Hillel
@hillelwayne.com
Developer educator at @antithesis.com. Formal methods, software history, chocolatiering. DMs open. *Logic for Programmers* now out! https://logicforprogrammers.com
Newsletter: https://buttondown.email/hillelwayne/
Newsletter: https://buttondown.email/hillelwayne/
Someone on LinkedIn has extremely low expectations of my wife, my grandmother, and Donald Knuth
September 17, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Someone on LinkedIn has extremely low expectations of my wife, my grandmother, and Donald Knuth
New Newsletter! Remember that old article about how LLMs liked the word "delve"?
Well, the coding harnesses really, REALLY like the word "spine". And "gate". And many others.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
Well, the coding harnesses really, REALLY like the word "spine". And "gate". And many others.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
The LLMs yearn for the spines
You can't get them to stop talking about spines!
buttondown.com
September 16, 2026 at 8:07 PM
New Newsletter! Remember that old article about how LLMs liked the word "delve"?
Well, the coding harnesses really, REALLY like the word "spine". And "gate". And many others.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
Well, the coding harnesses really, REALLY like the word "spine". And "gate". And many others.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
Right now the biggest barrier to AI-driven formal methods is that AIs are absolutely dogshit at coming up with good properties. I thought that was just a March 2026 thing but it seems to be a September 2026 thing too
September 15, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Right now the biggest barrier to AI-driven formal methods is that AIs are absolutely dogshit at coming up with good properties. I thought that was just a March 2026 thing but it seems to be a September 2026 thing too
Logic for Programmers got its first five star rating on Amazon holy shit
I know I shouldn't be as elated about this as I am but it's one more sign people are *actually reading the book*
I know I shouldn't be as elated about this as I am but it's one more sign people are *actually reading the book*
September 8, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Logic for Programmers got its first five star rating on Amazon holy shit
I know I shouldn't be as elated about this as I am but it's one more sign people are *actually reading the book*
I know I shouldn't be as elated about this as I am but it's one more sign people are *actually reading the book*
Whenever I talk about *Logic for Programmers* in public, lots of people assume it's about one of two topics:
- Type theory and Curry-Howard
- Logic programming and Prolog
Those two subjects have so completely dominated the public perception of "math in software engineering"
- Type theory and Curry-Howard
- Logic programming and Prolog
Those two subjects have so completely dominated the public perception of "math in software engineering"
September 3, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Whenever I talk about *Logic for Programmers* in public, lots of people assume it's about one of two topics:
- Type theory and Curry-Howard
- Logic programming and Prolog
Those two subjects have so completely dominated the public perception of "math in software engineering"
- Type theory and Curry-Howard
- Logic programming and Prolog
Those two subjects have so completely dominated the public perception of "math in software engineering"
This job is the first time I've had unfettered access to Claude code.
So, uh, how do people like to customize their Claude rigs? Special skills, hooks, other stuff? I'm not great at using programs in their vanilla state
So, uh, how do people like to customize their Claude rigs? Special skills, hooks, other stuff? I'm not great at using programs in their vanilla state
September 2, 2026 at 4:36 PM
This job is the first time I've had unfettered access to Claude code.
So, uh, how do people like to customize their Claude rigs? Special skills, hooks, other stuff? I'm not great at using programs in their vanilla state
So, uh, how do people like to customize their Claude rigs? Special skills, hooks, other stuff? I'm not great at using programs in their vanilla state
*Logic for Programmers* has been out for a month! To celebrate, I'm released the whole second chapter, "A Crash Course in Logic", for free online. That's 7000 words teaching practical math for the working programmer:
www.hillelwayne.com/post/predica...
www.hillelwayne.com/post/predica...
A Crash Course in Predicate Logic
I started writing Logic for Programmers because there weren’t any good resources on logic for, uh, programmers. Now that the book’s out, the new problem is that there aren’t any good free resources on...
www.hillelwayne.com
September 1, 2026 at 6:35 PM
*Logic for Programmers* has been out for a month! To celebrate, I'm released the whole second chapter, "A Crash Course in Logic", for free online. That's 7000 words teaching practical math for the working programmer:
www.hillelwayne.com/post/predica...
www.hillelwayne.com/post/predica...
Reposted by Hillel
New programming book arrived in the mail 👀
There's never been a better time to think deeply about the structure behind the code we cause to exist.
There's never been a better time to think deeply about the structure behind the code we cause to exist.
September 1, 2026 at 12:45 AM
New programming book arrived in the mail 👀
There's never been a better time to think deeply about the structure behind the code we cause to exist.
There's never been a better time to think deeply about the structure behind the code we cause to exist.
Tired: software engineering isn't dead because Anthropic is hiring lots of software engineers
Wired: writing isn't dead because the Claude Code docs are clearly not vibeslopped
Wired: writing isn't dead because the Claude Code docs are clearly not vibeslopped
August 25, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Tired: software engineering isn't dead because Anthropic is hiring lots of software engineers
Wired: writing isn't dead because the Claude Code docs are clearly not vibeslopped
Wired: writing isn't dead because the Claude Code docs are clearly not vibeslopped
Everybody's favorite part of publishing a book is writing errata
August 19, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Everybody's favorite part of publishing a book is writing errata
First true newsletter in two months! This is the Vim vs VSCode article I've wanted to write for a while, about how "Vim mode" in VSCode isn't quite the same as running actual vim, and how ultimately, the "consumer model" is better for most developers.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
Vim wants you to control, VSCode wants you to consume
The two sides of the editor divide, and why I'm on the losing side.
buttondown.com
August 18, 2026 at 4:41 PM
First true newsletter in two months! This is the Vim vs VSCode article I've wanted to write for a while, about how "Vim mode" in VSCode isn't quite the same as running actual vim, and how ultimately, the "consumer model" is better for most developers.
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
buttondown.com/hillelwayne/...
BTW I work for @antithesis.com now (as of last week)
August 18, 2026 at 3:34 PM
BTW I work for @antithesis.com now (as of last week)
Amazon seems to be selling Logic for Programmers for 15% off if you want to go get it for slightly cheaper. I had no idea this was happening and have no control over the sale, but I get the same royalties either way!
www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBLP4B26
www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBLP4B26
Logic for Programmers: Wayne, Hillel: 9798995302902: Amazon.com: Books
Logic for Programmers [Wayne, Hillel] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Logic for Programmers
www.amazon.com
August 18, 2026 at 4:32 AM
Amazon seems to be selling Logic for Programmers for 15% off if you want to go get it for slightly cheaper. I had no idea this was happening and have no control over the sale, but I get the same royalties either way!
www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBLP4B26
www.amazon.com/dp/B0HBLP4B26
Okay, I'll admit it. NixOS is pretty cool.
(I haven't yet run into the hair-tearing scenarios that make people scream so for now I'm just enjoying the cool bits)
(I haven't yet run into the hair-tearing scenarios that make people scream so for now I'm just enjoying the cool bits)
August 17, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Okay, I'll admit it. NixOS is pretty cool.
(I haven't yet run into the hair-tearing scenarios that make people scream so for now I'm just enjoying the cool bits)
(I haven't yet run into the hair-tearing scenarios that make people scream so for now I'm just enjoying the cool bits)
Watch me tapdance on a tightrope in a hurricane
August 17, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Watch me tapdance on a tightrope in a hurricane
Windows update just erased all my custom desktop backgrounds to show their spotlight photos instead
What a stupid, user hostile, customer hating OS
What a stupid, user hostile, customer hating OS
July 31, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Windows update just erased all my custom desktop backgrounds to show their spotlight photos instead
What a stupid, user hostile, customer hating OS
What a stupid, user hostile, customer hating OS
I am delighted to announce that after 5 years of work, 15 early releases, 50,000 words written, and 100,000 more deleted, *Logic for Programmers* is now complete and available in print!
Blog post announcement: www.hillelwayne.com/post/lfp/
Website: logicforprogrammers.com
Blog post announcement: www.hillelwayne.com/post/lfp/
Website: logicforprogrammers.com
Logic for Programmers
Practical math for the working programmer.
logicforprogrammers.com
July 29, 2026 at 3:58 PM
I am delighted to announce that after 5 years of work, 15 early releases, 50,000 words written, and 100,000 more deleted, *Logic for Programmers* is now complete and available in print!
Blog post announcement: www.hillelwayne.com/post/lfp/
Website: logicforprogrammers.com
Blog post announcement: www.hillelwayne.com/post/lfp/
Website: logicforprogrammers.com
Still on social media break, but popping in to say two things:
1. Next Monday I'll be speaking at @tigerbeetle.com 's Systems Distributed conference
2. Next Monday, barring a last minute catastrophe, Logic for Programmers will be purchasable in print
1. Next Monday I'll be speaking at @tigerbeetle.com 's Systems Distributed conference
2. Next Monday, barring a last minute catastrophe, Logic for Programmers will be purchasable in print
July 21, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Still on social media break, but popping in to say two things:
1. Next Monday I'll be speaking at @tigerbeetle.com 's Systems Distributed conference
2. Next Monday, barring a last minute catastrophe, Logic for Programmers will be purchasable in print
1. Next Monday I'll be speaking at @tigerbeetle.com 's Systems Distributed conference
2. Next Monday, barring a last minute catastrophe, Logic for Programmers will be purchasable in print
Taking a large social media mental health break. Reachable by email. Probably back on before softwareshould.work starts up again.
Seeya in July!
Seeya in July!
Software Should Work
An independent conference on software reliability in Columbia, MO on July 16-17, 2026
softwareshould.work
June 18, 2026 at 1:24 AM
Taking a large social media mental health break. Reachable by email. Probably back on before softwareshould.work starts up again.
Seeya in July!
Seeya in July!
Does anybody have ins at Google marketing? I NEED to know how who was in charge of making sure this car miniature had A Chrome advert on it and how much Google had to pay
(I believe the actual car had a Chrome advert, too, but surely they have to negotiate the merchandise, too?)
(I believe the actual car had a Chrome advert, too, but surely they have to negotiate the merchandise, too?)
June 17, 2026 at 6:35 PM
Does anybody have ins at Google marketing? I NEED to know how who was in charge of making sure this car miniature had A Chrome advert on it and how much Google had to pay
(I believe the actual car had a Chrome advert, too, but surely they have to negotiate the merchandise, too?)
(I believe the actual car had a Chrome advert, too, but surely they have to negotiate the merchandise, too?)
Reposted by Hillel
Next up...
"Logic isn't just for detectives and mathematicians! A small bit of logic helps us programmers in all sorts of ways, from testing better to actually making sense of left outer joins."
@hillelwayne.com returns to #systemsdistributed to teach Logic for Programmers!
"Logic isn't just for detectives and mathematicians! A small bit of logic helps us programmers in all sorts of ways, from testing better to actually making sense of left outer joins."
@hillelwayne.com returns to #systemsdistributed to teach Logic for Programmers!
June 16, 2026 at 1:05 PM
Next up...
"Logic isn't just for detectives and mathematicians! A small bit of logic helps us programmers in all sorts of ways, from testing better to actually making sense of left outer joins."
@hillelwayne.com returns to #systemsdistributed to teach Logic for Programmers!
"Logic isn't just for detectives and mathematicians! A small bit of logic helps us programmers in all sorts of ways, from testing better to actually making sense of left outer joins."
@hillelwayne.com returns to #systemsdistributed to teach Logic for Programmers!
Logic for Programmers v0.15 is now available! This version has the first of two proofreading passes and a smaller form-factor for phone reading.
Next month: 1.0, out in print!
logicforprogrammers.com
Next month: 1.0, out in print!
logicforprogrammers.com
Logic for Programmers
Use math to amplify your testing, data modeling, software design, and more!
logicforprogrammers.com
June 15, 2026 at 5:29 PM
Logic for Programmers v0.15 is now available! This version has the first of two proofreading passes and a smaller form-factor for phone reading.
Next month: 1.0, out in print!
logicforprogrammers.com
Next month: 1.0, out in print!
logicforprogrammers.com