Here we go…

1. Spring and Java

>> Raw String Literals Removed From Java 12 as Feature Set Frozen [infoq.com]

A rundown of the features that made the cut for Java 12, and one highly anticipated feature that did not.

>> Building Native Images of Kotlin Programs Using GraalVM [vorba.ch]

And a clever way to build native binary command-line applications in Kotlin.

>> Hibernate Tips: How To Map an Entity to a Query [thoughts-on-java.org]

A brief look at when to consider the @Subselect annotation over other options.

Also worth reading:

Webinars and presentations:

Time to upgrade:

2. Technical and Musings

>> Building a VPC with CloudFormation – Part 1 [infoq.com]

A new series kicks off, all about creating and managing Virtual Private Clouds with CloudFormation.

>> How to manage custom CloudFormation resources with Lambda [advancedweb.hu]

And a good write-up on how to create custom resources using a Lambda function.

>> Understanding Blockchain Basics and Use Cases [infoq.com]

A solid intro to blockchain, if you need one.

Also worth reading:

3. Comics

And my favorite Dilberts of the week:

>> Boss Has a Vision for the Company [dilbert.com]

>> Ask Ted [dilbert.com]

>> Contacting the Alien Probe [dilbert.com]

4. Pick of the Week

>> This is why you sanitize user input: Chat hacked live by XSS/HTML code injection, hilarity ensues [youtube.com]

Happy New Year,

Eugen.