Mike Levin’s LPvg Stack: Timeless Tech Skills for the AI Age

Linux: The open-source pulse of global computation.
Python: Language of logic, creativity, and discovery.
vim: The text whisperer—efficiency bound in keystrokes.
git: The memory keeper—track, share, and never lose your way.

That’s the main minimal tech-stack as a sort of swiss army knife or utility belt of tech. You don’t need to use it for everything, but it is applicable to everything. With a few more tools, we lower the barrier to entry and make systems reproducible across all hardware. Plus, we’ll sprinkle in the free local AI and a Python-centric web development environment.

nix/NixOS: Reproducibility redefined—consistency across the code cosmos.
tmux: Command-line conjurer—sessions split, disconnected, and reborn.
Jupyter Notebooks: Code meets canvas—prototype, iterate, illuminate.
FastHTML: From Python thoughts to web realities in a heartbeat.
Ollama: Offline AI, always listening—your local companion in thought.

Philosophy on Staying Relevant

I believe in mastering a set of fundamental, versatile tools that I call the “LPvg stack”. These form the core of what I consider a future-proof skill set. I advocate for avoiding the “hamster wheel” of constantly chasing the latest tech trends and instead focusing on timeless fundamentals that remain relevant across different eras of technology.

Empowering Domain Experts with Tech Skills

You don’t have to be a dedicated developer to benefit from these technical skills. I advocate for a different approach:

Become an expert in your chosen field or domain - whatever truly excites you.
Develop tech skills as a complementary toolset to enhance your primary expertise.

This combination allows you to:

Maintain independence and agency in your work
Automate tasks and improve efficiency in your domain
Bridge the gap between your field and technology
Adapt quickly to technological changes in your industry
Prototype and implement ideas without always relying on dedicated developers

The goal is to empower professionals across various fields with the ability to leverage technology effectively, opening up unique opportunities at the intersection of domain expertise and tech skills.

A Versatile and Sustainable Development Toolkit

This toolkit offers a pragmatic approach to software development, emphasizing independence, adaptability, and sustainability. By leveraging open-source and AI-enhanced components, it helps developers create portable applications that avoid vendor lock-in and complex frameworks. The result is a flexible solution that promotes consistent workflows, builds valuable muscle memory, and ensures applications remain relevant as technology evolves. Focusing on open standards and portability serves as a form of future-proofing, allowing for scalability without sacrificing autonomy.

A Cohesive, Cross-Platform Foundation for Agency

This approach showcases the connection of fragmented tools and concepts into a cohesive development workflow. By mastering Linux, Python, Vim, and Git, and leveraging technologies like NixOS, Nix Flakes, JupyterLab, CUDA, FastHTML, and local LLMs, developers can create a portable, reproducible environment ready to spin up at any moment, anywhere. This foundation prioritizes agency in development, offering a consistent starting point for any project while avoiding over-engineering. The result is a streamlined approach that balances practicality and reusability, making it easier to focus on solving problems and creating new solutions without getting lost in architectural abstraction.

Learn more about Mike Levin

Future-proof Your Tech Skills - September 08, 2024
Future-proof your tech skills by mastering a few cherry picked fundamentials that apply in the AI Age. Hear the argument.
Linux, Python, Vim & Git (LPvg) Your Minimum Tech Toolkit for Life - September 09, 2024
Master Linux, Python, Vim, and Git (LPvg) as your minimum tech toolkit to stay relevant, resist obsolescence, and embrace open-source freedom with Nix, Jupyter Notebooks, and Pythonic web development using FastHTML and HTMX.
Groking the NixOS Langauge - September 10, 2024
Pythonista struggles with NixOS, seeking an intuitive grasp of its declarative syntax, functional nature, and abstract structures, navigating challenges in config language comprehension.
Getting Started with Nix Flakes - September 12, 2024
Discover how Nix Flakes simplify NixOS configuration management. Learn to version control your system setup and streamline your workflow with this step-by-step guide.
My First Nix Flake Will Be JupyterLab - September 13, 2024
Exploring how to create a portable and shareable JupyterLab environment using Nix flakes, enabling consistent development workflows across NixOS and macOS.
Get the Big Tech Picture to Maintain Agency - September 14, 2024
Discover the evolution of foundational tech tools—from Unix to Python, Vim, and NixOS—and learn how understanding these principles empowers you to maintain independence and control in today's AI-driven landscape.
Cross-Platform Nix Flake for Jupyter & FastHTML - September 15, 2024
Learn how I methodically crafted a cross-platform Nix flake that integrates JupyterLab, CUDA support, Ollama for local LLMs, and a FastHTML server, leveraging virtual environments for maximum flexibility.
Embracing AI-Assisted Development with Jupyter AI and Nix Flakes - September 16, 2024
Learn how to modify a `flake.nix` to create a flexible development environment with JupyterLab, CUDA support, AI-assisted tools like Jupyter AI, and Python virtual environments for enhanced productivity and adaptability.
Updating NixOS - September 17, 2024
Discover Nix and NixOS essentials, including transitioning from Ubuntu and Fedora, understanding the unique /nix/store/, and leveraging deterministic packaging on Mac and Windows. Learn how Nix Flakes simplify software management and development environments.
Getting My Nix System Together - September 22, 2024
Discover Nix and NixOS for reproducible systems. Learn to configure NixOS, set up data science environments, and manage Python dependencies, balancing Nix's determinism with Python's flexibility.
Using NixOS and Nix with Pip Install DotEnv - September 23, 2024
Leverage NixOS and Nix with pip to install python-dotenv for managing environment variables. This guide walks you through setting up reproducible Python environments, securely handling secrets, and integrating tools like FastHTML and Ollama for efficient development under Nix.
FastHTML and Cursor AI on Linux, Mac & Windows - September 24, 2024
Learn how to integrate FastHTML and Cursor AI using Nix across Mac, Windows, and Linux. This guide walks through setting up a cross-platform development environment, handling NixOS challenges, and ensuring compatibility with popular tools.
The DevOps Renaissance: How Infrastructure as Code is Redefining Digital Craftsmanship - September 25, 2024
Explore the resurgence of the polymath in DevOps, where Infrastructure as Code is enabling small teams to achieve unprecedented scale and efficiency. Discover how continuous refinement of IaC transforms DevOps engineers into digital artisans, shaping the future of software development.
There's No Home Like Nix - September 26, 2024
This article explores building a reproducible development environment using Nix, focusing on creating a "home" script to streamline setup across platforms. It highlights Nix flakes, simplicity in tech, and modernizing apps like Pipulate with AI in FastHTML.
Forking a Flake of Infrastructure as Code - September 27, 2024
Creating a portable foundation for every project using Nix Flakes and Infrastructure as Code, ensuring a consistent starting point across platforms while avoiding architecture over-engineering. This approach balances practical needs and reusability, making development smooth and adaptable.
Melding a Mac and Linux Nix Flake - October 01, 2024
Systematically working through getting all the basic data science components working on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Code as Infrastructure - October 02, 2024
Embracing Infrastructure as Code for Hardware Freedom and Career Growth
From Jupyer Notebooks to FastHTML with WebSockets - October 03, 2024
Getting Back into Web Programming with Jupyter Notebooks and FastHTML, getting down the basic trick of Streaming Messges from long-running tasks using HTMX and WebSockets.
Understanding FastHTML's Framework Opinions - October 04, 2024
Comming to grips with how opinionated a framework FastHTML really is, but deciding it's still worth it, if I can decipher the intuitively correct feeling HTMX approach, coupled with Python functions named for HTML tags.
Ollama Websocket Chat - October 05, 2024
WebSocket technology enables efficient real-time chat and responsive UIs, replacing older methods like polling. The article discusses various streaming techniques, including ZeroMQ, and proposes combining FastHTML HTMX with Ollama chat for a web-based AI chatbot.
FastHTML WebSockets & Database for Streaming & Persistence - October 06, 2024
FastHTML simplifies web dev with built-in SQLite support, WebSockets, and HTMX. It enables easy database setup, real-time updates, and server-side rendering. The article chronicles a shift from custom solutions to leveraging FastHTML's streamlined features for persistence and communication.
A ChatGPT o1-Preview Code Review - October 07, 2024
Building the next generation of Pipulate with FastHTML has been challenging but rewarding. After overcoming hurdles with HTMX and real-time streaming, I'm excited about the potential for powerful local web apps built in Python, easily shareable across platforms.
Unpacking FastHTML Databases - October 08, 2024
The article explores the complexities and nuances of the FastHTML framework, emphasizing its layered architecture built on Python and Starlette. It discusses the challenges of adapting to new conventions while developing a Pythonic API wrapper, highlighting the importance of understanding evolving frameworks for effective web development.
AI-Generated Refactoring Advice from Top LLM Models - October 09, 2024
Learn how to integrate AI-powered refactoring advice from Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI ChatGPT o1-Preview into a Python web framework using FastHTML. This guide walks you through setting up refactoring systems and enhancing workflow with cutting-edge AI models.
FastHTML and SortableJS For Sortable Todo Lists - October 10, 2024
This article explores how to integrate SortableJS with FastHTML for creating sortable to-do lists. It covers client-side drag-and-drop functionality, efficient backend updates using MiniDataAPI, and setting up JavaScript and Python endpoints for real-time updates.
Test SPA Endpoints (Single Page Applications in FastHTML) - October 11, 2024
This article details the development of a comprehensive testing suite for a FastHTML single-page application using Python's `unittest`. It covers endpoint testing, logging enhancements, and future plans for UI automation, ensuring the application’s reliability and robustness while showcasing code snippets for clarity.
Building a Plugin-Ready Framework: A Step-by-Step Transformation - October 12, 2024
Discover how I restructured my system into a plugin-ready framework, enhancing modularity and simplifying updates. This guide outlines the transformative steps taken, highlighting the benefits of a modular design for improved scalability, maintainability, and collaborative development.
Object Oriented Base Class Plugins - October 13, 2024
I've built a plugin system using object-oriented programming, something I was initially hesitant about due to Python's OOP syntax. By creating a base class, `BaseApp`, I've streamlined CRUD operations and routes, improving the system's long-term flexibility. This approach reduces complexity in my single-file setup. I’ve customized the base class with wrappers like `TodoApp` and `ProfileApp` for specific functionalities. This shift to precision coding lets me add new features, like sorting, without bloating the code, making the system easier to update and maintain.
Botifython is Born - October 14, 2024
I’m diving back into web development through Botifython, a Python framework focused on SEO and AI, driven by new technology. My setup utilizes Nix Flakes for reproducible environments and includes an automated update mechanism with SSH keys, ensuring seamless integration of new features. I’m excited to evolve this project with stable and experimental branches as I continue to enhance its capabilities.
Soft Launching Botifython - October 15, 2024
My journey upgrading Botifython's Pipulate fork with Nix flakes, transforming Jupyter Notebooks into web apps, and deploying to coworkers. From FOSS to proprietary shifts, embracing infrastructure as code, and automating SEO workflows—crafting tech with passion and precision.
The key to AI Code Assist Acceleration is 1-Folder Scope - October 15, 2024
Explore how moving a key NixOS config to a 'repos' folder accelerates AI coding assistance with Cursor AI. Learn about challenges with Vim macros, AI limitations, and tips for consolidating development resources while leveraging cross-repo insights for coding efficiency.