DEV Community: Azaria

Gesture Recognition

Azaria — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 23:58:24 +0000

Today, we’re going to talk about how we can communicate with computers using our physical movements. That’s right, we can wave at a computer camera and it can recognize that we’re waving. This is called gesture recognition, and this blog will give you a short rundown of what it is and why it’s useful. So, let’s begin!

What is Gesture Recognition?
Gesture recognition is technology that allows computers to understand human movement. Rather than understanding movement the way humans do, computers can detect, track, and interpret patterns of motion. This offers touch-free interaction between humans and machines by allowing systems to respond to physical movement instead of traditional input's. Computers are able to recognize our movements and execute a function or algorithm stored in code that corresponds to that movement. Gesture recognition systems can process hand movements, body motion, and facial gestures.

Where did it originate from?
The first appearance of gesture recognition was in the 1980s, and it was called the DataGlove. The DataGlove was a glove that had the ability to translate hand and finger movements into computer interactions. This was an accessory brought to life by Nintendo. Certain hand movements would trigger specific actions to control the character on the screen. The DataGlove had sensors along the fingers to determine how bent each finger was. There were also wired connections attached to the sensors so they could connect to the controller.

Sadly, these types of devices are not very common anymore. In modern times, we use technologies like cameras and AI that have replaced the DataGlove. However, gloves are still used in certain situations, such as in the medical field and high-end VR devices.

How does it work?
So, it starts out with you having an input or capture device. These are things like cameras and sensors that collect raw visual or motion data from the user. Then you have your preprocessing and detection process, which cleans and prepares the data for analysis. This step removes background noise, normalizes lighting or positioning, and isolates the relevant parts of the body so nothing interferes with recognizing the movement. The system then tracks key points on the body, hands, or face and follows those movements across multiple frames to understand how the gesture changes over time. After that comes gesture classification, which is when the computer compares the detected movement to gestures stored in its database and determines whether the gesture exists and matches a known pattern. This stage often relies on machine learning models that have been trained on large sets of gesture data to improve accuracy. Once the gesture is confirmed—usually after it has been held or completed for a certain duration—the system executes whatever code or function is associated with that gesture.

Types of Gestures
There are three types of gesture categories, and you might be using them without even knowing it. First, there are hand gestures. Applications like Zoom can recognize when you are holding a thumbs up or waving, and they will display an emoji on the screen for you. Second, there are body gestures, which include actions such as stepping, jumping, or leaning. Lastly, there are facial gestures, which detect movements like smiling, blinking, and nodding. If you use your face to unlock your iPhone, that is an example of facial recognition, which relies on detecting facial features rather than movement-based gestures.

Pros and Cons
There are both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to gesture recognition. Below are a few pros and cons.

Pros

It is used in motion-controlled gameplay, creating more interactive experiences
It is very helpful for people with disabilities and can support sign language recognition

Cons

Lighting conditions can affect how accurately the system responds
Differences in hand sizes can make recognition less consistent
The cost of manufacturing the hardware can be high
There are privacy concerns related to cameras and data collection

Conclusion
There is a lot to look forward to with the future of gesture recognition. Privacy protections have improved, although there is still room for additional security. Developers continue to improve accessibility tools and increase the accuracy of gesture recognition systems. Overall, gesture recognition is expected to become more reliable and widely used as the technology continues to evolve.

CPU's : Inside the brain of your computer

Azaria — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 02:38:09 +0000

If you don’t know by now, your computer has a mind of its own. In the same way humans cannot think without a brain, computers cannot function without a CPU. This small square inside your computer is responsible for nearly everything your device does. But why is something so small so important?

Well, let's start with the most important thing.

What is a CPU?

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the primary component of a computer. It is responsible for executing instructions so the computer can perform tasks. The instructions are stored temporarily in the computer’s memory, known as RAM. Once the CPU completes one instruction, it immediately moves on to the next. This process continues to repeat until the task is done. CPUs are capable of executing millions of instructions per second, and that's no exaggeration.

Small History Summary
CPUs didn’t start out tiny like they are today. In the 1940s and 50s, computers were huge machines, and their processors were made from vacuum tubes. They were very slow compared to the CPUs we use today, but they were revolutionary because they marked the beginning of advanced data processing.

Now that you understand what a CPU is, let’s break down what it is made of and why each part is important.

1. Cores & Threads
Cores are independent processing units within the CPU. Most modern CPUs have around 2-16 cores. Each core can handle its own tasks, which allows the CPU to perform multiple operations at the same time. The more cores, the better. Threads allow each core to handle more than one task at a time.

2. Clock Speed
Clock Speed is measured in gigahertz and determines how many times a CPU can cycle per second. The higher the clock speed, the faster it can execute instructions.

3. Control Unit & Arithmetic Logic Unit
The Control Unit tells the components what to do and when to do it. The Arithmetic Logic Unit handles all mathematical and logical equations.

How does it work?
Now you know that the CPU acts like the brain of the computer, but let's do a quick summary of how it processes instructions. First, it fetches information from memory, then decodes the instructions, and finally executes them. This cycle repeats millions of times per second. It happens so fast that it seems like videos and programs are running independently. In reality, the CPU cycles through instructions one by one, faster than the human eye can perceive.

Most devices and hardware contain CPUs, but not every device uses the same type of CPU. There are desktop, laptop, mobile, and server CPUs, each designed to handle different tasks for different devices. The main CPU brands for desktops and laptops are AMD and Intel, while ARM-based CPUs are mostly used in mobile and wearable devices.

Why are CPUs important?

Every action you take on a computer starts with the CPU. Opening a browser, typing on a keyboard, watching a video, or playing a game all require the CPU to process instructions from software. Without the CPU, none of these actions would be possible. CPUs are essential for software to function and allow us to multitask efficiently.

Conclusion
CPUs process data at incredible speeds by cycling through instructions extremely fast. They play a major role in our everyday activities, such as browsing the web and using applications. Over the years, CPUs have improved significantly, becoming faster and more efficient, making it important to understand how we are able to perform these tasks in the first place.

Raspberry Pi's

Azaria — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:27:55 +0000

What is a Raspberry Pi?

A Raspberry Pi is a very small, affordable, and compact computer. It was first introduced in the UK to teach programming to students. It became a very popular among hobbyists and caught the interest of engineers around the world, especially after 2016.

So, what are they made of?

Just like a regular desktop computer, Raspberry Pis have the same components, just on a smaller scale. It starts with the CPU, which is its processor that handles all the computations and runs programs. The CPU acts like the brain of the Raspberry Pi. It uses an ARM-based CPU unlike regular computers that use AMD or Intel processors.

The memory, or RAM, manages multitasking between programs. The more RAM your Raspberry Pi has, the better it can handle multitasking. Most models have about 2-4gb of RAM.

For storage, Raspberry Pi's use microSD cards instead of a traditional hard drive. The microSD holds all the program files and operating system. Chose wisely with the quality of the microSD card- no one wants a slow computer. You can also use external USB drives for more storage if needed.

Lastly, Raspberry Pis have input/output ports and an operating system. The ports allow you to connect to peripherals like monitors, mice, and keyboards. Raspberry Pi has its own operating system called Raspberry Pi OS, which it very beginning friendly. If you don't want to use the default OS, you still have the option to use other operating systems of your choice.

If so tiny, why use it?
Now that you understand that it basically uses the same components as a normal-sized computer, you might be wondering: 'Why not use use a regular computer?' That's understandable, but Raspberry Pis are much cheaper. If you are trying to learn a programming language and don't have to money for a regular computer, this is perfect for you. They are small, compact, and portal.

Different Models
Raspberry Pi's come in different models, each with its own purpose:

1. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
Mainly used for desktop computers and heavy DIY projects. These models are a bit bigger than other models, and they are almost the size of a credit/debit card.

2. Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
Very similar to the Pi 4 model, but this one is mainly used for robotics and learning.

3. Raspberry Pi Zero
These are very inexpensive since they are a little less powerful than the other models, but this model is mainly used for smaller projects and simple wearable devices.

How to get started?
Now that you know a little bit about Raspberry Pis, let's talk about what you need to make your own tiny, full working computer.

You need a Raspberry Pi board, and make sure you choose the model that matches the project you want to make. Then, add a microSD card and power supply - don't forget the power supply in order to turn it on! You can also get a case to keep all the components from getting damaged. Lastly, you'll need some type of display, keyboard, and mouse. If you don't have a monitor, don't worry- you can access it via SSH from another computer.

There are many tutorials online that provide more details on setting things up, so make sure to do your research before you begin!

Conclusion
The Raspberry Pi may be small, but it's packaged with so many possibilities. With just a few components, you can make it into a computer, gaming console, or even a tiny robot. The Raspberry Pi community is super helpful and very inspiring. These tiny computers are a perfect starting point to expand your tech skills. So, pick a model, set it up, and bring your ideas to life!

https://www.raspberrypi.com/
https://www.raspberrypi.com/products/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi

AMAZON WEB SERVICES

Azaria — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 04:07:56 +0000

Do you have something you want to create but don’t have all the resources to make it happen? Maybe you don’t have access to a server, or perhaps you don’t have enough storage space to run your application.

Well, I'm here to tell you that you CAN have access to everything you need!

Let me introduce you to...

Cloud Computing

but specifically - AWS!

What is Cloud Computing?
Before diving into the topic of AWS, let's discuss what cloud computing actually is.

Cloud computing gives you the ability to use storage, run applications, and access many more services all from devices you already own.

Instead of relying on a local server in your home, you can access remote servers on the internet that handle and process data for you. Cloud computing has transformed the entire tech industry by allowing you to launch applications faster and more cost-effectively.

What is AWS?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) is the top cloud computing platform today, offering over 200 fully featured services for just about any tech-related use case. It provides all the resources you need to launch that application you’ve been wanting to share with the world.

Since these services are cloud-based, they tend to cost far less than owning and maintaining physical servers. You can store your data in the cloud using one of AWS’s data centers located all around the globe.

Top Services
With so many services available, let’s focus on a few commonly used ones.

1. Amazon EC2 - Elastic Compute Cloud
Amazon EC2 provides virtual machines that you can rent in the cloud. These work just like physical computers but are hosted by AWS. You can use EC2 to run websites, backend services, and so much more without needing any physical hardware.

2. Amazon S3 - Simple Storage Service
Amazon S3 is a highly durable, scalable, and cost-effective storage system. You can store images, videos, documents, backups, and even entire static websites. It’s extremely fast and reliable, especially when you have a large amount of data.

3. Amazon Lambda
Lambda lets you run code without managing any servers at all. It only runs your code when a request triggers it, and you are charged only for the time your code is running. Pretty neat, right?

4. Amazon RDS - Relational Database Service
RDS helps you set up and manage relational databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more. There’s no need to install or maintain the databases yourself—AWS handles that for you. That frees up your time to focus on building your actual application.

5. Amazon DynamoDB
DynamoDB is AWS’s NoSQL database service. It’s extremely fast and automatically scales to handle large amounts of requests per second. This makes it perfect for backend and event-driven applications, especially when paired with AWS Lambda.

Pricing
Now that you have a basic understanding of what AWS offers, you’ll be happy to know that the cost is completely up to you!

You are only charged when your code is running.
If you're storing a lot of data, you may pay per gigabyte per month.

This pricing model makes AWS accessible to everyone.

Conclusion
Now you can see how AWS has changed the world for the better. It gives everyone—from casual developers to enterprise companies—access to powerful resources that once required massive budgets and dedicated infrastructure. No more home servers, expensive hardware repairs, or server rooms—unless you prefer them.

Thanks to cloud computing platforms like AWS, deploying and scaling applications is easier than ever. And for that, we can thank the developers and engineers who made this possible. Thank you!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Web_Services
https://aws.amazon.com/what-is-aws/
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/concepts.html
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonS3/latest/userguide/Welcome.html
https://aws.amazon.com/lambda/
https://aws.amazon.com/rds/
https://aws.amazon.com/dynamodb/
https://calculator.aws/#/
( I do not own any pictures used as an example for this blog )

SQL: Keeping Your Data Organized

Azaria — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 02:51:33 +0000

What is SQL?

SQL stands for Structured Query Language, and it is the backbone of data management. It's a programming language used to store and process information in relational databases. Although SQL is a stand-alone language, it is rarely used to create an application on its own.

If you don't know what a relational database is, it's just a collection of information that organizes data into rows and columns. This information is usually stored in the form of a table that looks like the picture below.

See how the tables are formed with certain pieces of information? All three tables point to each other in some way!

What is SQL mainly used for, and how do we use it?
SQL is how developers store and manage data in databases. Let's briefly go over some SQL statements that you can use.

I. CREATE
This is used when you want to CREATE a new table in your database. Just make sure that you give it a name and organize the columns depending on the type of data you are storing.

**CREATE TABLE** table_name(column1 datatype, column2 datatype, … columnN datatype);

II. SELECT
SELECT is used to retrieve data from a database. This statement specifies what information you want to fetch.

It would look something like this.
**SELECT** data, FROM table_name;

III. INSERT
You can use INSERT when you want to add a new row to a table. Make sure to specify which table you want to insert data into.

**INSERT INTO** table_name (table_name column contents) **VALUES** (the data you want to pass in)

IV. DELETE
You can use the DELETE statement whenever you want to remove data from a table. Just like INSERT, make sure you specify the data you want to remove from a specific table.

**DELETE FROM** table_name **WHERE** [condition]

Let's put that all together!

First, let's create our table.
**CREATE TABLE** Employee (EMP_ID int, NAME varchar (255), SALARY int, AGE int);

Next, let's add some data into our new table.
**INSERT INTO** Employee (EMP_ID, NAME, SALARY, AGE) **VALUES** ('1', 'Azaria', 100000, 22);

We should have something that looks like the table below.

If you want to SELECT or DELETE any data, you can just use those statements. Pretty simple and straight to the point, right? There are plenty of other statements you can use in SQL, but those are just the basics.

PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL is a more advanced database management system that supports both SQL and other programming languages. Think of PostgreSQL like an extension to SQL - it supports more features and programming languages compared to plain SQL.

Conclusion
SQL helps us easily manage and keep our databases organized. Organizations like Facebook and Microsoft use SQL to store and maintain their collected data organized. Of course, SQL isn't the only way you can organize your data - but it is one of the most widely used database system today.

Extra Resources
https://www.w3schools.com/sql/sql_intro.asp
https://www.w3schools.com/postgresql/postgresql_intro.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL

NPM: Package Management Made Easier

Azaria — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:23:52 +0000

Let's talk Package Management!!

Imagine a world where you can run a single command line and have everything installed and ready to go. No need to download and set up libraries manually one by one. Sounds simple and resourceful, right?

Well, I'm here to tell you that is exactly what npm does for you!
But before we dive into how npm actually works, let's go over some basic information about what it is.

What is 'npm'?
NPM is a Node.js package manager. Some people say that it stands for “Node Package Manager,” but according to the creators, it’s just npm — plain and simple.

Created in 2010 by Isaac Z. Schlueter, npm is currently the largest software registry in the world, making thousands of packages available for easy reuse.

What does 'npm' do?

As you know, JavaScript is what we use to power web browsers, just like this one. All the user interactivity, like clicking buttons and searching in a search bar, is powered by JavaScript. Node.js allows us to run JavaScript on our computers, outside of the browser. And when you install Node.js, one of the tools you automatically get is the npm package manager.

Here are a few concepts npm helps you with:

Installing packages created by other developers
Manage project dependencies
Automate scripts for your project

Let's discuss an important concept - Dependencies

NPM helps you install and manage libraries that developers have already created. You need these libraries for almost any project you create or repository you fork.

Some packages that you might be familiar with are:

Lodash/Underscore - provides helpful utility functions like: _.map, _.filter, and _.flatten
Mocha - provides the structure for writing/running tests
Chai - allows you to use certain statements that check if your code functions as expected.

For example,

it('should be able to add rooms to the DOM', () => {
      RoomsView.renderRoom('superLobby');
      expect($('#rooms select').children().length).to.equal(1);
    });

And when these packages are installed, they are kept in a file called
package.json.

The package.json file serves as a blueprint of what you need to run the project.
Here is an example of how some dependencies look in that file.

  "dependencies": {
    "underscore": "^1.13.7"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@compodoc/live-server": "^1.2.3",
    "chai": "^4.5.0",
    "eslint": "^8.57.0",
    "jquery": "^3.7.1",
    "mocha": "^10.7.3",
    "nock": "^13.5.5",
    "sinon": "^19.0.2"
  }

But what are dependencies?

Dependencies are libraries that your code depends on to function correctly, and these libraries have already been created for you to reuse across multiple projects.

This saves you a lot of time when working on different projects because you don’t have to build them yourself — unless you want a very long challenge!

This will basically tell the developer, "Hey, this repo/project depends on these libraries!"

Installing Dependencies

Now all you have to do is type the magic words into your terminal.
npm install

That command tells 'npm' to look at that package.json file and download the listed dependencies. After downloading the dependencies, 'npm' creates a folder to store them in called node_modules.

The picture above shows just a snippet of what that folder looks like. Since some packages have their own dependencies, and those dependencies can have more dependencies inside them, this folder can become very large.

Now you see what I mean by "it saves you a lot of time"!

Updating Dependencies

Something important to remember with dependencies is that they also receive updates regularly. Which means you should always check for new versions to keep your project running and stable. Just make sure to read the release notes before updating any packages, so that nothing conflicts with the project you are working on.

You can check for outdated packages with this command.
npm outdated
And then update them with this command.
npm update

Scripts - Automating Commands

NPM isn’t only good for installing and managing packages — it also lets you create shortcuts for commands in that same package.json file.

For example,

  "scripts": {
    "start": "live-server --port=8081 --open=./ --watch=client",
    "test": "live-server --port=8080 --open=./TestRunner.html --watch=client"
  }

Instead of typing the full command to open the server every time, if you run npm run start, it should execute that exact line and start the live server for me. It's super easy and convenient!

DevDependencies vs Dependencies

There is such a thing as DevDependencies, but they differ from the dependencies you just learned about.

Dependencies are required for your app to function
DevDependencies are packages used only when you are developing

DevDependencies are mainly used for testing, but they are not required for your project to function.

Conclusion
NPM adds a lot of functionality to your projects. It gives you access to thousands of libraries in such a short amount of time. So use that extra time to create something great! Thank you to all the teams that made these resources available for us to use!

Extra Resources:
https://nodejs.org/en/about
https://docs.npmjs.com/about-npm

Under What Condition?

Azaria — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 07:02:03 +0000

Let's Talk About Conditionals

Think of conditionals like a storyline in a decision-based game: if you pick a certain response, something specifically happens. But you won't be able to go back and see what would've happened if you had chosen different. That's exactly how conditionals work in JavaScript.

Conditional Statements
Conditional statements are control structures in JavaScript that determine whether a specific part of our code should run. There are multiple conditions you can use in your code. Let me give you a visual representation on what conditionals look like.

As you can see in the picture above, you have two pathways: one path is if the condition is true, and the other path is for when the condition is false. Again, everything depends on what input is provided for the condition.

Let's look at an example.

Is the variable 'age' bigger than 'ageMin'?

What do you think will log to the console? You should see "You can enter the party!". The condition that we tested is true, and because it was true, only the code inside of that specific code block will run.

Types of Conditionals
In the previous example, you saw how a conditional works. That specific conditional is called an If...else statement. It basically says 'If this is true, run this code. If not, run this code instead.'.

There are other types of conditionals you can use as well. To build on to the If...else statement, if you have more conditions to check, you can add an else if statement. Think of it like an extension- it gives you more options to choose from based on what's being checked.

This image shows you an example of an if...else if...else statement.

Since we are on the topic of having multiple conditions, let's try using a switch statement. A switch statement is useful when you want to execute different code blocks based on different values of the condition.

Let's look at another example!

What do you think will print to the console?

It will print "red" and "Roses are red" to the console. Since the value of the variable matches a case in the switch statement, it can execute the code block associated with that case. Just in case, here's a picture of how a switch statement works.

Reminder: Don't forget your default statement!

Notice how each case has a break statement? When the code finds the matching condition, it will stop the code right there and not run the remaining cases. This prevents JavaScript from executing unnecessary code, which can help save execution time.

Do you understand conditionals now? Well, I suppose that question is only for those who needed a bit of guidance. Just remember: conditionals are a lot like story-based games. Once you pick a path, you can't turn back--you have to see the outcome of your decision.

THINGS TO NOTE
There are some things you should keep in mind when working with conditionals. Of course, you can learn along the way, but I thought I would just give you a few key points to note.

1. Be Mindful of which equality sign you use.
In JavaScript, there are two equality operators. The strict equality operator '===' and loose equality operator'=='. It's highly recommended to use the strict equality, as it can help you avoid bugs that are caused with type coercion. Type coercion is when JavaScript automatically converts values to match types when comparing things to each other.

Here is an example of type coercion.

However, this would give us false because 'age' is a number and 'basketballNumber' is a string.

2. Make things simple.
Don't overcomplicate your conditions unless it's necessary. Keeping them clean and easy to understand makes your code more readable.

3. Always, always test your code
Make sure you test all possible outcomes of your code. Whether the condition evaluates to true or false, your code should run smoothly and behave as expected in every scenario.

That's it for now ! Thanks for reading my first blog, and happy coding!