DEV Community: Adithya Balan

Linux still doesn’t understand developers. So I built a GNOME extension that does.

Adithya Balan — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:48:12 +0000

Linux is powerful.

But when it comes to daily development workflow, it still feels like we are stitching tools together manually.

Every day I do things like:

ps aux | grep node lsof -i :8000 ss -tulnp kill -9 4821

Not because I like terminals, but because the system has no idea what I’m actually working on.

Linux sees processes, developers see projects — and that mismatch is the problem.

So I started building a GNOME extension called DevWatch.

The idea is simple:

What if the desktop actually understood running projects?

Instead of showing raw system data, it should understand:

which project is running
which port is open
which service is active
what build is consuming CPU
what workspace I left yesterday

The problem nobody talks about

When you’re working on multiple projects, the OS shows this:

node python bash code

But what you actually care about is:

backend-api frontend inventory-system crm-tool

You don’t want to know which PID is running.

You want to know:

which project is active
which port is open
which dev server is still running
why your CPU is high
why your fan is spinning
what you forgot to stop yesterday

And Linux doesn’t tell you that.

So every developer builds their own workflow using:

htop
lsof
ps
ss
tmux
scripts
aliases

It works.
But it’s friction.

Every day.

What I wanted instead

I wanted the panel to show something like:

Not in terminal.
Right in the desktop.

So I built it.

Introducing DevWatch

DevWatch is a GNOME extension that makes the system aware of development environments.

It detects:

running projects
open ports
active services
build activity
saved sessions
resource usage

And shows them in the panel.

No terminal needed.

Project-aware process tracking

Instead of random processes, DevWatch groups them by project.

Example:

Now I know what is running instantly.

Port & service awareness

Instead of:

lsof -i :8000

You see:

You can stop it from the panel.
No terminal.

Session restore (the feature I needed the most)

Every day after reboot:

open project
start backend
start frontend
open editor
start db

So I added session snapshots.

Save workspace → restore later.

Still improving this to restore everything automatically.

Goal:

Resume dev environment instantly.

Build activity tracking

Sometimes the system becomes slow and you don’t know why.

Now I see:

No guessing.

Why I built this

Linux has amazing tools, but they are system tools.

Developers need workflow tools. We don’t think in processes — we think in projects.
DevWatch is my attempt to fix that.

Not to replace the terminal, just to remove daily friction.

Current state

The extension works locally and is still in active development.

Before publishing it publicly, I want feedback from people who actually use Linux for development.

Would you use something like this?
What feature is missing?
What feels unnecessary?
What would make this a must-have tool?

Honest feedback is welcome.

Repo

https://github.com/Adithya-Balan/DevWatch

Not looking for stars — just honest feedback before release.

If this turns out useful, I’ll publish it as a proper GNOME extension. If not, at least I learned something from building it.

📢 Calling All Developers — We Need Your Insights

Adithya Balan — Sun, 10 Aug 2025 06:10:36 +0000

Hey devs 👋,

We’re running a short 3-minute survey to understand how developers work, share, and grow in today’s world.

Your input will directly help shape a new platform being built for developers, by developers.

💡 Why participate?

It’s quick (3 minutes max)
Your perspective matters
You’ll be part of shaping something made for our community

👉 Take the survey here: Survey Link

Thanks in advance for lending your voice to the developer community 🙌

💔 The Silent Struggles of Developers: Let's Talk About It

Adithya Balan — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:23:43 +0000

No tutorials will tell you this.

Being a developer looks glamorous on the outside:

Cool projects.
Fancy portfolios.
Job titles like “Full Stack Wizard.”

But inside? Many of us are carrying hidden struggles that nobody talks about.

Ever felt like this?

You’re coding alone at midnight, wondering why you're doing this.
You ship features no one uses, yet LinkedIn is full of people “winning.”
You’re stuck on a bug for days and feel stupid, but can’t admit it.
Your friends and family don’t get your work, so you stop explaining.
You compare yourself to that 18-year-old who’s “already at Google.”

If you’ve felt any of this…
You're not alone.

Why Are Developers So Lonely?

In theory, we’re part of the biggest online community in the world.

In practice?

Forums feel toxic or dead.
Discord servers get overwhelming.
StackOverflow replies feel cold.

We learn to build systems.
But no one teaches us how to stay human while building.

This Post Is Not a Tutorial.
I’m not here to teach you something.
I’m here to ask you something.

What’s your biggest struggle as a developer?

Comment it. Vent it. Share your pain here.
This is your space.

Are you stuck in a project?
Burnt out from coding interviews?
Tired of building alone?
Feel invisible even after shipping?

Write it.

Not for likes. Not for solutions.
Just to release it.

Why Am I Writing This?

Because I’m one of you.
And because someone, somewhere, needs to know:
It’s okay to struggle.

We all do.

✍️ Your Turn: Be Honest.

What’s hurting you as a developer right now?
Reply below 👇

Let’s build something raw and human here.
Maybe for once, we stop pretending we're fine.

I started tracking my dev journey daily — turns out, it changed everything.

Adithya Balan — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 05:50:26 +0000

Not sure if this will resonate with others, but something weirdly powerful happened to me recently.

I was feeling stuck — not in terms of code, but direction. I’d fix a bug, build a small feature, help someone, learn something — and then forget it the next week. It all felt like I wasn’t making progress, even though I was.

Then I started logging. Like, really small entries:

"🔥 fixed weird async bug after 2 hrs—learned about event loop.”
“I don’t write code — I plant bugs and call it ‘feature growth’ 🙃.”
“🚧 messed up prod config — learned to double check .envs lol”

Nothing fancy. Just me and my thoughts. Sometimes code-related, sometimes personal growth.

I used a platform called Devmate — it gives a kind of "command-line journal" for devs. It felt like a private logbook — but if I wanted, I could also share it with others. And it slowly started showing stats, clone count, logs per day, and even latency time (I’m a sucker for metrics 😅).

What changed?

I saw my growth clearly.
I felt more accountable, even on bad days.
I now have a timeline of my effort, not just achievements.

Looking back, I realized how far I’ve actually come.

And weirdly... I stopped comparing myself to others.

I’m not trying to "sell" anything. I just wanted to share this with other devs who might be feeling like they’re not doing enough—when in reality, they’re doing a LOT. They just aren’t capturing it.

Anyway, if you feel like giving it a try:

➡️ https://devmate.space

(it’s free and lightweight and honestly feels kind of calming.)

Curious—does anyone else keep a dev journal or log? How do you reflect on your daily growth?

[Boost]

Adithya Balan — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:23:19 +0000

Adithya Balan

Jun 16 '25

🚀 Launching the Approval System on DevMate: Take Full Control of Your Project Collaborations

#webdev #developers #socialmedia #devops

Comments 1

1 min read

🚀 Launching the Approval System on DevMate: Take Full Control of Your Project Collaborations

Adithya Balan — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 11:22:40 +0000

Hey devs! 👋

Ever had people join your project with good intentions… but totally the wrong skillset?
Or your team chat becomes unmanageable because everyone who clicks “join” gets added?

We’ve been there. That’s why we’re excited to introduce a new feature on DevMate — the Approval System. 🎉

🧠 What is DevMate?

In case you're new here, DevMate is a platform built for developers to:

💡 Discover real-world side projects
🤝 Collaborate based on shared interests and skills
🧰 Build portfolios, open-source tools, or even startups

Whether you're a beginner or a pro, it’s a space where coding together meets real impact.

✅ So, What’s the Approval System?

Previously, anyone could join any project with a click. Great for growth — but not always for quality.
ets real impact.

✅ So, What’s the Approval System?

Previously, anyone could join
Now, project creators have full control over who joins their team.

🔐 Here’s how it works:

Someone requests to join your project (let’s say Arun 👨‍💻).
You get notified instantly.
View their request — see their profile, skills, and message.
With one click, Accept or Reject.

DevMate dynamically updates the team list and sends the right notification.

💡 Why You’ll Love This:

Curate your team based on skills & interest
Avoid spammy or low-effort joiners
Maintain focus, clarity, and speed during collaboration
Build credibility by showing your project is actively managed

Whether you’re launching a product, contributing to open source, or mentoring learners — you can now make sure the right people join your journey.

DevMate is Live🚀

Adithya Balan — Wed, 28 May 2025 06:50:41 +0000

Adithya Balan

May 28 '25

DevMate is Live🚀

#webdev #developers #socialmedia #devops

Comments 2

1 min read

[Boost]

Adithya Balan — Wed, 28 May 2025 06:49:54 +0000

Adithya Balan

May 28 '25

DevMate is Live🚀

#webdev #developers #socialmedia #devops

Comments 2

1 min read

DevMate is Live🚀

Adithya Balan — Wed, 28 May 2025 06:35:34 +0000

Hey Dev Community 👋

After months of building solo, testing, debugging, and refining, I’m thrilled to finally launch DevMate — a community-first platform built by a developer, for developers.

So what is DevMate?

DevMate is your all-in-one space to:

🌍 Connect with fellow developers
🧠 Share and discover cool projects
🛠️ Find collaborators for your ideas
🎯 Join or host developer-focused events (hackathons, webinars, etc.)
🧵 Build in public and grow with your community

It’s raw, it's real, and it's just getting started. Your feedback will shape what comes next.

Why I built this:

I’ve always believed developers need more than just tools — we need each other. DevMate is a space to bring that collaboration to life. No noise, just developers.

Try it out now:
🔗 https://devmate.space

📝 Found a bug? Suggest a feature? Submit it here

Let’s build something awesome together.
Your mate in dev,
Adithya

📢 We just launched on Product Hunt too!
If you like the mission, i'd love your support:
👉Upvote DevMate on Product Hunt