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Journal

The IO Tools Journal

Guides, deep dives and field notes on the tools, formats and protocols developers use every day.

fiber optic switch panel with dozens of glowing orange connector ports
TLSFeatured

The TLS handshake, explained: what actually happens before HTTPS connects

TLS 1.3 collapsed the handshake from two round trips to one and deleted RSA key exchange entirely. Here's the actual byte-level message flow — captured from a real connection — and what each step buys you.

Sep 26, 20268 min
hands holding a large ring of assorted vintage skeleton keys
JWT

JWT signing algorithms: HS256 vs RS256 vs ES256, and why alg confusion still works

Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min
cluster of brass gears in varying sizes arranged on a black background
Cryptography

RSA vs ECC: how public-key cryptography actually works

Sep 12, 2026 · 9 min
close-up of a vintage typewriter keyboard with round metal letter keys
Cryptography

The Playfair cipher: why pairing letters actually worked

Sep 5, 2026 · 7 min
man in a suit examining coded symbols on paper with a magnifying glass while writing in a notebook
Cryptography

The Vigenère cipher: the code that called itself unbreakable

Sep 2, 2026 · 7 min
close-up of blurred Python code on a dark terminal screen
Databases

UUID versions explained: v4, v7, and ULID

Sep 1, 2026 · 4 min
close-up of blurred Python code on a dark terminal screen
Configuration

YAML vs JSON vs TOML: which config format should you actually use?

Sep 1, 2026 · 3 min
macro close-up of frost crystals forming fern-like branching patterns on ice
Databases

Snowflake IDs: how Twitter and Discord pack a sortable ID into 64 bits

Aug 31, 2026 · 8 min
close-up of a carved stone dragon sculpture with red and gold painted details
Naming

Fáfnir, Smaug and Ao Guang Are Not the Same Kind of Name

Aug 24, 2026 · 5 min
small bronze gnome statues on a cracked cobblestone street against a wall
Naming

Almost Every Dwarf Name You Know Comes From One Norse Poem

Aug 24, 2026 · 6 min
three gold combination luggage locks with number dials on wooden surface
Naming

Harry Potter Names Are Latin Homework in a Cloak

Aug 24, 2026 · 5 min
pregnant woman sitting on couch holding pen and open notebook thoughtfully
Naming

How Japanese Names Actually Work (And Why the Order Flipped Back)

Aug 24, 2026 · 6 min
aerial view of a snow-capped mountain peak with clouds over a dark valley
Naming

Skyrim Names by Race: What Actually Makes a Nord, Elf, or Khajiit Name Sound Right

Aug 24, 2026 · 6 min