The AskHandle Blog

What Are the Main Differences Between Using a Python or Node.js Server Framework?

Creating web applications can be done with many programming languages and frameworks. Python and Node.js are two popular choices for building server-side applications. Both have unique features and strengths, making them suitable for different types of projects. This article compares Python and Node.js server frameworks to help you choose the right one for your needs.

Estimating Developer Needs and Labor Cost in Software Projects

Creating an accurate and well-structured proposal is a critical step in securing software development projects. A common challenge is estimating the labor effort — how many developers will be needed, for how long, and what the total cost will be. Clients often look for justification behind team size and timeline. This guide outlines a practical approach to estimating labor for software projects, using a realistic example, and shows how to explain your estimate when it differs from the client’s expectations.

The Critical Role of Upfront Capex and Ongoing Opex in Software Development

Planning a successful software project extends far beyond the scope of writing code. It demands a meticulous financial strategy that accounts for all costs over the project's entire lifecycle. These expenditures are broadly classified into two fundamental categories: upfront Capital Expenditures (Capex) and ongoing Operational Expenditures (Opex). A thorough understanding of both is paramount for organizations to forecast budgets with precision, make informed strategic decisions, and ultimately ensure the project's long-term viability.

How Do You Write a Function in Node.js?

Writing functions in Node.js is a fundamental skill that helps in building efficient and organized code. Functions allow you to reuse code, break complex tasks into smaller parts, and make your scripts easier to understand and maintain. In this article, you will learn how to write functions in Node.js, with clear examples to guide you.

Should I Write a Prompt to an LLM in a Foreign Language?

Many people use large language models for different tasks. Sometimes, they want the AI to respond in a specific language. A common question is whether it’s better to write the entire prompt in that language or keep it in English and ask the AI to answer in a foreign language. This article will help you decide what approach might work best.

What Is a Vocal Backchannel?

Vocal backchannels are small sounds or words that listeners use during a conversation to show they are paying attention, understanding, or encouraging the speaker. These sounds are often unnoticed but are very important in communication. They help keep conversations flowing smoothly and make speakers feel heard and supported.

How Can You Use AI to Design and Write a Quick Landing Page?

Creating a landing page quickly and efficiently is important for many online projects, marketing campaigns, and product launches. Using AI tools can help streamline this process. This article will guide you through simple steps to use AI for designing and writing a landing page, with practical code examples to make the task easier.

Does the browser have a built-in speech-to-text feature?

Many users wonder whether modern web browsers have a built-in speech-to-text feature they can access and use in their own web projects. The good news is that most popular browsers do support speech recognition technology, which allows users to convert spoken words into text directly within a web application. This article explains how this feature works and provides simple code examples to help you integrate speech-to-text into your websites.

UTF-8 Display Issues on New Systems and How to Fix Them

When displaying text on a new system, especially content written in less widely used languages, characters may appear broken, garbled, or replaced with question marks. This often happens due to encoding mismatches. UTF-8 is a widely used character encoding standard designed to handle text from any language and is now the default format for most modern platforms and applications. Ensuring that your files are saved and read using UTF-8 helps avoid these issues.

How Can You Improve the Accuracy of RAG Search in an AI Solution?

Building a reliable Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system is important for creating accurate AI solutions. RAG combines the strengths of information retrieval with language models to provide better responses. However, getting consistently high accuracy requires careful setup and ongoing effort. This article outlines practical ways to improve the accuracy of RAG search operations.

Why does AI in programming tend to overcomplicate solutions and suggest unnecessary changes?

Programming is about solving problems efficiently. Developers aim for simple, clear, and effective code. But when AI tools are involved, the solutions often become more complex than needed, and the suggestions can seem unnecessary or confusing. This article explores why AI in programming tends to make things more complicated and how that impacts developers.

Why virtual telephone companies can sell so many phone numbers from different countries

Virtual telephone systems have become common tools for businesses that need flexible communication options. These systems allow companies to set up local or international phone numbers without owning physical lines in each country. This article explains how virtual phone numbers work and why companies like Twilio and Infobip can offer such a wide variety of numbers worldwide.

Why is AI search sometimes less accurate than a simple search?

When you are looking for a specific product on a website, you expect to find it quickly. You type in what you want, and the website shows you a list of items. For a long time, this process was straightforward. A simple search for red shoes would show you red shoes. Now, many sites are using artificial intelligence to help with searches. While this can sometimes be helpful, it can also lead to results that are not as accurate as the old-fashioned way. This article will explain why a direct search query can still be more reliable.

What is an iframe and Why Do We Use It?

An iframe is a simple tool in web development that can make websites more interactive and flexible. If you browse the internet daily, you have probably used a website with iframes, even without knowing it. This article will explain what an iframe is, how it works, and why web developers choose to use it.

Is FastAPI the Better Choice over Django for Your Next Python Project?

Choosing the right framework is critical in backend development. If you're working with Python and looking to build modern, high-performance APIs, FastAPI is gaining strong traction — but how does it stack up against the veteran Django? This article introduces FastAPI, shows a simple example, and then compares it to Django in terms of speed, architecture, and ideal use cases.

How to Build a Lead Generation Bot Without a Chatbot Builder

If you're building a serious product and want full ownership of your lead gen experience, building your own chatbot with a JSON-driven engine is a no-brainer. It’s lightweight, flexible, and future-proof — and once set up, can be just as easy to manage as any no-code tool.

Apple’s “Liquid Glass” is Here, and We Tried to Recreate It for the Web

Apple's Liquid Glass UI, unveiled at WWDC 2025, promises to redefine user interfaces with its stunning depth and responsiveness. As front-end developers, we immediately took on the challenge: how closely can we recreate this beautiful, dynamic effect using only HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on the web?

RAG vs. Search: Which AI Tool Should You Use to Find Information?

Ever wonder whether to use traditional search or a fancy AI like RAG for finding info? While RAG offers quick, conversational answers by synthesizing information, it's not always the best. For precise data like product IDs or prices, classic search is king because it points you directly to the source, ensuring accuracy. Use RAG for general questions and summaries, but stick to search when accuracy is non-negotiable!

RAG Systems and Document Limits: Is There a Ceiling?

Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) offers a powerful way to enhance large language models (LLMs) by providing them with external information. This approach directly addresses questions about context window limitations and the number of documents a system can handle. A frequent question for developers and businesses building AI applications is whether a practical limit exists for the number of documents RAG can search.

How Do Local Large Language Models Open New Opportunities for Privacy-Focused Businesses?

In recent years, large language models (LLMs) have become a significant part of many technology applications. These models can understand and generate human-like text, making tasks like customer service, content creation, and data analysis easier. But as these models grow more powerful, issues around privacy and data security also come into focus. This is where local large language models are starting to make a difference, creating fresh chances for businesses that prioritize privacy.

Why is AI Good for Employee Training?

Employee training is a key part of running a successful business. It helps workers learn new skills, stay updated with changes, and improve performance. Traditional training methods like classroom sessions or printed manuals can be time-consuming and sometimes ineffective. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers a fresh way to improve training programs. It can make learning more engaging, flexible, and personalized. This article will explain why AI is beneficial for employee training.

What is an Enterprise AI Solution and What Does it Look Like?

Businesses today often seek ways to use artificial intelligence to improve their work. An enterprise AI solution is AI technology specifically built and used within a company to solve its unique problems and make its operations better. This is different from general AI tools you might find for personal use.

Roadmap to Build Your Own AI Coding Assistant Editor

Creating an AI-powered coding assistant editor means blending a robust text editor with intelligent AI capabilities. You'll be leveraging various coding tools and designing a seamless user experience. Here's how you can approach this exciting project.

Is AI a Great Coding Assistant?

Building applications once required a lot of specific knowledge and time. Today, AI tools are changing how people write code and create software. These tools make the work quicker and simpler for many.

Why Can’t LLMs Make Decisions for You?

Large Language Models (LLMs) are powerful tools that can generate text, answer questions, and provide suggestions. They have become popular for helping with many tasks. But when it comes to making decisions, they often fall short. LLMs tend to stop at offering advice or give random answers instead of making clear choices. This article explains why that happens.

What Are the Biggest Costs of Running a Large Language Model Locally?

Running a large language model (LLM) locally can be appealing for some organizations, but it also comes with significant costs. Without relying on cloud services, the expenses primarily fall into hardware, electricity, maintenance, and operational staff. This article breaks down the main costs involved in running an LLM locally.

Why Downloadable Large Language Models Can Be the Next Big Thing in AI

The arrival of downloadable large language models (LLMs) that run directly on personal devices or local servers is changing how AI can be used. Unlike cloud-based AI services, these local LLMs operate without needing constant internet access, giving users and businesses new levels of control, privacy, and flexibility. This shift opens up fresh opportunities for developers and companies to build smarter, faster, and more customized AI-powered solutions.

What Is an SDK and Why Do SaaS Services Offer Them?

Software development kits, or SDKs, are important tools for programmers. They help create applications faster and with less effort. SaaS companies often provide SDKs to make their services easier to use and integrate.

Are AI Agents the Next Frontier in Generative Artificial Intelligence?

AI agents are quickly emerging as the centerpiece of the next phase in generative artificial intelligence, drawing major investment from leading technology companies. Unlike earlier AI models that primarily generated content or answered questions, these agents are designed to perform complex tasks autonomously, requiring minimal human intervention.

What Is the New Frontline of AI Battle Between Major Economies?

The competition over AI between the United States and China has entered a critical new phase, marked by a shift from purely technological rivalry to a broader contest over global influence, standards, and digital infrastructure. This competition now extends far beyond the development of AI models alone, encompassing control over AI adoption, regulatory frameworks, and the architecture of worldwide digital ecosystems.

What Is the Context Window for the Latest LLMs and What If My Text Is Longer?

Large language models (LLMs) are growing in power, but they still have clear limits. One of these is their context window—the chunk of text or tokens they can handle at one time. This article explains what a context window is, which models support the largest ones, and what to do if your input is too long.

What You Need to Know Before Signing a Digital Contract

Digital contracts are everywhere—from employment offers and lease agreements to business deals. They’re fast, convenient, and legally enforceable—if used correctly. But before you click Sign, it's important to understand the legal and technical foundations that make digital signatures valid—and the risks you need to avoid.

Sleeping at the Office: A Sign of Strength or Strain?

There’s a persistent image of the zealous startup founder, fueled by coffee and determination, whose dedication is absolute. This often includes the romanticized notion of sleeping at the office. It's often presented as the ultimate sign of commitment, proof of dedication, and an indicator that the company, especially a startup, is thriving. But does sleeping at the office truly serve as good leadership? And does it truly impress investors or signal a healthy, growing company?

The Secret Life of AI System Prompts

Recently, the tech world buzzed with the revelation that Anthropic's Claude 3 model uses a system prompt estimated to be around 24,000 tokens long. For context, that's equivalent to approximately 22,600 words. Forget a single sentence; this is a meticulous, multi-page operating manual for an AI. So, why would an AI need such an exhaustive set of instructions, and what does it mean for performance, cost, and the way you interact with these powerful models? Let's explore.

What is an API Token?

Ever wonder how different online services talk to each other securely? Or how an app on your phone can pull data from a popular website without you logging in every single time? The answer often involves something called an API token.