# Explainer Published articles for Explainer. This is one page of public article previews, not the complete archive. Follow Next page to continue. Summaries are not the original full articles. ## IBM to acquire HRL Laboratories DevFeed: [IBM to acquire HRL Laboratories]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Ryan Mandelbaum Published: 2026-07-23T11:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [IBM Research]() Topics: [ibm](), [.NET Conf]() Tags: [acquisition](), [explainer](), [history](), [ibm](), [quantum](), [research](), [science](), [technology]() ### AI overview IBM announced a definitive agreement to acquire HRL Laboratories, citing HRL's silicon-spin qubit expertise as complementary to IBM's quantum-computing research. The article also recounts HRL's history, including its contributions to aviation, electronics, radar, and the invention of the laser. ### Source excerpt Exploring the storied history of HRL Laboratories, from the invention of the laser to silicon spin qubits. ## What are spin qubits? DevFeed: [What are spin qubits?]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2026-07-23T11:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [IBM Research]() Topics: [Quantum Computing](), [ibm]() Tags: [acquisition](), [explainer](), [ibm](), [quantum](), [quantum-computing](), [quantum-research](), [quantum-systems](), [research]() ### AI overview IBM explains spin qubits, including how electron spin can encode quantum information and how quantum dots control individual electrons. The article discusses spin qubits in the context of IBM's acquisition of HRL Laboratories and the scaling of quantum technologies. ### Source excerpt Spin qubits are an important element of IBM's recent HRL Laboratories acquisition. ## Sam's First Visit to An Internet Exchange DevFeed: [Sam's First Visit to An Internet Exchange]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: j2sw Published: 2026-06-25T03:54:15Z Content type: release Language: en Sources: [Justin Wilson (j2sw)]() Topics: [networking](), [Networks](), [Internet Traffic](), [BGP]() Tags: [bgp](), [book](), [books](), [children](), [explainer](), [fiber](), [internet](), [internet-architecture](), [internet-exchange](), [internet-traffic](), [ix](), [ixp](), [j2-updates](), [j2sw](), [justin-wilson](), [network-engineering-resources](), [networking](), [networks](), [peering](), [router](), [sam](), [stem-book](), [traffic]() ### AI overview Justin Wilson announces A Kid's First Visit to An Internet Exchange, a children's picture book in which Sam learns how networks connect, peer, and move Internet traffic. The book is available in Kindle and paperback editions. ### Source excerpt Justin Wilson announces his second children's networking book, A Kid's First Visit to an Internet Exchange. Follow Sam as he learns how networks meet, peer, and move Internet traffic. The post Sam's First Visit to An Internet Exchange appeared first on Justin Wilson (j2sw). ## Creating a scroll-spy with 2 lines of CSS DevFeed: [Creating a scroll-spy with 2 lines of CSS]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-07-29T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Una Kravets]() Topics: [CSS](), [Web Development](), [Web platform]() Tags: [blog-post](), [css](), [explainer]() ### AI overview A tutorial showing how the CSS scroll-target-group feature can create a scroll-spy table of contents with two lines of CSS and anchor links, without JavaScript. ### Source excerpt scroll-target-group is a new CSS feature that lets you create scroll-spy table of contents with basically 2 lines of CSS. ## Explainer: K2 & Math Olympiad Golds DevFeed: [Explainer: K2 & Math Olympiad Golds]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-07-19T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Tim Kellogg]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [multi-agents](), [Chain-of-thought](), [Claude](), [deepseek](), [Model Context Protocol](), [OpenAI](), [computer-use]() Tags: [agentic](), [agents](), [ai](), [benchmarks](), [chain-of-thought](), [context-engineering](), [cost](), [explainer](), [multi-agent](), [multi-agents](), [openai](), [tokens](), [tools]() ### AI overview This explainer reviews major AI-agent developments from January through July 2025, focusing on K2 and the International Math Olympiad gold result. It argues that K2's strong agentic performance without a long chain-of-thought trace raises questions about whether extended thinking is necessary for effective agents, while noting that shorter reasoning can reduce token costs. ### Source excerpt the best way to emphasize the importance of this week's developments is to go all the way back to January and see how we got here. ## DeepSeek R1 and Reasoning Models Explained DevFeed: [DeepSeek R1 and Reasoning Models Explained]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2025-01-25T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Tim Kellogg]() Topics: [Artificial Intelligence](), [deepseek](), [Large Language Model](), [Benchmark](), [Open Source]() Tags: [agents](), [ai](), [benchmark](), [deepseek](), [explainer](), [llms](), [open-source]() ### AI overview This explainer places DeepSeek R1, OpenAI's o1 and o3, and DeepSeek V3 in a recent AI timeline. It distinguishes reasoning models from base-model LLMs and explains that AI agents require software to make decisions and interact with the outside world. ### Source excerpt Is AI making you dizzy? A lot of industry insiders are feeling the same. R1 just came out a few days ago out of nowhere, and then there's o1 and o3, but no o2. Gosh! It's hard to know what's going on. This post aims to be a guide for recent AI develoments. It's written for people who feel like they should know what's going on, but don't, because it's insane out there. ## Explainer: Latent Space Experts DevFeed: [Explainer: Latent Space Experts]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Published: 2024-12-24T00:00:00Z Content type: opinion Language: en Sources: [Tim Kellogg]() Topics: [Large Language Model](), [Embeddings](), [Google](), [Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)](), [Cache]() Tags: [embeddings](), [explainer](), [google](), [llms](), [paper](), [rag](), [reasoning]() ### AI overview This explainer discusses Google DeepMind's paper "Deliberation in Latent Space via Differentiable Cache Augmentation." It describes pairing a generalist frozen LLM with a domain-specific coprocessor LLM that supplies additional embeddings, and compares this approach with retrieval-augmented generation and text-based communication. ### Source excerpt A new paper just dropped from Google DeepMind, Deliberation in Latent Space via Differentiable Cache Augmentation. I don't think this paper is very readable, but it also seems quite important so I wanted to take a moment to break it down, as I understand it. ## Launch Week Day 5: Database Analytics with AI Insights DevFeed: [Launch Week Day 5: Database Analytics with AI Insights]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Glauber Costa Published: 2024-03-22T00:00:00Z Content type: article Language: en Sources: [Turso Blog]() Topics: [Turso](), [Database](), [Artificial Intelligence](), [Latency](), [Optimization](), [Query (disambiguation)](), [API](), [Command-line interface]() Tags: [ai](), [cli](), [database](), [experimental](), [explainer](), [gpt](), [latency](), [optimization](), [performance](), [platform-api](), [turso]() ### AI overview Turso has launched database analytics for users on all plans, providing query latency, expensive-query analysis, row-read and row-write trends, and filtering by time period or database. An experimental free beta feature called AI Insights uses GPT-4 to explain queries and suggest optimization considerations such as indexing. ### Source excerpt Database analytics are available to all Turso users. ## build.gradle.kts conversion for Android Studio Empty Activity DevFeed: [build.gradle.kts conversion for Android Studio Empty Activity]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: blundell Published: 2023-07-05T09:45:18Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Blundell]() Topics: [Android Studio](), [Gradle](), [Groovy](), [Kotlin](), [configuration](), [ide]() Tags: [android](), [android-studio](), [androiddev](), [blog](), [build](), [configuration](), [explainer](), [gradle](), [groovy](), [intermediate](), [kotlin](), [reference](), [reference-android-androiddev-gradle-groovy-kotlin](), [update]() ### AI overview A quick tutorial converts the default Groovy build.gradle files from Android Studio's Empty Activity template into Kotlin DSL build.gradle.kts files. It also points to Google's and Gradle's guidance on converting build configuration scripts and notes that Kotlin DSL was announced as the new default. ### Source excerpt Quick blog posting showing you the build.gradle.kts version of the default build.gradle file from the "empty activity" Android Studio template. This post will go stale fast, get it whilst its hot. 🙂 The original templates come from the New Project, other templates are explained here: https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/templates Google has an explainer of converting build configuration scripts [...] The post build.gradle.kts conversion for Android Studio Empty Activity first appeared on Blundell. ## ::part and ::theme, an ::explainer DevFeed: [::part and ::theme, an ::explainer]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Monica Dinculescu Published: 2017-12-18T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Monica Dinculescu]() Topics: [Web Components](), [CSS](), [selectors](), [Document Object Model (DOM)](), [web-standards]() Tags: [components](), [css](), [deprecated](), [explainer](), [polyfill](), [properties](), [selectors](), [syntax]() ### AI overview This explainer reviews proposals for styling and theming Shadow DOM components, including shadow-piercing selectors, custom CSS properties, and the proposed ::part and ::theme approaches. It notes that the relevant specification was not yet final and that no reliable polyfill was available at the time. ### Source excerpt Updated May 18, 2020 (get it? :: ? I made a funny) Shadow DOM is a spec that gives you DOM and style encapsulation. This is great for reusable web components, as it reduces the ability of these components' styles getting accidentally stomped over (the old "I have a class called "button" and you have a class called "button", now we both look busted" problem), but it adds a barrier for styling and theming these components deliberately. Since a lot has changed since the last time I talked about styling the Shadow DOM, I wanted to give you a quick update about what new specs were in the works! Please note that this spec isn't quite final, which means that a) the syntax and capabilities will likely change and b) there isn't a polyfill you can use for realsies. --- Ok, so. When talking about styling a component, there are usually two different problems you might want to solve: 💇 Styling: I am using a third-party element on my site and I want this one to be blue 🎨 Theming: I am using many third-party elements on my site, and some of them have a ; I want all the s to be blue. Here's almost everything I know on this topic. A trip through time There have been several previous attempts at solving this, some more successful than others. If you've read my last post about this, you're already caught up. If you haven't, here's the deets: First came :shadow and /deep/ (which have since been deprecated, and removed as of Chrome 60). These were shadow-piercing selectors that allowed you to target any node in an element's Shadow DOM. Apart from being terribad for performance, they also required the user of an element to be intimately familiar with some random element's implementation, which was unlikely and lead to them just breaking the whole element by accident Custom properties allow you to create custom CSS properties that can be used throughout an app. In particular, they pierce the shadow boundary, which means they can be used for styli ## CRDTs for Serverless Applications at the Edge DevFeed: [CRDTs for Serverless Applications at the Edge]() Original publisher: [Read original article]() Author: Russell Sullivan Published: 2017-11-13T00:00:00Z Content type: tutorial Language: en Sources: [Serverless Blog]() Topics: [Serverless](), [Edge]() Tags: [aws](), [aws-lambda](), [cloud-computing](), [edge](), [engineering](), [explainer](), [faas](), [function-as-a-service](), [infrastructure-as-code](), [serverless](), [serverless-architecture](), [serverless-framework]() ### AI overview An explainer about using conflict-free replicated data types (CRDTs) in serverless applications at the edge. ### Source excerpt How to supercharge your serverless with CRDTs at the edge. Your comprehensive CRDT explainer.