Stepping into the World of Open Source Software: A Year of Growth and Innovation
As I reflect on the past year, I am reminded of the countless hours I spent creating open source software, driven by a desire to innovate and push the boundaries of what is possible. In this article, I will share my journey, highlighting the projects that have taken shape and the lessons I have learned along the way.
Creating the Wheel: A Journey of Discovery
In 2017, I embarked on a project to develop a tool that would help others. I wanted to create something that would make a difference, something that would be useful to others. And so, I set out to create a series of open source software projects, each designed to address a specific need or problem.
Growth 3.0: A Version of “Failure”
One of my earliest projects was Growth 3.0, a tool designed to help individuals track their progress and stay motivated. However, despite its initial promise, the project ultimately failed to meet its goals. With too many features and not enough manpower, the project struggled to stay on track. Despite this setback, I was encouraged by the fact that many users continued to use the tool, and I saw this as an opportunity to recruit new developers to help take the project to the next level.
Stepping: A Project Born from Necessity
Stepping was another project that I worked on, designed to solve the problem of event storming in the field of learning. Initially, I had planned to generate domain models using a DSL, but as I delved deeper into the project, I realized that I needed to add a database schema to the mix. This led to a major overhaul of the project, and I eventually abandoned the pit, realizing that I had created a tool that was too complex for its own good.
Serverless Series: A Collection of Tools
The Serverless series was another set of projects that I worked on, designed to address the needs of developers working on serverless platforms. I created a range of tools, including a micro-channel public platform, an event and error logging system, a form system, and a short-chain services tool. These tools were designed to be useful to others, and I was encouraged by the fact that many users found them valuable.
ADRD: A Lightweight Architecture Decisions Logging Tool
ADRD was another project that I worked on, designed to be a lightweight architecture decisions logging tool. I wanted to create a tool that would be easy to use, and that would allow users to record their architectural decisions in a simple and straightforward way. I used TypeScript to prepare the tool for Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS, and HTML report generation, and I was pleased with the result.
Dore: A WebView Container for React Native
Finally, I worked on Dore, a project that was designed to allow users to call React Native components in a WebView. This project was originally intended to migrate a Cordova WebView application to React Native infrastructure, but it eventually took on a life of its own. I was pleased with the result, and I was happy to see that many users found it useful.
Lessons Learned
As I reflect on the past year, I am reminded of the many lessons I have learned along the way. I have learned the importance of simplicity and the dangers of over-engineering. I have learned the value of collaboration and the need to be open to feedback and criticism. And I have learned the importance of perseverance and the need to be willing to take risks and try new things.
Conclusion
As I look to the future, I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. I am eager to continue working on open source software projects, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences with others. Whether you are a seasoned developer or just starting out, I hope that my story will inspire you to take the leap and create something new and innovative.