Carbonara, coffee, and coding

What do carbonara, coffee, and code have in common? If you thought about the initial letter, you're partially correct, but today I'd like to talk about algorithms. When we hear the term, it often sounds very complex, and I don't blame you. It can be complicated, but an algorithm can be defined as an "ordered and finite set of operations that allows us to find the solution to a problem." It still sounds complex, but what if we think of an algorithm as a procedure, a step-by-step process, or a set of instructions? You can see where I'm going with this.

We encounter algorithms in our daily lives, from the moment we wake up and prepare our coffee until we go to bed and perform our bedtime ritual: brushing our teeth, washing our faces, getting into our pajamas, and so on. I'm not referring to the algorithm behind our alarm or our electric coffee maker but rather to its simplest form: a set of instructions we unconsciously execute.

Algorithms changed the way I am, think, and live. When you study systems engineering, particularly programming, your thinking changes or how you structure your thoughts. I still remember my first programming classes at university, where they told us that from now on, we would see everything as entities and relationships, and they couldn't have been more right. Nowadays, I see things differently; I see how "algorithms" influence our daily lives and how they are applied.

In the case of coffee, with Arjé Coffee, I awakened my interest in specialty coffee that I didn't know existed. The step-by-step process of preparing coffee directly influences the final result in the cup. You have variables such as the coffee itself, the brewing method, the brewing time, and the grind size, among others, which you can play with to obtain different results. On the other hand, we have carbonara, one of my favorite recipes, but like any dish, it has a step-by-step process, an algorithm. Frying the pancetta for a certain amount of time, whisking a certain number of egg yolks, adding a specific amount of cheese, and combining this mixture with al dente pasta at a certain heat level will produce a delicious carbonara.

Programming is very similar. You have variables, then steps or operations with which you modify or generate new variables based on the initial ones, and eventually, you arrive at a final result. So, carbonara, coffee, and code have much in common: algorithms to prepare or create them.

To conclude, I'd like you to close your eyes and think about how many algorithms you unconsciously execute in your daily life: preparing breakfast, taking the bus, driving, checking Instagram stories, reels, and TikToks, among others. Now, let's think about how many algorithms are behind everything we do with a phone, a watch, or a laptop. If you can't imagine the quantity, you shouldn't worry; I can't either. But I made you think for a few minutes like a programmer: being aware of the logic, variables, and algorithms behind each action.