The latest articles on DEV Community by Ben Halpern (@ben). https://dev.to/ben https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F1%2Fbabb96d0-9cd2-49bc-a412-2dc4caf94c2a.png https://dev.to/ben en Ben Halpern Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:59:37 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-3lh9 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-3lh9 <p><strong>Meme Monday!</strong></p> <p>Today's cover image comes from <a href="https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-o5i">the last thread</a>.</p> <p>DEV is an inclusive space! Humor in poor taste will be downvoted by mods.</p> discuss watercooler jokes Ben Halpern Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:58:35 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/big-performance-upgrade-in-devforem-tag-queries-shipped-yesterday-breath-of-fresh-air-2pp0 https://dev.to/ben/big-performance-upgrade-in-devforem-tag-queries-shipped-yesterday-breath-of-fresh-air-2pp0 database news performance Ben Halpern Tue, 31 Mar 2026 12:52:00 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/im-such-a-slow-typer-361f https://dev.to/ben/im-such-a-slow-typer-361f <div class="ltag__link--embedded"> <div class="crayons-story "> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7" class="crayons-story__hidden-navigation-link">What is your WPM (Words per Minute)? #1</a> <div class="crayons-article__cover crayons-article__cover__image__feed"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z9G1Mf6TZRs" title="What is your WPM (Words per Minute)? #1"></iframe> </div> <div class="crayons-story__body crayons-story__body-full_post"> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7" class="crayons-article__context-note crayons-article__context-note__feed"><p>Top scores will feature in a monthly report</p> </a> <div class="crayons-story__top"> <div class="crayons-story__meta"> <div class="crayons-story__author-pic"> <a href="/francistrdev" class="crayons-avatar crayons-avatar--l "> <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3711376%2F746cce1f-2c09-40fc-9742-387af1855b6d.gif" alt="francistrdev profile" class="crayons-avatar__image"> </a> </div> <div> <div> <a href="/francistrdev" class="crayons-story__secondary fw-medium m:hidden"> FrancisTRᴅᴇᴠ (っ◔◡◔)っ </a> <div class="profile-preview-card relative mb-4 s:mb-0 fw-medium hidden m:inline-block"> FrancisTRᴅᴇᴠ (っ◔◡◔)っ <a href="/++"><img alt="Subscriber" class="subscription-icon" src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/subscription-icon-805dfa7ac7dd660f07ed8d654877270825b07a92a03841aa99a1093bd00431b2.png"></a> <div id="story-author-preview-content-3432178" class="profile-preview-card__content crayons-dropdown branded-7 p-4 pt-0"> <div class="gap-4 grid"> <div class="-mt-4"> <a href="/francistrdev" class="flex"> <span class="crayons-avatar crayons-avatar--xl mr-2 shrink-0"> <img src="https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=800%2Cheight=%2Cfit=scale-down%2Cgravity=auto%2Cformat=auto/https%3A%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3711376%2F746cce1f-2c09-40fc-9742-387af1855b6d.gif" class="crayons-avatar__image" alt=""> </span> <span class="crayons-link crayons-subtitle-2 mt-5">FrancisTRᴅᴇᴠ (っ◔◡◔)っ</span> </a> </div> <div class="print-hidden"> Follow </div> <div class="author-preview-metadata-container"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7" class="crayons-story__tertiary fs-xs"><time>Mar 30</time><span class="time-ago-indicator-initial-placeholder"></span></a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="crayons-story__indention"> <h2 class="crayons-story__title crayons-story__title-full_post"> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7" id="article-link-3432178"> What is your WPM (Words per Minute)? #1 </a> </h2> <div class="crayons-story__tags"> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--filled " href="/t/discuss"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>discuss</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/watercooler"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>watercooler</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/challenge"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>challenge</a> <a class="crayons-tag crayons-tag--monochrome " href="/t/community"><span class="crayons-tag__prefix">#</span>community</a> </div> <div class="crayons-story__bottom"> <div class="crayons-story__details"> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7" class="crayons-btn crayons-btn--s crayons-btn--ghost crayons-btn--icon-left"> <div class="multiple_reactions_aggregate"> <span class="multiple_reactions_icons_container"> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/multi-unicorn-b44d6f8c23cdd00964192bedc38af3e82463978aa611b4365bd33a0f1f4f3e97.svg" width="18" height="18"> </span> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/raised-hands-74b2099fd66a39f2d7eed9305ee0f4553df0eb7b4f11b01b6b1b499973048fe5.svg" width="18" height="18"> </span> <span class="crayons_icon_container"> <img src="https://assets.dev.to/assets/sparkle-heart-5f9bee3767e18deb1bb725290cb151c25234768a0e9a2bd39370c382d02920cf.svg" width="18" height="18"> </span> </span> <span class="aggregate_reactions_counter">76<span class="hidden s:inline"> reactions</span></span> </div> </a> <a href="https://dev.to/francistrdev/what-is-your-wpm-words-per-minute-1af7#comments" class="crayons-btn crayons-btn--s crayons-btn--ghost crayons-btn--icon-left flex items-center"> Comments 84<span class="hidden s:inline"> comments</span> </a> </div> <div class="crayons-story__save"> <small class="crayons-story__tertiary fs-xs mr-2"> 1 min read </small> <span class="bm-initial"> </span> <span class="bm-success"> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Ben Halpern Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:14:13 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-o5i https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-o5i <p><strong>Meme Monday!</strong></p> <p>Today's cover image comes from <a href="https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-1bec">the last thread</a>.</p> <p>DEV is an inclusive space! Humor in poor taste will be downvoted by mods.</p> discuss watercooler jokes Ben Halpern Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:00:14 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/im-so-sick-of-my-editor-telling-me-how-great-i-am-not-that-im-not-great-2oam https://dev.to/ben/im-so-sick-of-my-editor-telling-me-how-great-i-am-not-that-im-not-great-2oam Ben Halpern Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:58:22 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/speed-vs-smarts-for-coding-agents-3h https://dev.to/ben/speed-vs-smarts-for-coding-agents-3h <p>I'm curious if you specifically have a sense of where you draw the line in terms of your interest in AI assistants in your editor and/or CLI that work <em>fast</em>, or are maximally <em>smart</em>.</p> <p>It's hard to pass up the smartest model, but speed has to matter too.</p> <p>Can you articulate this?</p> agents ai productivity discuss Ben Halpern Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:33:04 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/the-software-industry-is-ready-to-grow-4ie4 https://dev.to/ben/the-software-industry-is-ready-to-grow-4ie4 <p>I don't spend a lot of time on the X these days, but I think this perspective is worth linking:</p> <p><iframe class="tweet-embed" id="tweet-2036832183131033977-989" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2036832183131033977"> </iframe> // Detect dark theme var iframe = document.getElementById('tweet-2036832183131033977-989'); if (document.body.className.includes('dark-theme')) { iframe.src = "https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2036832183131033977&amp;theme=dark" } </p> <p>I believe we're working through a scary middle for tech companies where the only thing they can think to do with AI is cutting costs. But I think tooling is getting there to the point where there will be renewed growth — for developers with a handle on how to leverage their skills and knowledge for AI-driven development.</p> ai career agents Ben Halpern Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:03:27 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-1bec https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-1bec <p><strong>Meme Monday!</strong></p> <p>Today's cover image comes from <a href="https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-cc9">the last thread</a>.</p> <p>DEV is an inclusive space! Humor in poor taste will be downvoted by mods.</p> discuss watercooler jokes Ben Halpern Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:02:04 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/my-ai-agent-messed-up-a-utc-time-conversion-algorithm-after-i-specifically-told-it-to-make-no-46k7 https://dev.to/ben/my-ai-agent-messed-up-a-utc-time-conversion-algorithm-after-i-specifically-told-it-to-make-no-46k7 agents ai algorithms discuss Ben Halpern Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:37:22 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/whats-in-your-headphones-when-you-code-51i4 https://dev.to/ben/whats-in-your-headphones-when-you-code-51i4 <p>Let's revisit this conversation!</p> <p>What music, soundtracks, podcasts, etc do you listen to and is there something different for a different type of task?</p> discuss watercooler Ben Halpern Mon, 16 Mar 2026 17:50:41 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/happy-monday-1812 https://dev.to/ben/happy-monday-1812 community discuss watercooler Ben Halpern Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:27:33 +0000 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-cc9 https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-cc9 <p><strong>Meme Monday!</strong></p> <p>Today's cover image comes from <a href="https://dev.to/ben/meme-monday-2676">the last thread</a>.</p> <p>DEV is an inclusive space! Humor in poor taste will be downvoted by mods.</p> discuss watercooler jokes