question right? No