Filip Dolník

In the previous post, i gave a rundown of cozytown.eu. A project i am working on while looking for my next career opportunity. This time let's talk about the tech stack. Even if this stack may not be super relevant for all companies. The Cozytown stack is not necessarily geared towards millions of users. It will currently break under heavy load. And that is a conscious decision. If this takes off, cool! awesome! and then i can deal with scale at that time. I do realize that his might be an unpopular opinion in developer circles not to have a service that is not always up and doesn't auto-scale and redundant across the globe. Cozytown is currently hosted on 1 virtual machine running inside a docker container. It uses SQLite for storing trip information and block storage for image assets. The backend is written in Go with vanilla Javascript, Css and Html for the visible parts. Everything runs as a monolith. All in all, a simple stack for a simple product. The release cycle consists of tagging a git commit, build a docker image and deploy it to my 1 node docker swarm. That one node also hosts www.brandmaps.io and other random ideas i get from time to time. Remember that in the end it is all about the product. No product means no customers. A product means potential customers. It means it can be validated. Is the idea good? Should i pivot? Should i double down? Should i drop it for another idea? Questions that cannot be answered if my time is spent on things other than shipping. My expenses for this is currently 5 euro a month + domain costs.

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A lot of developers outsource their financial modeling. I usually do them myself, but once, I decided to hire it out and regretted it. He did an excellent job, but I was not satisfied. I did not know the template, so I had a hard time understanding the logic at first. I did not communicate all the assumptions I had previously made, which resulted in many iterations. One can argue that I should have learned how to delegate this task. To me, it is very important to not only understand the numbers but to also remember them. When speaking to investors and lenders, I usually answer the questions without having to look them up because I spent my own time working with the model. I wish I met Stephon Smith sooner. His model sounds incredible and I cannot wait to use it on our next project. Take a listen to my full interview with him in Real Estate Development: Land to Legacy podcast, now available for download. #financialmodel #financialmodeling #proforma #feasibilitystudy #realestatedevelopment #realestatedeveloper

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In March 2024, we released Gradle Build Tool 8.7 - a new release introducing support for building Java 22 projects and many improvements for better build authoring and troubleshooting experience. We asked Gradle engineers and contributors to record demos of the key features. Check them out! https://lnkd.in/e9AUDr8F Presentations by: Tom T. Laura Kassovic Louis Jacomet Jendrik Johannes József Bartók Mikhail Lopatkin Oleg Nenashev Octavia Togami Rafael Chaves and Alex Semin. Thanks to many contributors to the release! We will be happy to discuss all new features on the stream chats and the Gradle Community Slack during and after the presentation. On Slack, make sure to join the #releases-discussion channel. https://lnkd.in/eujQnrhC! References: - Full changelog: https://lnkd.in/eiYAcFcX... - Public roadmap: https://lnkd.in/emaHFx6K - Newsletter with key updates: newsletter.gradle.org - Discussion: #releases-discussion on Gradle Community Slack: https://lnkd.in/eujQnrhC #gradle #gradlebuildtool #releases #kotlin #stacktrace #java #java22

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I think private kindergartens in Croatia currently behave like developers in their golden era. 1. Pricing Autonomy: Similar to developers setting their own prices, private kindergartens seem to have the freedom to charge whatever they see fit. 2. Unlimited Demand: Just as developers could demand anything or anyone they wanted, these kindergartens can seemingly do the same. If they're not satisfied with a parent or child, they can easily replace them from a pool of applicants in waiting lists.

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Well, it's a little complex, but quite easy Copy Paste procedure - I have now docker running on my phone in Termux, Android - actually it is docker in Alpine Linux in Termux on Android ;) https://lnkd.in/dbK7wEkD #docker #linux #termux #kubernetes #android #alpine #cli

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Over the last couple of months I noticed an issue with companies looking for developers for their project: all of them don’t want to outstaff 😟 . Like, they are looking for a specialist for their project, all is good and well - the stack, experience and overall conditions. But when you mention even a word about B2B they suddenly are not interested. Like, really, do you need that developer or not 🤔 ? Then you should understand that B2B gives developers more guarantees. And it’s only natural that people would want to feel protected. So, here’s because some of developers feel more comfortable with outstaffing model: #IT #outstaffing #B2B #developers

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What is your perfect developer look like? Everyone who has been hiring even once in life wants to find that one perfect candidate who will take your company to unbelievable wins. I don`t know how you are, but I saw a lot of job ads that just screamed that this job is for the Chosen one only and if you are not - you have no chance to get the offer. So, I decided to talk to you about what a perfect developer looks like. Let me be the first to describe this specialist. I will consider you as a perfect developer if you : ✅ don`t try to be “perfect” ✅ don`t afraid to say “I don`t know” ✅ don`t stop learning ✅ are curious, responsible and goal-oriented ✅ don`t lie and cheat ✅ always give honest feedback ✅ respect your team, clients and their time ✅ know how to do the job you were hired for ✅ flexible and adaptive ✅ don`t try to be the loudest person in the room Yes, in my list there are no diploma requirements or experience with the top world IT companies or ability to work overtime or on weekends. I don`t consider employees as slaves or robots or instruments to achieve my goals. First of all, I value the people I hire, their identity, desire to work, contribution to the company`s success. So, I beg you don't be too strict and picky. We are all humans after all. P.S. What does YOUR perfect developer look like? _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Hi, I`m George Fironov - Talmatic`s CEO! My team and I can pick the right developer for the clients' project. DM 📩 me if you need my help and don`t forget to follow me and Talmatic to learn more about our services 🤗 #developer #hiringdevs #staffing

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Feedback I collected over the years from developers - colleagues, clients, and even myself some years ago - an overwhelming amount of meetings kills your team's productivity. Getting that focus back, once interrupted, can be really difficult for some. At the same time, you can't just fully cancel all meetings, forever, and let things go. So, a good balance I found that works really well for the team @ Metamindz UK; 1. Only one weekly planning session - per project - led by the PM / project lead - where all priorities are discussed, questions are answered, and all the technicalities are clarified. 2. Daily standups throughout the week - using ONLY Slack (Geekbot, specifically for that purpose). 3. Client-facing comms; Mostly relying on Loom, and Slack-based comms / emails. This means that project leads have literally 1 day of meetings per week, and only occasional 1-1s or pair-programming sessions to clarify things (and to avoid people being blocked, both internally and from the client's side). Call it agile, call it kanban, call it whatever you want; It works amazingly well, it's not over-bureaucratic, and very simple to follow. Meetings time is down by ~80%, while the team's happiness and efficiency went up as a result, so I can recommend this from experience 👍

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Over the years of managing talented developers at COXIT, I’ve seen firsthand how the proper workspace setup can significantly boost productivity and job satisfaction. Based on my personal experience and that of our developers, here are a few suggestions: My personal productivity boosters: - Quality keyboard and mouse: I use the Numphy Air V2 keyboard and Logitech MX Anywhere 3s mouse, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with them. - The right music choice: For me, it was Dubstep between 2011 and 2015, and since then, it has been a few Drum and Bass playlists. - Physical routine every few hours: Doing 20 push-ups and 20 squats makes the heart beat faster, stimulating the brain. - A 1-hour power nap: I try to split my day into two, so my productivity is revived after the first half-day sprint. Here are some more practices I try to maintain: - Keep physical and digital workspaces tidy (especially challenging when working from home). - Wear protective glasses and take regular breaks to look away from the screen every few hours. - Add greenery to both the office and personal workspaces. (This is something we've embraced at COXIT.) - Plan tasks ahead of time using sticky notes or handwritten reminders, a method I prefer. The goal is to create an environment that supports deep work, which is challenging considering the short attention spans many of us have these days. Explore other elements that might work for you—meditation, aromatherapy, power naps, or a standing desk—and incorporate them into your routine. Now, I’m curious about you. What’s your favorite working music or work equipment? How have you customized your environment to boost productivity?

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Didn't think I'd find myself back in Java Swing land ever, but here I am building an IntelliJ IDEA plugin (fr1st time!). I didn't miss Swing at all, but at least I had the sense this time to ensure I built my components with "humble dialog" (c.f. Feathers, https://lnkd.in/gC3pCTZk). Which means that I can immediately bring up the panel for which I'm struggling to get the stinking layout right... rather than wait 20 seconds each time to re-crank the whole plugin.

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Job listings should stop using non-sense requirements like: ❌ 5 years in C# ❌ 7 years in React ❌ 10 years in enterprise software development They are not only poor metrics but also scare away developers. Judging a developer by the number of years is like judging a book by the number of pages. I know many young developers who are already better than many seniors with 10 years of experience but repeated the same year 10 times. Value developers for the depth of their journey, not the length of it.

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When evaluating engineers: Soft skills > Coding skills. In software engineering, we often get caught up in the technicalities - the languages, the algorithms, the data structures. But is that all there is to it? Let's take a step back and look at the bigger picture. What is the ultimate goal of software engineering? It's about creating value for customers, using technology as a tool. When hiring software engineers, it's easy to get swayed by impressive tech skills. But I urge you to first look for a product mindset. This is someone who understands that their role is not just to write code but to solve problems and create value. Next, look for creativity. In a field that's constantly evolving, the ability to think outside the box is invaluable. Enthusiasm is another critical trait. A passionate engineer will not only do their job but also do it with enthusiasm, constantly striving to improve and innovate and spread the energy to the rest of the team. Tech skills? Yes, they're important. But they can be learned and honed over time. Remember, we're not just building software. We're building solutions. We're building value. And to do that, we need more than just coders. We need problem solvers, innovators, and passionate creators. So, the next time you hire a software engineer, look beyond the code. Look for someone who can bring value to your product and customers. What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. #softwareengineering #hiring

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"Becoming a 10x developer by harnessing the power of generative AI." For those who follow me long enough know that I was a bit set back by this title of a talk given by EUR ING Ioannis Kolaxis MSc at jPrime today. I nevertheless went in and heard an exceptionally well balanced talk, backed by actual numbers in what and which cases generated code is worse / non functional, how the code feels like (a bit like the pieces added by short term contractors on large code bases), but also where GenAI is actually helpful, like for discovering and experimenting. In all fairness, if the machine reads the docs, I am happy to some extend, and if than communicates to users why stuff is the way it is, so be it. The other learnings assure me that the qualities I try to achieve now for quite some time will be value in another decade, still (see attached image). I think there will be a recording, and I really recommend that.

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Having some fun this weekend, while I recover from the flu :) First time trying TDD methodology with the well-known FizzBuzz Kata. Having to change traditional development mindset has been interesting and challenging. More to come.. Go check my Github, any feedback will be appreciated: https://lnkd.in/dEaEfxiE I left here a very interesting article about how to solve this Kata using TDD, from Codurance https://lnkd.in/drHJvCEE #TDD #improvement #testing #Kata #Codurance #motivation #challengeaccepted #selfdevelopment #helpfulBoyfriend Oscar Vidal Salazar ;)

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Ever felt like your Spring Boot application is a bit sluggish, like it's had too many cookies? 🍪😅 Say hello to GraalVM Native Images - the ultimate detox for your Spring Boot apps! So, what's the deal with GraalVM Native Images? Imagine if your app could ditch the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and run as a lean, mean, standalone executable. No more JVM warm-up time, just instant startup and reduced memory footprint. It's like your app got a turbo boost and a new year's resolution to shed some weight! 🏃‍♂️💨 Here’s the magic in action: Blazing Fast Startup 🚀 Traditional JVM: "Hold on, I need to stretch before I start!" 🧘‍♂️ GraalVM Native Image: "I'm up and running before you finished reading this!" ⚡ Low Memory Consumption 🧠 Traditional JVM: "I need all the memory... just in case." 🛏️ GraalVM Native Image: "Just what I need, thank you very much." 🛋️ Simplified Deployment 📦 Traditional JVM: "Dependencies? Let me pack my bags!" 🧳 GraalVM Native Image: "No extra baggage, ready to go! With GraalVM, this simple Spring Boot app transforms from a regular commuter to a high-speed bullet train! 🚅 Your serverless functions are now server-more! Imagine deploying functions that start up as fast as a sneeze – no more "cold starts". Achoo! 🤧💨 So, if you're looking to supercharge your Spring Boot applications and impress your team with lightning-fast performance, give GraalVM Native Images a spin. #springboot #java #javadevelopers

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🔧 Statically Typed Languages: Datatypes checks at compile-time. EX: #Java, #cpp,#Rust,... 🚀 Dynamically Typed Languages: Datatypes checks at runtime EX: #Python, #JavaScript, #Php,...

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Should you develop native apps for both iOS and Android or use a framework like React Native? I get this question a lot from my clients. My honest answer would be, “it depends.” If your goal is to: -Ship a product as soon as possible, -Save on costs for IT resources and developers, I’d definitely suggest React Native. However, if your app: -Uses more native hardware features (like cameras), -Needs complex 3D graphics or intensive animations, I would suggest investing more time into building native apps. However, React Native has been a growing robust ecosystem with: -An active community that provides solutions, -third-party libraries, and plugins making it a great choice for most common use cases. In 2024, we can also integrate AR experiences in React Native apps using ViroReact. Developing with React Native is faster, leading to higher user engagement and reduced app uninstallation rates. At Qservices, we use React Native to provide the best for our clients. If you’re looking for outsourcing or a dedicated team for app building, please reach out to us at QServices IT Solutions Inc. Share your experience of using React Native in the comments.

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I heard a story yesterday from a new friend about an unsuccessful software development project that lasted for 1.5 years. It is over 1.2M USD in total budget spent to date and still needs to be finished. How do I know it's not successful? The phrase that he said: "They will probably deliver it this Autumn, but it will be a very raw product that no one needs" So, what went wrong? First of all, the contractor's choice. They selected a large software development agency with offices in 10 countries, and that seemed trustworthy. What you can expect in this case? - You will get your product done with a good quality - You will pay 30-50% more than for small consultancies - You will have a chance to meet someone in person somewhere in your country - Your product will be finished (but you obviously need to pay for every hour worked). What's the downside except the price? One main thing: Your product will be your responsibility only. Was your idea bad? Well, you paid 1.5M to validate it; no one really cares if something built will never be used. In 2V Modules, we have a different approach, which I'm a big fan of. If we start working on something, we dive deep to understand what this product is for, what pains we are addressing, who the ICP is, and whether it was validated or not. Even if it's an "internal" product, there are still multiple ways of building it. It's not only about the business analysis stage, it's about finding the right solutions. So I think small teams are often a better fit because they actually CARE what they are building, not only HOW it is built.

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