Why These and That in Every System
The article discusses the author's experience in building a compiler, emphasizing that understanding the underlying problems is more important than relying solely on data structures and algorithms. The author reflects on the challenges faced while transitioning from Rust to C++ and the importance of recognizing performance costs in real-world projects. Ultimately, the piece advocates for a deeper understanding of system design and the relationship between high-level code and machine execution.
- ▪The author has been working on a lexer for a compiler since May 2026.
- ▪They emphasize that data structures and algorithms alone do not solve programming challenges in software engineering.
- ▪The author highlights the importance of understanding performance costs and the relationship between high-level code and machine execution.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
try { if(localStorage) { let currentUser = localStorage.getItem('current_user'); if (currentUser) { currentUser = JSON.parse(currentUser); if (currentUser.id === 3936747) { document.getElementById('article-show-container').classList.add('current-user-is-article-author'); } } } } catch (e) { console.error(e); } Gideon Towolawi Posted on May 24 Why These and That in Every System #cpp #devjournal #softwareengineering #systems We all know about DSA—Data Structures and Algorithms. But that's not all there is to programming, no matter the field. I emphasize this especially in software engineering: DSA is almost never the fix on its own. Today marks over a week and a half on my lexer since the beginning of May 2026, when I decided to build a compiler.
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