DEV Community: Jay Ganatra

Navigating Take-Home Assignments: A Journey to Scoring Interviews

Jay Ganatra — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 20:39:13 +0000

As a software developer on the hunt for exciting opportunities, take-home assignments have become an essential part of my job application process. These assignments are a great way for employers to evaluate candidates' coding skills, problem-solving abilities, and approach to real-world scenarios. Over time, I've tackled numerous take-home challenges, each with its unique set of requirements and complexities. In this series of blog posts, I'll be sharing my experiences working on these assignments, starting with three latest projects: one for Fovus Tech, another for Fetch Rewards, and a third for Roulettech Inc.

Fovus Tech: Full-Stack Challenge

The first assignment I'll dive into is from Fovus Tech. This coding challenge was a comprehensive test of my full-stack development skills, specifically focusing on AWS services and React.js. The task was to build a responsive web application with the following key components:

Responsive Web UI: Using ReactJS, I created an interface with text and file input fields.
AWS Integration: The file had to be uploaded directly to S3 from the browser, with its path and associated data saved in DynamoDB via API Gateway and a Lambda function.
Automated Script Execution: Upon successful file upload, a VM instance (EC2) was automatically created to execute a script. This script retrieved inputs from DynamoDB, processed the file, and saved the results back to S3.

The challenge emphasized best practices, such as using AWS CDK for infrastructure management, avoiding hard-coded credentials, and adhering to security guidelines. In a future post, I'll provide a detailed walkthrough of my approach, the technologies used, and the lessons learned during this project.

Fetch Rewards: Android Mobile Apprentice Exercise

Next up is the Fetch Rewards Android Mobile Apprentice exercise. This task required me to create a native Android app using Kotlin. The app had to fetch and display data from a given URL, with specific requirements for data grouping, sorting, and filtering:

Data Retrieval: Fetching data from a provided URL.
Data Display: Grouping items by "listId" and sorting them by "listId" and "name".
Data Filtering: Excluding items with blank or null "name" values.

This assignment was a great opportunity to showcase my mobile development skills and my ability to work with APIs. In an upcoming blog post, I'll share the details of my implementation, including code snippets, challenges faced, and how I ensured the app met all the requirements.

Roulettech Inc.: Full-Stack Web Application

The third assignment I'll discuss is from Roulettech Inc., where I was tasked with building a simple web application using React.js for the frontend and Django for the backend. The requirements included:

Frontend Development: Creating a React.js web page to demonstrate my proficiency with React components.
Backend Development: Building at least two API endpoints using Django. (I made an MVP Recipe App with with well over 2 endpoints)
AWS Deployment: Deploying the frontend on AWS S3 and the backend on AWS EC2, ensuring public accessibility.

Bonus points were given for using AWS CloudFront for CDN and creating a custom VPC. This assignment not only tested my full-stack development skills but also my ability to deploy applications on AWS. In a detailed blog post, I'll cover my development process, the tools and frameworks I used, and the deployment strategy.

Conclusion

Even though there may be "people better suited for the role" and I may not always get the job, I always strive to give 110% in these tests, knowing that I am learning something new each time. For instance, in the Roulettech project, it was my first time working with a private VPC subnet. I was initially lost on how to even make my backend server on a private instance that does not have a direct internet connection. However, through persistence and problem-solving, I managed to navigate through the complexities and successfully complete the task.

Take-home assignments are more than just a step towards landing a job; they are opportunities to grow and expand my skill set. Every challenge, whether or not it leads to an offer, enriches my experience and prepares me better for the next opportunity. Join me as I continue to learn, adapt, and evolve through these assignments, sharing my insights and experiences along the way. 😄🙌🏻

DO NOT use ASP.NET Identity for Minimal API Endpoints!

Jay Ganatra — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 20:44:02 +0000

Context:

Since this morning, I’ve been trying to add custom fields to my Identity authentication in my ASP.NET blogging project. I needed to add basic fields like First Name and Last Name. While I managed to add these columns to my database table, they didn’t populate when using the register API. After spending over five hours researching and finding nothing helpful for MVC or Minimal APIs, I stumbled upon Andrew Lock's article. For more details, you can go through it!

My Recommendation

Honestly, save yourself the headache. Skip ASP.NET Identity for Minimal API Endpoints if you need custom user data fields. Consider using custom JWT authentications. You'll avoid a lot of unnecessary hassle.

Diving into .NET: From Confusion to Clarity

Jay Ganatra — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 18:28:37 +0000

Recently, I had a conversation with my mentor, and he opened my eyes to the wealth of opportunities in the .NET industry. Apparently, there's a substantial number of large companies still running legacy code in .NET. Intrigued by this, I decided to dive into the .NET ecosystem. But oh boy, what a ride it has been!

The Initial Struggle

First things first, .NET and C# have been around for quite a while, and the numerous versions released over the years make it challenging to find beginner-friendly resources. I scoured the internet for blogs and tutorials, only to find myself more confused. It felt like navigating through a maze of outdated and fragmented information.

A Lifeline: The .NET Official YouTube Channel

Just when I was about to give up, I stumbled upon the .NET official YouTube channel. The playlists there were a lifesaver:

C# for Beginners: This series, featuring Scott Hanselman and .NET Distinguished Engineer David Fowler, was a game-changer. They taught C# from the ground up, covering everything from "Hello World" to LINQ. The lessons were delivered at a comfortable pace, making it easy to follow along.
Back-end Web Development with .NET for Beginners: Although this course was quite fast-paced, it provided an excellent introduction to ASP.NET. It covered the hosting model, middleware, and dependency injection, along with building HTTP-based services using minimal APIs.

These playlists kickstarted my .NET journey. During the OOP concepts videos, I could reference what was taught in my Master's course, CSE687 - Object-Oriented Design: by Prof. Nadeem Ghani. It was fascinating to see how those principles applied in the C# world.

The API and SQL Challenge

The next hurdle was figuring out how to take the API from the second playlist and integrate it with SQL. I spent over three days sifting through various resources, only to find fragmented and inconsistent information. Was it just my bad luck? Perhaps. But finally, I discovered Sameer Saini's tutorials on YouTube:

ASP.NET Web API CRUD Operations - .NET8 and Entity Framework Core Tutorial: This tutorial was instrumental in helping me understand Entity Framework Core and how to perform CRUD operations.
ASP.NET Authentication using Identity in 10 Minutes - Authentication and Authorization in .NET8: This video simplified the concepts of authentication and authorization using Identity in .NET.

These tutorials were a revelation. They introduced me to the awesome packages like Identity.EntityFrameworkCore and others. However, I noticed that many beginner courses leaned towards creating "fat controllers", which is something I wanted to avoid.

Seeking Best Practices (Not Beginner-Friendly)

Coming from a background in developing enterprise-level applications in Java (Spring) and JavaScript (Node.js), I was keen on finding best practices for .NET. This led me to Tim Deschryver's blog, which provided a deeper understanding of efficient project structuring and best practices:

Maybe it's time to rethink our project structure with .NET 6: This post challenged me to rethink how I structure my .NET projects, introducing concepts like vertical slice architecture and modular design.
The simplicity of ASP.NET Endpoints: This article offered insights into simplifying ASP.NET endpoints, making the development process more streamlined and efficient.

These blogs were eye-opening and helped me refine my approach to .NET development. The journey from confusion to clarity has been quite the adventure, but with the right resources and guidance, I'm beginning to find my footing in the .NET world.

So, if you're just starting out with .NET, don't be disheartened by the initial chaos. There are excellent resources out there that can guide you through the complexities. Happy coding!

This post is also available on my portfolio, so be sure to check it out at jayganatra.com.

What is a Byte?

Jay Ganatra — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 21:42:31 +0000

This is a submission for DEV Computer Science Challenge v24.06.12: One Byte Explainer.

Explainer

In binary, 8 bits make up a byte, with each bit being 0 or 1, creating 256 unique values ranging from 0 to 255. Historically, a byte has been used to encode a single character of text, making it the smallest addressable unit of memory storage in computers.

Additional Context

One Byte Explainer: Just like 256 values in a byte, this explanation fits perfectly within its size limit—byte-sized knowledge! 😉😆

Credits:

Photo by Samsung Memory on Unsplash

Fixing the Draggable Element Background Issue in Chromium Browsers

Jay Ganatra — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 19:48:27 +0000

When developing a chess game today, I stumbled upon a peculiar behavior in Chromium browsers while implementing draggable elements. If you've ever noticed that dragging an element causes it to inherit its parent’s background, you're not alone. This odd effect can be quite a nuisance, but fortunately, there are ways to fix it.

Understanding the Issue

The issue arises when a draggable element seems to take on the background of its parent element during the drag action. This can lead to unexpected and unwanted visual results, especially if the parent element's background is distinct or patterned.

To understand why this happens, let's delve into some technical insights:

The HTML draggable attribute (draggable="true") seems to force the element to inherit the parent’s background.
According to the HTML Living Standard, the drag data store default feedback is dependent on the user agent (browser). This means different browsers might handle draggable elements differently.

Here's a snippet from the HTML Living Standard that highlights this:

"Update the drag data store default feedback as appropriate for the user agent. If the user is dragging the selection, then the selection would likely be the basis for this feedback; if the user is dragging an element, then that element's rendering would be used; if the drag began outside the user agent, then the platform conventions for determining the drag feedback should be used."

Because of this browser-dependent behavior, the default feedback during a drag action can vary, making it challenging to create a consistent user experience.

Fixing the Issue

Through some research and experimentation, I found two effective ways to fix this issue:

Using position: relative and z-index: By setting the draggable element’s position to relative and applying a z-index, you can ensure it retains its own background.

[draggable] { position: relative; z-index: 1; }

Using CSS Transforms: Applying a small transformation to the draggable element can also resolve the issue.

[draggable] { transform: translate(0,0); }

Why These Fixes Work

position and z-index: By setting the position to relative and giving it a z-index, you force the element to create a new stacking context. This prevents the draggable element from inheriting the parent’s background during the drag operation.
CSS Transforms: Using a small transformation disrupts the default rendering process enough to ensure that the draggable element maintains its own background. The translateX and translateY values can be minimal and should not visibly affect the element’s position.

Conclusion

Browser inconsistencies can be frustrating, especially when dealing with visual feedback during drag-and-drop operations. By understanding the underlying causes and applying these CSS fixes, you can ensure your draggable elements display correctly across different browsers.

Have you encountered any other weird browser behaviors? Share your experiences and solutions in the comments below!

This post is also available on my portfolio blog, so be sure to visit there for more updates and insights.

Photo by Denny Müller on Unsplash

Welcome to my Blog

Jay Ganatra — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 02:17:32 +0000

Hey there!

I'm excited to kick off this blog and share a bit about myself and my journey so far. My name is Jay Ganatra, and I recently graduated with a Master’s in Computer Science from Syracuse University. It's been an incredible journey, and now, I’m on the lookout for full-time roles in the tech industry.

In the meantime, I thought it would be a great idea to stay active and keep my skills sharp by regularly blogging about what I’ve been up to. Whether it's a new project I’m working on, a fascinating article I’ve read, or just some musings on the latest in tech, you’ll find it all here.

I’m really passionate about web development, particularly using React, Next.js and AWS. I’m also currently diving into .NET Core, and I can’t wait to explore these topics more deeply. I hope this blog will be a place for learning, sharing, and maybe even a bit of fun along the way.

Feel free to check out my personal website where you can find more about my work, projects, and contact information. This post is also available on my portfolio blog, so be sure to visit there for more updates and insights.

Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to sharing my journey with you!

Stay tuned!

Photo by Nik on Unsplash