January 25, 2026 | By Poorna Gunathilaka

So I started doing Advanced Linux Kernel Programming this semester. I have always been interested in operating systems and kernel programming. I once tried following tutorial on operating system development using Rust, but I never got past the first tutorial. This course gives me a more realistic motivation to properly learn operating systems and kernel development. Honestly, I had know the terms like bootloader, BIOS, UEFI, and kernel before, but I never really paid attention to how they are organized or how the system actually boots.

January 2, 2026 | By Poorna Gunathilaka

What is MLIR and Why Does It Matter? Compiler infrastructure has historically been fragmented. You had one representation for the high-level language (like the TensorFlow graph) and a completely different one for the low-level machine code (like LLVM IR). Moving between these levels often resulted in lost optimization opportunities. MLIR (Multi-Level Intermediate Representation) solves this by providing a unified infrastructure. It allows compilers to define “dialects”—modular levels of abstraction that can mix and match.

June 27, 2022 | By Poorna Gunathilaka

Up to recently Javascript has been the only language which we can use to write programs for web browsers. Javascript is not suitable to run resource intensive applications such as AR-VR, video editing and 3D games. WebAssembly (wasm) was initially proposed as a compilation target for higher level languages which enabled them to run on web browsers with the additional performance gains for running computational intensive applications. Tensorflow, Unity, GoogleEarth and many more applications already use wasm to run on web browsers.

February 26, 2026 | By Poorna Gunathilaka

The internet is a nightmare for fitness advice. Between “biohacks” and contradictory influencers, it’s easy to get buried in information. Over the last two months, I’ve been experimenting with my own routine to see what actually sticks when a PhD workload gets intense. Here’s a breakdown of what worked, what failed, and why I’m completely changing my approach. The Productivity Trap In January, I had a solid morning ritual: wake up, stretch, meditate for five minutes, and read an article before touching my phone.

January 2, 2026 | By Poorna Gunathilaka

Consistency is often sold as the hardest part of fitness. For the last two years, I’ve mastered it. I’ve shown up to the gym more regularly than ever before in my life. But looking back, I realize that while my attendance was perfect, my effort was plateauing. I haven’t been pushing limits; I’ve been coasting in my comfort zone. So, let’s forget about the past. This post is about drawing a line in the sand and defining real targets.