Tammy Xu
Staff Reporter at Built In
Expertise: Software development
Education: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Northwestern University

Tammy Xu is a former Built In staff reporter covering software development and trends across the software industry. She holds a master of science in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor of arts in chemistry from Northwestern University. Prior to joining Built In, she spent five years as a software developer for The Dow Chemical Company. Xu is also a former contributing editor and director of fact checking for South Side Weekly. She is currently a reporting fellow at MIT Technology Review.

Sort By
Most Recent
Most Recent
Oldest
134 Articles
A hand reaching out of a website to offer programming help.
14 Hands-On Tutorials for Programming Languages
Figuring out your own mistakes is a great way to learn software development.
A digital non-compete contract with digital chains tethering it in place.
You’re Asked to Sign a Non-Compete Agreement. Now What?
Before you make a quick decision, consider these options.
A smart phone with the icon for translation hovering above the screen as languages pass through it.
Will We Ever See a Real-Life ‘Star Trek’ Universal Translator?
Machine translation is much harder than it looks.
Walls of code produced in an extreme programming environment fading into the distance.
What Is Extreme Programming?
A look into the software development method that normalized small code releases and quick customer feedback loops.
A form with data redacted for testing and anonymity purposes.
What Data Should You Use for Software Testing?
There are two main ways of generating testing data: anonymizing production data or creating fake data.
A product manager displaying their product management skills during an interview.
What to Look for When Hiring Product Managers
Five tips on finding the right person for the PM role.
An infinite loop used to portray DevOps with security and debugging symbols incorporated into its design.
DevSecOps Makes Cybersecurity More Agile
But it’s as much about mindset as it is automating security processes.
The react logo and a tools icon merged for speedy software development.
13 Best React Developer Tools
These libraries can make React development go a whole lot smoother.
A collage of code freezing over a frozen keyboard.
Are Code Freezes Still Necessary?
For some companies, yes. But they should be used carefully.
Google chrome icon surrounded by hardware tools
The 13 Best Chrome Extensions for Developers
Level up your development and debugging processes with these tools.
Employees across departments working with a low code tool to develop software for their needs.
In the Age of Low-Code Tools, This Is Where Software Engineering Fits In
Just because something is low code doesn’t mean it’s low maintenance.
A disjointed image of quantum computing that doesn't match up with reality.
Quantum Computing Movies: How Realistic Are They?
We talked to an expert about the science fiction trope.