Hot New Web Dev – December 2024

Welcome to Hot Web Dev December 2024, featuring the latest technology and web development news. This month I play around with Apple Intelligence to see what all the fuss is about. Highlights include rogue Chrome browser extensions exposing user data, learning and coding resources. December’s tool of the month aims to assist developers when creating new projects. Happy New Year and hope that 2025 brings us more learning resources and tools that you will love.

Apple Intelligence – Available for the UK

For those of you who have one of the latest Macs including M1 or greater. In the UK, Apple Intelligence is available on our Macs since the most recent version of Sequoia 15.2. One of the most useful features is the writing tool, which can proofread your text and rewrite it to correct your choice of tone. All Mac proprietary tools have it as default, but it is available in third-party apps including browsers and Microsoft Word. There is an SDK available for future apps to integrate it. ChatGPT can be enabled to generate content from scratch without an account or you can sign into your account to access paid features.

The most fun I have had is playing with the image playground, which I stumbled across inside the launchpad. After enabling it I started generating an image of myself. I had mixed results although I found the animation-style image of myself more flattering than the illustration which made me look more like my late grandma. I questioned my sanity and whether I looked that old. Perhaps I should ask my children for clarification, or maybe not!

Although it is still the early days of Apple Intelligence there are many more avenues to being more awesome. I look forward to creating an illustration of myself that doesn’t make me look 100.

Security – Chrome Browser Extensions

A new attack campaign targeted Chrome browser extensions, compromising at least 16 extensions and exposing over 600,000 users to data exposure and credential theft. The campaign used phishing to gain access permissions and insert malicious code into legitimate extensions, stealing cookies and user access tokens. Security researchers are investigating the extent of the attack and to identify the threat actors. The rogue extensions use popular buzzwords such as AI, ChatGPT, Bard and VPN which users are likely to install without hesitancy.

Source

The Hacker News

Learning Resources

January is always a good time to start learning and pick up a deal or two in the January sales. Codecamedy are offering 50% off an annual Pro membership which is usually £15.99 per month if paying yearly. With it, you get access to 400+ courses, 45+ technical skill paths, 12 structured career paths, mobile access for on-the-go learning, and build your portfolio and practice for those important tech interviews.

If you are looking for free resources you can find something you like including the infamous CS50 in 62 Harvard University courses.

If web development interests you, you can find valuable information in the FreeCodeCamp beginner’s guide on how to become a web developer.

Coding Resources

I have been following a Laravel course on YouTube over the past month. Although familiar with PHP I have never used a PHP framework (WordPress is not classed as one). PHP was hugely popular in the early 2000s and was slowly cast aside when NodeJS was introduced in 2008. Since then JavaScript has become more popular, especially with libraries and frameworks such as React, Vue and Svelte. Deciding on which server-side language and framework to choose when developing an app is quite a personal decision. Laravel Vs Next JS can shed some light on which framework is suited for your next project.

WOW Tool Of The Month

December’s tool of the month is Workik, a productivity tool specifically designed for developers. With Workik, you can effortlessly generate a project based on your codebase, database schema, and tech stack. For instance, you can create a Svelte 5 application using Tailwind CSS and seamlessly integrate a PostgreSQL database for data storage.

Workik provides developers with AI-powered tools, including code generation, AI bots, and comprehensive database documentation. These features include AI-driven assistance, customisable environments, and collaboration tools, making it an ideal companion for developers seeking to streamline their workflows and enhance productivity.

The Best of the Rest in December 2024

• 37 Tips from a Senior Frontend Developer
• EP132: Big O Notation 101: The Secret to Writing Efficient Algorithms
• 200+ Tailwind CSS Resources: Tools, Tutorials, and More
• A Step-by-Step Approach to System Design
• 🚀 Accelerate Your Career Path and Professional Development