Introduction to JavaScript Functions When I first started learning JavaScript, functions seemed simple enough. But then I ran into the infamous “this” problem, where “this” suddenly referred to something completely different than what I expected. Sound familiar? JavaScript functions are like Swiss Army knives, versatile, powerful, and sometimes a bit confusing. In this article, I want to tackle two aspects of JavaScript functions that took my code to the next level: ...

Introduction Ever felt like you’re writing too much code just to loop through JavaScript objects? I know I have! When I first started with JavaScript, I’d always reach for the trusty for...in loop, carefully adding those hasOwnProperty checks every single time. It worked, but it wasn’t exactly elegant. Then came ES2017 (ES8), and JavaScript gifted us with three fantastic methods that changed how we work with objects: Object.keys(), Object.values(), and Object.entries(). These methods are like the Swiss Army knives for object manipulation, simple, powerful, and incredibly useful in day-to-day coding. ...

Cutting Up Strings in JavaScript Ever been confused about all the different ways to chop up strings in JavaScript? You’re not alone! I’ve spent more hours than I’d like to admit trying to remember which method does what. JavaScript gives us three main ways to grab parts of strings: substring(), substr(), and slice(). They might look similar at first glance, but they each behave a bit differently. The String-Chopping Trio: A Quick Look Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, here’s a cheat sheet I wish I had when I was learning: ...

What’s the Deal with Lambda Expressions? If you’ve been coding in C# for a while, you’ve probably seen that funny arrow => sprinkled throughout code. That’s a lambda expression, basically a shortcut for writing tiny methods on the fly without all the ceremony of creating a named method. Think of lambdas as little function snippets that you can pass around like any other variable. They showed up in C# 3.0 and have been making our lives easier ever since. ...

Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming Ever wondered why most modern programming languages are object-oriented? It’s not just a trend; OOP completely changed how we think about building software. Object-Oriented Programming (or OOP, as we’ll call it) burst onto the scene in the 1990s and turned traditional programming on its head. Before OOP came along, most developers wrote procedural code, essentially a series of steps for the computer to follow, like a cooking recipe. While that worked for simpler programs, it became unwieldy as software grew more complex. ...

Introduction to ASP.NET Core Routing At its core, routing in ASP.NET Core is just about connecting HTTP requests to the right code in your application. Good routing gives you clean, readable URLs that make sense to both users and search engines. Since ASP.NET Core 3.0, we’ve been using something called Endpoint Routing, which has gotten better with each new version. It works the same way across all parts of your app, whether you’re using MVC controllers, Razor Pages, or the newer minimal APIs. ...

Introduction: Two Approaches to Global Access When building C# applications, we often need functionality that’s accessible from anywhere in our codebase. Two common approaches to this problem are static classes and the singleton pattern. While they might seem similar at first glance, they serve different purposes and come with their own strengths and trade-offs. In this post, I’ll walk through both approaches, show you real-world examples, and help you decide which one fits your specific needs. ...

Introduction If you’ve spent any time debugging JavaScript, you’ve probably run into type errors. You know the ones, where you try to call a method on something that turns out to be undefined or try to loop through something that isn’t actually an array. Been there, done that! JavaScript gives us two main ways to check what we’re dealing with: typeof and instanceof. They might look like they do the same thing, but trust me, mixing them up can lead to some head-scratching bugs. Let’s break down how these two operators work and when you should reach for each one. ...

What is TypeScript? Remember that first time you found a bug in your JavaScript code that was just a simple typo? Or when you spent hours debugging only to find out you passed a string where a number was expected? I sure do, and it wasn’t fun! That’s where TypeScript enters the picture. Created by Microsoft and first released in 2012, TypeScript is like JavaScript’s more disciplined sibling. It’s a superset of JavaScript, which means all your existing JavaScript code is already valid TypeScript code (cool, right?). But TypeScript adds something crucial that JavaScript lacks: a robust type system. ...

So What’s an Abstract Class Anyway? Think of an abstract class as a half-finished blueprint. You can’t build directly from it, but it gives any derived classes a head start with some pre-defined structure and behavior. It’s like a parent saying, “Here’s how our family does some things, but you’ll need to figure out these other parts yourself.” Abstract classes sit right in the sweet spot between interfaces (all talk, no action) and concrete classes (fully ready to use). They’re perfect when you want to share code but still enforce certain implementation requirements. ...