OpenLampTech No. 213
PHP ternary and null coalescing operators | GreenBang Linux | Linux in 2026 | API architecture
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All commentary on the below curated content is mine unless otherwise directly quoted.
The Difference Between ?: and ?? in PHP
I use both the ternary operator (?:) and the null coalescing operator (??) quite often. I think of them both as (different) kinds of ‘in-line if type’ statements.
However, they are not the same, and both operators behave differently. Especially, when it comes to null, empty strings (‘’), and whether variables are set or not.
[Ash Allen Design]
API Architecture Styles Made Simple
I’m personally still just a novice dipping my toes into the world of API Design.
REST would be the one I am most familiar with, but as this article covers, there are others.
Also, it is important to choose and use the correct API architecture for the specific needs and tasks at hand.
[Level Up Coding System Design Newsletter]
SQLite AI Revolution: On-Device ML and SQL Vector Search
I look at SQLITE itself as its own kind of revolution.
SQLITE often performs very well locally on a device where sync and latency can be mitigated or minimized, which may pose problems in a cloud system.
SQLITE also has a light(er) size and footprint than other solutions.
[WebProNews]
CrunchBang Linux Lives on With GreenBang
I loved CrunchBang back in my Linux days. I would eventually settle on OpenSUSE as my daily driver. However, I installed and used CrunchBang, along with Gentoo, Slackware, and Arch Linux, at one time or another.
Although I don’t use Linux as my main OS these days, I’m glad to see there is still some CrunchBang life spark by way of GreenBang.
[The New Stack]
Linux will be unstoppable in 2026 - but one open-source legend may not survive
There are some pretty hefty predictions in this piece. I’m not in the know enough to really predict any of it myself.
I’ve known about Rust but never dug into it. I had lofty goals to be a C developer at one point, but wound up in PHP and the web instead.
All that said, I’m always pulling for Linux to continue to grow and thrive.
[ZDNET]
Interesting Articles
Model Context Protocol (MCP) Tutorial: Build Your First MCP Server in 6 Steps
AI coding is now everywhere. But not everyone is convinced.
Stop using whole-column references in Excel: Do these 3 things instead
WordPress and WooCommerce News and Updates
Word Switcher: Extending Core Blocks with Interactivity
Store API Vulnerability Patched in WooCommerce 8.1+ – What You Need To Know
WooCommerce 10.4.3: Dot Release
Thank you for reading OpenLampTech. See you next week.
Josh Otwell
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