DEV Community: shield8994

The Easiest Way to Deploy LLMs Locally on macOS

shield8994 — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 09:17:57 +0000

As everyone knows, DeepSeek has recently skyrocketed in popularity. After its launch, it quickly topped the App Store and Google Play charts. However, this has been accompanied by numerous issues. Users have found that after asking just two or three questions, they frequently receive the prompt "The server is busy, please try again later," which significantly impacts usability and frustrates users everywhere.

Currently, the most effective workaround is local deployment. However, for some beginners, local deployment can be a cumbersome process. You might follow many tutorials and try numerous times, yet still fail to successfully deploy a large model.

I want to share a less-known, unconventional method I use at work that is incredibly simple. Even beginners or those with no programming experience can quickly learn it.
But please note that this method currently only applies to macOS systems; Windows users are out of luck.

By chance, I discovered that ServBay, which I usually use for development, had been updated. Its new version supports Ollama. Ollama is a tool focused on running large language models (LLMs) locally. It supports well-known AI models such as DeepSeek-Coder, Llama, Solar, Qwen, and more.

So, do you get what I mean? This means that by simply installing ServBay, you can enable these pre-packaged, commonly used AI models with one click, and the response speed is quite good.

Originally, Ollama required a complex process to install and start the service, but through ServBay, it only takes one click to start and install the AI model you need, without worrying about environment variable configuration. Even ordinary users with no development knowledge can use it with a single click. One-click start and stop, multi-threaded fast model download; as long as your macOS can handle it, running multiple large AI models simultaneously is not a problem.

On my computer, the download speed even exceeded 60MB per second, surpassing all other similar tools. See the screenshot for proof.

This way, through ServBay and Ollama, I can deploy DeepSeek locally. Look, it's running smoothly!

See! I've achieved DeepSeek freedom with ServBay~

By the way, the US Congress has recently proposed a new bill that would make downloading DeepSeek a crime, punishable by up to 20 years in prison! However, by deploying locally and using it offline, wouldn't that...? Oh, please forgive my wild imagination, LOL...

XAMPP Alternative in Mac for Mysql

shield8994 — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 03:09:50 +0000

For a very long time, I have been using XAMPP as my local environment to create applications. XAMPP uses MariaDB which is almost similar to MySQL but here is the catch, almost.

The development team of MariaDB is very aggressive and has been constantly releasing new versions. However, there isn't much difference between the new versions. Instead, a lot of bugs have been introduced. I have experienced the situation where the database stopped working after an update.

So I have been looking for a solution to use MySQL in XAMPP but as I have found that, it is not difficult to do in Windows machines, but haven’t found any resource to make it work in Mac.

ServBay

I came across ServBay and wanted to give it a try. It’s most promising feature that I love is that I am in control of creating my own dev environment based on the tools and versions in my live server.

It's a gem of a product, but the problem was that, it hasn't been mentioned much by people as I've noticed on the Internet. Long story short, I have finally done it. In the next section, I shall describe step by step how you can work with ServBay too.

Installing ServBay in Mac

The very fast thing you should do is that you download and install ServBay from their website. The minimum system requirements must be macOS 12.0 Monterey or higher.
Double-click the downloaded .dmg file.
In the pop-up window, drag the ServBay.app icon into the Applications folder. All the steps are the same as installing ordinary Mac programs, and no code compilation is required.

For the first-time use, ServBay requires initialization. Open ServBay in Applications ensuring ports are not occupied.

In the pop-up window, select the package and version you wish to install, then click OK
Once you see this page, it means you have installed ServBay successfully.

How to Use ServBay's Built-In MySQL Module

If you want to use it, come to the "Services" on the left

Select MySQL, and choose the version you want to install.

Waiting for a few seconds, and done.

Great job! That's very easy!

MySQL does not require configuration in ServBay. Of course, if you need deeper configuration, you can purchase the Pro version to unlock those features. However, ServBay is very thoughtful; for me, the default parameters in the free version are already sufficient for my daily development needs, and I don't need to make any changes.

ServBay provides a convenient way to manage and enable the MySQL module. With simple configuration and restart operations, developers can quickly enable the MySQL module.

With ServBay, I can also switch different versions of MySQL smoothly. Personally, ServBay is the best alternative for XAMPP in mac!

8 Backend Tools to Become a Better Developer

shield8994 — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:43:50 +0000

As the realm of web development advances relentlessly, backend developers are perpetually in search of tools that can streamline their workflows, boost productivity, and ensure the delivery of high-quality applications. While renowned tools such as Node.js and Postman are staples in the industry, several lesser-known yet equally powerful tools and platforms can significantly enhance a developer’s efficiency. Here are eight essential tools and websites that every backend developer should consider adding to their toolkit this year.

1.Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, tasks, and databases. It provides an elegant platform for backend developers to document their projects, share knowledge, and collaborate with teams. With its versatile templates and user-friendly interface, Notion ensures that critical information is easily accessible, improving organization and productivity.

Link: https://www.notion.so/

2.Insomnia

Insomnia is a popular REST client that simplifies the process of testing APIs. With its intuitive user interface and ability to organize requests into workspaces, backend developers can efficiently send requests, inspect responses, and ensure that their APIs function as intended. Insomnia also supports GraphQL, making it a comprehensive tool for any backend developer.

Link: https://insomnia.rest/

3.Servbay

ServBay is a one-stop development environment management tool designed for developers. Its core goal is to simplify the process of setting up and maintaining the development environment, allowing developers to quickly get into coding without having to spend a lot of time on environment configuration. This tool provides developers with a comprehensive and efficient working environment by integrating multiple development languages, databases, Web services, DNS services and other necessary development tools.

Link: https://servbay.com/

4.PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is an advanced open-source relational database system known for its robustness and feature richness. It provides powerful tools for data manipulation and supports advanced queries, making it an excellent choice for backend developers looking to manage and analyze complex datasets effectively.

Link: https://www.postgresql.org/

5.Swagger

Swagger is a suite of tools that simplifies API development and documentation. By providing a user-friendly interface for designing, building, and documenting APIs, Swagger enhances communication between frontend and backend teams. Its auto-generated documentation enables developers to keep API specifications up to date, fostering better collaboration and understanding.

Link: https://swagger.io/

6.Redis

Redis is an in-memory data structure store used for caching and as a message broker. Its speed and versatility make it a favored choice among backend developers for enhancing application performance. By storing frequently accessed data in memory, Redis significantly reduces response times and improves user experience.

Link: https://redis.io/

7.Jenkins

Jenkins is an open-source automation server that facilitates continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD). By automating the build and deployment processes, Jenkins allows backend developers to implement changes more rapidly, ensuring higher quality and efficiency in their workflows.

Link:https://www.jenkins.io/

8.Git

Git is a widely-used version control system that helps developers manage changes to their codebase. Its branching and merging capabilities allow backend developers to collaborate seamlessly on projects, track changes over time, and easily revert to previous versions when necessary.

Link: https://git-scm.com/

These tools, though perhaps lesser-known than some industry giants, offer substantial advantages for backend developers seeking to elevate their productivity and craft exceptional web applications. By incorporating these modern resources into your development process, you can stay ahead of the curve and deliver outstanding user experiences in 2024.

PHP’s Comeback: From Controversy to Mainstream

shield8994 — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 10:44:07 +0000

Despite frequent criticism, PHP remains one of the most widely used server-side scripting languages. As of July 2023, PHP powers 77.4% of websites, with WordPress alone accounting for over 40% of the internet. So, why all the criticism?

Historical Criticisms of PHP

PHP first appeared in 1995 and initially faced a tough journey. Here are some reasons for its poor reputation:

Inconsistency: Irregular function naming and parameter order caused confusion.
Security Issues: Early versions made it easy for developers to create applications with significant security vulnerabilities.
Incomplete Features: Full support for object-oriented programming only arrived with PHP 5 in 2004.
Difficult Debugging: Debugging was once like playing hide-and-seek with an invisible ninja.
Poor Practices: PHP’s lenient error handling led to bad coding habits. However, PHP has matured significantly since its early days, evolving into a more robust language.

The Evolution of PHP: From PHP 4 to PHP 8

PHP has seen remarkable improvements:

PHP 5 (2004): Introduced better object-oriented programming support, making it competitive with languages like Java.
PHP 7 (2015): Brought significant speed improvements, making PHP scripts execute faster. Features like scalar type declarations helped prevent errors.
PHP 8 (2020): Added named arguments, attributes, union types, and a Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler, further enhancing performance and usability. With tools like Xdebug, debugging has become more manageable, taming the once elusive ninja.

PHP Frameworks: Boosting Productivity

The PHP ecosystem has thrived with the development of frameworks that enhance productivity and code quality. A 2023 survey showed that 64.8% of PHP developers regularly use frameworks. Here are a few notable ones:

Laravel: Known for its elegant syntax and rapid development capabilities, Laravel simplifies many common tasks and boasts over 60,000 stars on GitHub.
Symfony: Highly flexible and stable, Symfony is used for large applications and has over 25,000 stars on GitHub.
CodeIgniter: Lightweight and easy to install, ideal for developers seeking simplicity. For developers looking to streamline PHP projects, Servbay is an excellent tool for setting up a PHP development environment. It easily integrates frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, making project setup a breeze.

PHP Today: Myths vs. Reality

PHP’s reputation has evolved, but several misconceptions remain:

Myth 1: PHP is outdated. PHP 8 introduced modern features, proving its continued relevance.
Myth 2: PHP is slow. Speed improvements since PHP 7 make it competitive with other languages.
Myth 3: PHP is insecure. While any language can be insecure if misused, modern best practices and frameworks can make PHP applications secure. A Fair Assessment of PHP PHP has come a long way since its early days. It now powers nearly 80% of the web and has addressed many past criticisms. While it has its quirks, it’s time to reassess PHP based on its current capabilities.

When considering your next web development project, don’t overlook PHP. With tools like Servbay to help set up your environment, you might find PHP to be a powerful ally in your programming journey.

In conclusion, let’s celebrate PHP’s resilience and its ongoing evolution in the programming world.

Quickly build a Node.js 14.19 development environment (only 2 minutes)

shield8994 — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 07:22:24 +0000

ServBay is a powerful development environment management tool that supports multiple programming languages and databases. The following is a brief guide to installing and configuring Node.js 14.19 using ServBay.

Preparation

Install ServBay: Make sure ServBay is installed on your system. You can download and install it from the official website.
Network connection: Make sure your device can connect to the Internet smoothly so that you can download the required components.

Step 1: Download interface

If you are using ServBay for the first time, you can directly select the Node.js 14.x version to install during the download process, as shown in the figure below:

Step 2: Version selection

If you are already using ServBay and the current version is Node.js 12.x or other versions, but want to switch to 14.19, please select and install the required version in the service management interface of ServBay.

Step 3: Dependency Management

ServBay provides a variety of package management tools for Node.js to help you manage project dependencies:

npm (Node Package Manager): The default package manager for Node.js, widely used in various projects.
pnpm: An efficient package manager that saves disk space and speeds up the installation process.
yarn: A package manager developed by Facebook that provides stable and efficient dependency management capabilities.

Step 4: Start the project

After completing the development environment setup, you can start the required development project according to ServBay’s guide.