Jehu Amanna · Tinkerer
brokentablets
Computer programming notes from the workbench: small experiments, practical fixes, and things learned while taking software apart.
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Regex, Automata, and Computation Are the Same Thing
Automata, computation, and regex turn out to be three vocabularies for one underlying idea. - Study Notes
T–2026.09.07
Archive
- Why (a+)+b Can Freeze JavaScript But Not grep
T–2026.09.07
Why the exact same regex pattern is instant in grep but can freeze JavaScript for minutes. - Study Notes
Building a working regex engine by hand, Thompson's construction, subset construction, and a linear-time matcher. - Study Notes
Why nondeterministic finite automata are no more powerful than DFAs, proved by subset construction. - Study Notes
- Modeling an Elevator With a State Machine
T–2026.09.07
Extending finite automata from yes/no acceptors into machines that act, using an elevator as the model. - Study Notes
- What Even Is a "Language" in Computer Science?
T–2026.09.07
A precise definition of "language" in computer science, and why JavaScript isn't a regular one. - Study Notes
- Your React State Machine Is Secretly a DFA
T–2026.09.07
Why a useState/useReducer component is, formally, a deterministic finite automaton. - Study Notes
- Is reviewing AI code a joke?
T–2026.09.07
Is it possible to review huge code output by AI for each prompt? - Study Notes