by Joche Ojeda | Apr 28, 2024 | A.I
Introduction to Semantic Kernel
Hey there, fellow curious minds! Let’s talk about something exciting today—Semantic Kernel. But don’t worry, we’ll keep it as approachable as your favorite coffee shop chat.
What Exactly Is Semantic Kernel?
Imagine you’re in a magical workshop, surrounded by tools. Well, Semantic Kernel is like that workshop, but for developers. It’s an open-source Software Development Kit (SDK) that lets you create AI agents. These agents aren’t secret spies; they’re little programs that can answer questions, perform tasks, and generally make your digital life easier.
Here’s the lowdown:
- Open-Source: Think of it as a community project. People from all walks of tech life contribute to it, making it better and more powerful.
- Software Development Kit (SDK): Fancy term, right? But all it means is that it’s a set of tools for building software. Imagine it as your AI Lego set.
- Agents: Nope, not James Bond. These are like your personal AI sidekicks. They’re here to assist you, not save the world (although that would be cool).
A Quick History Lesson
About a year ago, Semantic Kernel stepped onto the stage. Since then, it’s been striding confidently, like a seasoned performer. Here are some backstage highlights:
- GitHub Stardom: On March 17th, 2023, it made its grand entrance on GitHub. And guess what? It got more than 17,000 stars! (Around 18.2. right now) That’s like being the coolest kid in the coding playground.
- Downloads Galore: The C# kernel (don’t worry, we’ll explain what that is) had 1000000+ NuGet downloads. It’s like everyone wanted a piece of the action.
- VS Code Extension: Over 25,000 downloads! Imagine it as a magical wand for your code editor.
And hey, the .Net kernel even threw a party—it reached a 1.0 release! The Python and Java kernels are close behind with their 1.0 Release Candidates. It’s like they’re all graduating from AI university.
Why Should You Care?
Now, here’s the fun part. Why should you, someone with a lifetime of wisdom and curiosity, care about this?
- Microsoft Magic: Semantic Kernel loves hanging out with Microsoft products. It’s like they’re best buddies. So, when you use it, you get to tap into the power of Microsoft’s tech universe. Fancy, right? Learn more
- No Code Rewrite Drama: Imagine you have a favorite recipe (let’s say it’s your grandma’s chocolate chip cookies). Now, imagine you want to share it with everyone. Semantic Kernel lets you do that without rewriting the whole recipe. You just add a sprinkle of AI magic! Check it out
- LangChain vs. Semantic Kernel: These two are like rival chefs. Both want to cook up AI goodness. But while LangChain (built around Python and JavaScript) comes with a full spice rack of tools, Semantic Kernel is more like a secret ingredient. It’s lightweight and includes not just Python but also C#. Plus, it’s like the Assistant API—no need to fuss over memory and context windows. Just cook and serve!
So, my fabulous friend, whether you’re a seasoned developer or just dipping your toes into the AI pool, Semantic Kernel has your back. It’s like having a friendly AI mentor who whispers, “You got this!” And with its growing community and constant updates, Semantic Kernel is leading the way in AI development.
Remember, you don’t need a PhD in computer science to explore this—it’s all about curiosity, creativity, and a dash of Semantic Kernel magic. 🌟✨
Ready to dive in? Check out the Semantic Kernel GitHub repository for the latest updates
by Joche Ojeda | Apr 23, 2024 | C#, Uncategorized
Castle.Core: A Favourite Among C# Developers
Castle.Core, a component of the Castle Project, is an open-source project that provides common abstractions, including logging services. It has garnered popularity in the .NET community, boasting over 88 million downloads.
Dynamic Proxies: Acting as Stand-Ins
In the realm of programming, a dynamic proxy is a stand-in or surrogate for another object, controlling access to it. This proxy object can introduce additional behaviours such as logging, caching, or thread-safety before delegating the call to the original object.
The Impact of Dynamic Proxies
Dynamic proxies are instrumental in intercepting method calls and implementing aspect-oriented programming. This aids in managing cross-cutting concerns like logging and transaction management.
Castle DynamicProxy: Generating Proxies at Runtime
Castle DynamicProxy, a feature of Castle.Core, is a library that generates lightweight .NET proxies dynamically at runtime. It enables operations to be performed before and/or after the method execution on the actual object, without altering the class code.
Dynamic Proxies in the Realm of ORM Libraries
Dynamic proxies find significant application in Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) Libraries. ORM allows you to interact with your database, such as SQL Server, Oracle, or MySQL, in an object-oriented manner. Dynamic proxies are employed in ORM libraries to create lightweight objects that mirror database records, facilitating efficient data manipulation and retrieval.
Here’s a simple example of how to create a dynamic proxy using Castle.Core:
using Castle.DynamicProxy;
public class SimpleInterceptor : IInterceptor
{
public void Intercept(IInvocation invocation)
{
Console.WriteLine("Before target call");
try
{
invocation.Proceed(); //Calls the decorated instance.
}
catch (Exception)
{
Console.WriteLine("Target threw an exception!");
throw;
}
finally
{
Console.WriteLine("After target call");
}
}
}
public class SomeClass
{
public virtual void SomeMethod()
{
Console.WriteLine("SomeMethod in SomeClass called");
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{
ProxyGenerator generator = new ProxyGenerator();
SimpleInterceptor interceptor = new SimpleInterceptor();
SomeClass proxy = generator.CreateClassProxy(interceptor);
proxy.SomeMethod();
}
}
Conclusion
Castle.Core and its DynamicProxy feature are invaluable tools for C# programmers, enabling efficient handling of cross-cutting concerns through the creation of dynamic proxies. With over 825.5 million downloads, Castle.Core’s widespread use in the .NET community underscores its utility. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced C# programmer, understanding and utilizing dynamic proxies, particularly in ORM libraries, can significantly boost your programming skills. Dive into Castle.Core and dynamic proxies in your C# projects and take your programming skills to the next level. Happy coding!
by Joche Ojeda | Apr 20, 2024 | C#
Finding Out the Invoking Methods in .NET
In .NET, it’s possible to find out the methods that are invoking a specific method. This can be particularly useful when you don’t have the source code available. One way to achieve this is by throwing an exception and examining the call stack. Here’s how you can do it:
Throwing an Exception
First, within the method of interest, you need to throw an exception. Here’s an example:
public void MethodOfInterest()
{
throw new Exception("MethodOfInterest was called");
}
Catching the Exception
Next, you need to catch the exception in a higher level method that calls the method of interest:
public void InvokingMethod()
{
try
{
MethodOfInterest();
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine(ex.StackTrace);
}
}
In the catch block, we print the stack trace of the exception to the console. The stack trace is a string that represents a stack of method calls that leads to the location where the exception was thrown.
Examining the Call Stack
The call stack is a list of all the methods that were in the process of execution at the time the exception was thrown. By examining the call stack, you can see which methods were invoking the method of interest.
Here’s an example of what a call stack might look like:
at Namespace.MethodOfInterest() in C:\Path\To\File.cs:line 10
at Namespace.InvokingMethod() in C:\Path\To\File.cs:line 20
In this example, InvokingMethod was the method that invoked MethodOfInterest.
Conclusion
By throwing an exception and examining the call stack, you can find out which methods are invoking a specific method in .NET. This can be a useful debugging tool, especially when you don’t have the source code available.
