My AI Learning Journey – Part 11 – AI Assisted Coding – Good or Bad?
The author frames AI‑assisted coding as the latest abstraction layer built on decades of software stack evolution, from transistors to DevOps. While large language models can generate and refactor code quickly, the piece warns that without deep understanding of lower‑level concepts, developers lose control over security and performance. The post argues that AI accelerates prototyping but does not eliminate other bottlenecks such as testing, deployment, and architecture decisions. Ultimately, the technology expands capability rather than replacing the need for skilled engineers.
My AI Learning Journey – Part 10 – AI Assisted Coding – VSCodium and Continue
The author integrated the open‑source VSCodium editor with the Continue extension, OpenRouter, and the GPT‑5.3‑codex model to create a fully private AI‑assisted coding workflow. By prompting the LLM, a 600‑line Python utility for monitoring a Fritzbox router was generated in...
My AI Learning Journey – Part 8- OpenRouter – 350+ Models to Experiment With
The post introduces OpenRouter, an aggregation platform that exposes more than 350 large‑language models through a single API key. Unlike traditional subscription services, OpenRouter charges per token, with the author spending roughly $10.85 on experimental projects. Integrated with a self‑hosted...
My AI Learning Journey – Part 7 – Combining LLMs with Web Search
The author demonstrates how to add Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG) to a local LLM stack using Open WebUI and Brave's privacy‑focused search API. By configuring an API key, the LLM can pull live web results, attach source links, and avoid hallucinations...
My AI Learning Journey – Part 6 – A Reverse Proxy for the LLM GUI
The author explains how to secure Open WebUI (OWUI) for Ollama by adding a reverse proxy, since OWUI only offers HTTP. Because the OWUI host lacks a public IP, a double‑proxy setup is used: an external Caddy instance forwards requests...
My AI Learning Journey – Part 5 – A GUI for the LLM at Home
The author details how to layer Open WebUI (OWUI) on top of an existing Ollama installation using Docker Compose, exposing the UI on port 3000. By configuring Ollama to listen on 0.0.0.0:11434 and adjusting the host firewall, the container can...
What Does TOTP Protect From?
Time‑based One‑Time Passwords (TOTP) rely on a shared secret stored on both client and server, making the secret a single point of failure if the server is breached. The author argues that TOTP’s strongest defense is against client‑side ransomware or...
TOTP Authentication – Open Source and Between Devices
Two-factor authentication via SMS or email presents latency and vendor lock‑in risks, prompting a shift toward standardized, open‑source TOTP solutions. The author discovered that KeePassDX on Android can act as a local TOTP generator by scanning QR codes and storing...