Backend Banter

#053 - Go isn’t secure?!? feat. Low Level Learning

May 13, 2024

Low Level Learning, a programming content creator, discusses C programming, low-level concepts, AI, and developer experiences. Topics include C vs Rust, front-end vs back-end difficulty, project-based learning, debugging C, side-channel attacks, tooling in C coding, and statically compiled binaries in Go.

51:13

Creator website

Episode guests

Low Level Learning

AI Summary

Highlights

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Understanding low-level concepts in languages like C is crucial for cybersecurity defense against cyber threats.

Comparison of low-level languages like C to modern high-level languages like Go and Rust showcases direct hardware control vs. abstraction.

Discussion on coding environments and tools in C development emphasizes personal preferences and efficient coding practices for developers.

Addressing the absence of a standard package manager in C requires manual dependency management strategies like setup shell scripts for library installation.

Exploring the debate between statically compiled binaries and dynamically linked libraries in C programming highlights trade-offs between portability and compatibility.

Deep dives

Philosophy and Importance of Low-Level Learning

Low-level learning involves focusing on languages like C and assembly, which enable deep understanding of the interaction between software and hardware. The speaker delves into the significance of this knowledge, particularly in cybersecurity where understanding low-level concepts is crucial for defending against cyber threats.

Understanding the Layers of Abstraction in Web Development

01:33

Harnessing and Fuzzing in Testing

00:59

Introduction

2min

Exploring Programming Languages and Web Development Complexity

11min

Exploring SQL C Library for Databases and the Shift Away from Traditional ORMs

2min

Debugging Techniques in C Programming

16min

AI Impact on Job Roles and Side Channel Attacks

7min

Exploring Tool Preferences in C Coding

11min

Statically Compiled Binaries in Go

3min

In today's episode, we welcome Low Level Learning, a fellow programmer and content creator. With over 500k subscribers and his own course where he teaches low level programming topics, he came on the podcast to talk about what he knows most: C, low level concepts, AI, as well as share some of his own developer experiences and preferences that he garnered over the years.

Learn back-end development - https://boot.dev

Listen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.fm

Low Level Learning’s Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/LowLevelTweets

Low Level Learning's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/lowlevellearning

Low Level Learning's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/LowLevelLearning

Low Level Academy: https://lowlevel.academy/

Timestmaps:

00:47 Who is Low Level Learning?

01:34 C is a High Level Language

02:47 Is C lower level than Rust or Zig?

04:33 Front-end vs Back-end, which is harder?

06:34 The Boot.dev stack

07:11 The Low Level Academy stack

07:59 Low Level Academy

09:56 Project-based learning

12:18 sqlc

14:44 How do you debug C?

17:26 Fuzzing Harness vs Unit Testing

22:28 Favorite Feature of C

23:45 If you could change one thing in C, what would it be?

26:53 Where do C programmers work?

29:16 The White House and Garbage Collectors

31:19 What is a side-channel attack?

33:56 Power side-channel attack

35:41 Side-channel attack on boot.dev

37:08 What tooling does Low Level Learning use to write C?

43:59 How do you deal with the lack of a package manager?

48:12 Opinion on statically compiled and dynamic libraries

50:36 Where to find Low Level Learning

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Backend Banter

#053 - Go isn’t secure?!? feat. Low Level Learning

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Philosophy and Importance of Low-Level Learning

Comparison of Low-Level Languages and Modern Ecosystem

Challenges and Advantages of Different Coding Environments

Package Management and Dependency Handling in C

Statically Compiled Binaries vs. Dynamic Libraries

Importance of Portable Code and Resource Constraints

User Preferences, Default Tools, and Development Practices

Security Vulnerabilities and Side Channel Attacks in C Programming

Tools and Practices for Secure and Efficient C Development

Understanding the Layers of Abstraction in Web Development

Harnessing and Fuzzing in Testing

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts