DEV Community: Gentil M.

How Kigali’s Developer Communities Transformed My Journey

Gentil M. — Sat, 14 Nov 2026 12:58:54 +0000

Before becoming involved in Kigali’s developer communities, most of my learning happened alone. I spent a significant amount of time working on personal projects, reading documentation, watching tutorials, solving errors, and experimenting with different technologies.

Independent learning helped me build important technical foundations. It taught me how to search for solutions, remain patient when facing problems, and continue working without constant supervision. However, learning alone also had limitations.

I could write code and build projects, but I had limited access to people who could review my ideas, challenge my decisions, introduce me to new opportunities, or help me understand how the professional technology ecosystem worked.

Discovering Kigali’s Technology Ecosystem

Moving into Kigali’s technology environment introduced me to a different way of learning and growing. I began meeting students, developers, founders, community organizers, and experienced professionals who were also interested in software development, open source, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.

Through communities such as ALX Tech Club UNILAK, OpenSource Kigali, Cursor Community Kigali, and Laravengers Community, I discovered that becoming a better developer required more than spending time in front of a computer.

Technical ability remained essential, but communication, teamwork, leadership, networking, presentation, and community participation were also important parts of professional growth.

ALX Tech Club UNILAK

ALX Tech Club UNILAK helped me connect with other technology enthusiasts within the campus environment. It created opportunities to meet fellow students who were interested in learning, building projects, exchanging knowledge, and developing practical skills.

The community of doers within the club encouraged action. Instead of only discussing ideas, members were motivated to experiment, build, collaborate, and share what they were learning.

Working and interacting with campus colleagues gave me a stronger sense of belonging. It showed me that I was not the only person trying to build a future through technology.

The club also helped make technology feel more accessible to students who were still beginning their journeys. People could learn from one another, ask questions, discuss challenges, and discover opportunities that they might not have found alone.

OpenSource Kigali

OpenSource Kigali introduced me to the culture of open-source software and collaborative development. Open source is not only about accessing code without paying for it. It is also about transparency, shared learning, contribution, documentation, community maintenance, and collective improvement.

Through this environment, I became more interested in how developers can learn from existing projects, inspect real codebases, identify problems, report issues, improve documentation, and contribute solutions.

Open-source communities also helped me understand that meaningful participation does not always begin with a large code contribution. A person can start by asking a useful question, improving an explanation, reporting a reproducible bug, testing a feature, or helping another participant.

This perspective influenced the way I approach repositories and reusable projects, particularly while thinking about the future architecture of Quevvy AI.

Cursor Community Kigali

Cursor Community Kigali exposed me to developers interested in modern development workflows and artificial-intelligence-assisted programming. It created an environment where people could explore how AI tools are changing the process of building software.

The community became especially important during the Cursor Hackathon in Kigali. The event gave me an opportunity to move beyond personal experiments and build a project under real time pressure.

During the hackathon, I worked with NGIRUWONSANGA VEDASTE on CIR — Citizen Issue Report. CIR was designed as a civic platform through which people could report issues affecting their communities, including damaged roads, broken streetlights, and sanitation problems.

The project aimed to make reports easier to submit and track while improving communication between citizens and responsible authorities.

Building CIR during a hackathon taught me that producing a working solution within a limited period requires strong prioritization. A team cannot implement every possible feature. It must identify the central problem, build the most important workflow, divide responsibilities, test the result, and prepare a clear presentation.

Although the final result did not fully meet all our expectations, the experience remained valuable. It gave me practical lessons about teamwork, project scope, time management, prototyping, product presentation, and preparation.

Laravengers Community

Laravengers Community connected with an important part of my technical identity: Laravel development. Laravel is one of the main technologies I use to build web applications and backend systems.

Being around people who work with similar technologies makes learning more practical. Discussions can move beyond general programming and focus on real development challenges, including application architecture, databases, authentication, deployment, security, performance, and maintainability.

A specialized community also helps developers discover better practices and avoid remaining limited to the methods they learned when they first started.

From Isolation to Collaboration

One of the most important changes these communities brought to my journey was the transition from isolated development to collaborative development.

When working alone, I could make every technical and product decision without explaining it to anyone. In a team or community, I had to communicate my ideas clearly, listen to other perspectives, accept criticism, and adjust my approach.

This was sometimes uncomfortable, but it was necessary. A developer may understand a solution internally but still struggle to communicate it to teammates, users, judges, or potential partners.

Community participation helped me practise expressing ideas in a clearer and more structured way.

Learning from More Experienced Professionals

Meetups gave me opportunities to interact with people who had more experience in software development, open source, entrepreneurship, and technology leadership.

These connections helped me understand that senior professionals are not valuable only because they know more technical concepts. Their experience also allows them to identify risks, ask better questions, simplify difficult decisions, and recognize problems that less-experienced developers may overlook.

A short conversation with an experienced person can sometimes reveal a mistake that would otherwise require several weeks of experimentation to discover.

These interactions helped me become more open to feedback and more intentional about the people from whom I learn.

Building Confidence Through Participation

Confidence in technology does not come only from completing courses. It also grows when a person presents an idea, participates in a discussion, contributes to a team, demonstrates a project, or helps another developer solve a problem.

Every meetup and community activity gave me another opportunity to practise these skills. I gradually became more comfortable discussing my work, explaining Quevvy, asking questions, and connecting with people I had not met before.

This confidence was not created in a single event. It developed through repeated participation.

The Influence on Quevvy Platform

Kigali’s technology communities also influenced the development of Quevvy Platform. Conversations with developers, creators, students, and professionals helped me examine the platform from different perspectives.

As a founder working alone on an idea, it is easy to become attached to personal assumptions. Community interactions create opportunities to hear questions and reactions that expose unclear ideas, unnecessary features, or missing functionality.

The communities also strengthened my interest in reusable projects, artificial-intelligence-assisted development, open-source tools, collaboration, and platforms that help people create digital solutions more easily.

Communities Do Not Replace Personal Work

Joining a community does not automatically make someone a better developer. Attending events without practising, building, or following up rarely creates meaningful progress.

The value of a community depends partly on what a member contributes and how they use the knowledge, relationships, and opportunities they receive.

I still needed to return to my computer, read documentation, write code, correct mistakes, and continue building my projects. Community participation gave that work more direction, context, and visibility, but it did not replace discipline.

A Continuing Journey

My journey within Kigali’s developer ecosystem is still developing. I continue to learn, meet new people, improve my communication, and understand how to contribute more meaningfully.

These communities have shown me that technology is not built by isolated individuals alone. Behind every successful project are people exchanging ideas, reviewing work, sharing opportunities, documenting knowledge, organizing events, and supporting one another.

Kigali’s developer communities did not simply give me contacts. They helped me become more collaborative, more confident, and more aware of the professional and human dimensions of technology.

They transformed my journey from a mostly individual learning process into a shared experience of building, contributing, and growing with others.

Originally published at gentil.quevvy.com

Originally published on my portfolio blog: gentil.quevvy.com. I'm Gentil M., a full-stack developer and AI engineer in Kigali, Rwanda.

Quevvy Platform: Comming Features

Gentil M. — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:46:30 +0000

Quevvy is expanding — here are the 4 branches arriving very soon

Quevvy is already live. Thousands of users are creating web pages, portfolios, forms and bio links — in minutes, no code required.

But the vision behind Quevvy is much bigger.

Here are the four next branches of the ecosystem, officially announced today.

🤖 Quevvy AI — The ultimate vibe coding experience

AI built directly into the builder.

One single prompt. A complete page generated automatically — structure, content, design.

No more clicking through elements. No more choosing templates manually. The vibe coding promise taken to its absolute maximum.

🌍 Quevvy Community — The human ecosystem

A creative platform is nothing without its community.

Quevvy Community will be the dedicated space for builders, creators and entrepreneurs:

Real-time chat between members
Integrated technical support
Contextual AI assistance
Project sharing and inspiration

🎨 Quevvy Canvas — Full control

For those who want to push customization to the max.

Premium templates, advanced visual editor, drag and drop, modular sections. The next-gen site builder — zero code, total control.

🚀 Quevvy Publish — Frictionless hosting

Building a site is great. Putting it online instantly is better.

Quevvy Publish is the frontend hosting built into the Quevvy ecosystem — the direct alternative to Vercel, designed for non-technical builders.

One click. Your site is live. Your domain. Your rules.

Quevvy is no longer just a tool.
It's a complete ecosystem to build, customize, host and grow a digital presence — for everyone, everywhere.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #QuevvyAI #QuevvyCommunity #QuevvyCanvas #QuevvyPublish #NoCode #VibeCoding #SaaS #GentilDeveloper

Quevvy Platform, Les futur fonctionalités

Gentil M. — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:33:43 +0000

Quevvy s'agrandit — voici les 4 branches qui arrivent très bientôt

Quevvy est déjà live. Des milliers d'utilisateurs créent des pages web, portfolios, formulaires et bio links — en minutes, sans code.

Mais la vision derrière Quevvy est bien plus grande.

Voici les quatre prochaines branches de l'écosystème, annoncées officiellement aujourd'hui.

🤖 Quevvy AI — Le vibe coding ultime

L'intelligence artificielle intégrée directement dans le builder.

Un seul prompt. Une page complète générée automatiquement — structure, contenu, design.

Plus besoin de cliquer sur chaque élément. Plus besoin de choisir un template manuellement. C'est la promesse du vibe coding portée à son niveau maximum.

🌍 Quevvy Community — L'écosystème humain

Une plateforme créative ne vaut rien sans sa communauté.

Quevvy Community sera l'espace dédié aux builders, créateurs et entrepreneurs :

Chat en temps réel entre membres
Support technique intégré
Assistance IA contextuelle
Partage de projets et d'inspirations

🎨 Quevvy Canvas — Le contrôle total

Pour ceux qui veulent pousser la personnalisation au maximum.

Templates premium, éditeur visuel avancé, drag and drop, sections modulables. Le site builder nouvelle génération — zéro code, contrôle total.

🚀 Quevvy Publish — L'hébergement sans friction

Construire un site, c'est bien. Le mettre en ligne instantanément, c'est mieux.

Quevvy Publish est l'hébergement frontend intégré à l'écosystème Quevvy — l'alternative directe à Vercel, pensée pour les builders non-techniques.

Un clic. Ton site est en ligne. Ton domaine. Tes règles.

Quevvy n'est plus juste un outil.
C'est un écosystème complet pour construire, personnaliser, héberger et développer une présence digitale — pour tout le monde, partout.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #QuevvyAI #QuevvyCommunity #QuevvyCanvas #QuevvyPublish #NoCode #VibeCoding #SaaS #GentilDeveloper

African digital has an access problem — Quevvy is an answer

Gentil M. — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:22:41 +0000

African digital has an access problem — Quevvy is an answer

There's a striking contradiction in the African tech ecosystem.

On one side: a creative, entrepreneurial, ambitious youth. Solid ideas. Real projects. Rare energy.

On the other: concrete barriers that block those ideas from going online.

Barrier 1 — Cost
Western no-code tools (Wix, Squarespace, Webflow) are built for markets where $30/month is manageable. That's not the reality for most African entrepreneurs.

Barrier 2 — Language and UX
Most platforms are in English, with UX designed for users already comfortable with digital tools. The learning curve is real.

Barrier 3 — Technical dependency
Hiring a developer is a luxury. Learning to code is a long road.

Quevvy tackles all three barriers.

An accessible, intuitive, free platform — that lets anyone create a landing page, portfolio, form, or bio link in minutes.

African digital doesn't lack talent.
It lacks access.

Quevvy is a concrete answer to that.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #DigitalAfrica #AfricanTech #SaaS #GentilDeveloper

Le digital africain a un problème d'accès — Quevvy est une réponse

Gentil M. — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:14:01 +0000

Le digital africain a un problème d'accès — Quevvy est une réponse

Il y a une contradiction frappante dans l'écosystème tech africain.

D'un côté : une jeunesse créative, entrepreneuriale, ambitieuse. Des idées solides. Des projets réels. Une énergie rare.

De l'autre : des barrières concrètes qui bloquent la mise en ligne de ces idées.

Barrière 1 — Le coût
Les outils no-code occidentaux (Wix, Squarespace, Webflow) sont pensés pour des marchés où 30€/mois est accessible. Ce n'est pas la réalité de la majorité des entrepreneurs africains.

Barrière 2 — La langue et l'UX
La plupart des plateformes sont en anglais, avec une UX conçue pour des utilisateurs déjà familiers du digital. La courbe d'apprentissage est réelle.

Barrière 3 — La dépendance technique
Faire appel à un développeur, c'est un luxe. Apprendre à coder, c'est une longue route.

Quevvy s'attaque à ces trois barrières.

Une plateforme accessible, intuitive, gratuite — qui permet à n'importe qui de créer une landing page, un portfolio, un formulaire ou un bio link en quelques minutes.

Le digital africain ne manque pas de talent.
Il manque d'accès.

Quevvy est une réponse concrète à ça.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #DigitalAfrica #AfricanTech #SaaS #GentilDeveloper

5 web pages anyone can build on Quevvy in under 10 minutes

Gentil M. — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:40:06 +0000

5 web pages anyone can build on Quevvy in under 10 minutes

No-code changed one fundamental thing: the speed at which an idea can become real.

Here are 5 page types Quevvy lets you create — zero technical skills required, in minutes.

1. The product landing page
To launch an offer, a service, or test a business idea. Hero section, description, CTA, contact form — all configured visually, ready to convert.

2. The personal portfolio
For freelancers, creatives, developers and designers who want to showcase their work. Projects, skills, contact link — all in one clean professional page.

3. The collection form
Sign-ups, orders, quotes, surveys. A well-built form easily replaces a paid third-party tool.

4. The bio link
One single link that centralizes all your networks, projects, and offers. Perfect for your Instagram, LinkedIn or X bio.

5. The announcement page
Job offer, call for applications, event, product launch. A dedicated page that adds credibility to any announcement.

Each of these pages can generate contacts, clients, or opportunities — as long as it exists.

Quevvy makes it exist. Today.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Portfolio #LandingPage #GentilDeveloper #DigitalAfrica

5 pages web que n'importe qui peut créer sur Quevvy en moins de 10 minutes

Gentil M. — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 08:24:43 +0000

5 pages web que n'importe qui peut créer sur Quevvy en moins de 10 minutes

Le no-code a changé une chose fondamentale : la vitesse à laquelle une idée peut devenir réelle.

Voici 5 types de pages que Quevvy permet de créer — sans aucune compétence technique, en quelques minutes chrono.

1. La landing page produit
Pour lancer une offre, un service, ou tester une idée de business. Hero section, description, CTA, formulaire de contact. Tout configuré visuellement, prêt à convertir.

2. Le portfolio personnel
Pour les freelances, créatifs, développeurs et designers qui veulent montrer leur travail. Projets, compétences, lien de contact — en une seule page propre et professionnelle.

3. Le formulaire de collecte
Inscriptions, commandes, devis, sondages. Un formulaire bien construit remplace facilement un outil tiers payant.

4. Le bio link
Un lien unique qui centralise tous tes réseaux, projets, et offres. Parfait pour la bio Instagram, LinkedIn ou X.

5. La page d'annonce
Offre d'emploi, appel à candidatures, événement, lancement produit. Une page dédiée qui donne du sérieux à n'importe quelle annonce.

Chacune de ces pages peut générer des contacts, des clients, ou des opportunités — à condition qu'elle existe.

Quevvy la fait exister. Aujourd'hui.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Portfolio #LandingPage #GentilDeveloper #DigitalAfrica

The real cost of having an online presence in 2026 — and how Quevvy brings it to zero

Gentil M. — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:03:27 +0000

The real cost of having an online presence in 2026 — and how Quevvy brings it to zero

What does having a web page actually cost in 2026?

Here's the market reality:

Option 1 — Wix / Squarespace

Monthly subscription: $20–$50/month
Limited templates
Platform branding still visible
Advanced features locked behind paid tiers

Option 2 — Freelance developer

Average rate: $500 to $2,000 for a simple page
Timeline: 2 to 6 weeks
Total dependency for every single edit

Option 3 — Web agency

Rate: $2,000 to $10,000
Timeline: 1 to 3 months
Heavy process: brief, validation, delivery

Option 4 — Quevvy

Cost: free until January 1st, 2027
Timeline: a few minutes
Zero dependency, zero code, zero middleman

Landing page, portfolio, form, bio link, announcement page — all included.

The digital world shouldn't be reserved for those with a budget. Quevvy makes it accessible to everyone.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Free #DigitalAfrica #GentilDeveloper

Le coût réel d'avoir une présence en ligne en 2026 — et comment Quevvy le réduit à zéro

Gentil M. — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:56:40 +0000

Le coût réel d'avoir une présence en ligne en 2026 — et comment Quevvy le réduit à zéro

Avoir une page web en 2026, ça coûte combien exactement ?

Voici la réalité du marché :

Option 1 — Wix / Squarespace

Abonnement mensuel : 20 à 50€/mois
Template limité
Branding de la plateforme visible
Fonctionnalités avancées bloquées derrière des paliers payants

Option 2 — Développeur freelance

Tarif moyen : 500 à 2 000€ pour une page simple
Délai : 2 à 6 semaines
Dépendance totale pour chaque modification

Option 3 — Agence web

Tarif : 2 000 à 10 000€
Délai : 1 à 3 mois
Processus lourd, brief, validation, livraison

Option 4 — Quevvy

Tarif : gratuit jusqu'au 1er janvier 2027
Délai : quelques minutes
Zéro dépendance, zéro code, zéro intermédiaire

Landing page, portfolio, formulaire, bio link, page d'annonce — tout inclus.

Le digital ne devrait pas être réservé à ceux qui ont un budget. Quevvy rend ça accessible à tout le monde.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Gratuit #DigitalAfrica #GentilDeveloper

[Boost]

Gentil M. — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 06:41:42 +0000

80% of Anthropic's code is now AI-written

Hemapriya Kanagala

Jun 30

Reading Anthropic's "When AI Builds Itself" Changed How I Think About AI and Software Engineering

#discuss #ai #developers #softwareengineering

144

101

13 min read

# "It's in progress" — the most expensive phrase in business

Gentil M. — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 09:15:38 +0000

"It's in progress" — the most expensive phrase in business

There's a sentence that comes up too often in professional conversations:

"My website is in progress."

It sounds harmless. It's actually costly.

Here's why: in a professional exchange, credibility is built in seconds. A shared link, a clean page, a contact form — it says "I'm serious" without a single extra word.

The absence of that page says the exact opposite.

The real reasons behind "it's in progress":

Finding a developer takes time
Classic tools (WordPress, Wix) feel complex
Budget is tight for an agency or freelancer
The priority keeps getting pushed back

Quevvy removes every single one of those reasons.

Landing page, portfolio, form, bio link, announcement page — everything built in minutes, no code, no budget, no middleman.

Next time someone asks for your site — you send a link, not an excuse.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Entrepreneurship #DigitalAfrica #GentilDeveloper

# "C'est en cours" — la phrase qui coûte le plus cher aux entrepreneurs

Gentil M. — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 09:08:41 +0000

"C'est en cours" — la phrase qui coûte le plus cher aux entrepreneurs

Il y a une phrase qui revient trop souvent dans les conversations business :

"Mon site web est en cours."

Elle paraît anodine. Elle est en réalité destructrice.

Voici pourquoi : dans un échange professionnel, la crédibilité se construit en secondes. Un lien partagé, une page propre, un formulaire de contact — ça dit "je suis sérieux" sans un seul mot supplémentaire.

L'absence de cette page dit exactement l'inverse.

Les vraies raisons derrière "c'est en cours" :

Trouver un développeur prend du temps
Les outils classiques (WordPress, Wix) semblent complexes
Le budget manque pour un prestataire
La priorité a été repoussée encore et encore

Quevvy supprime chacune de ces raisons.

Landing page, portfolio, formulaire, bio link, page d'annonce — tout se crée en quelques minutes, sans code, sans budget, sans intermédiaire.

La prochaine fois que quelqu'un demande ton site — tu envoies un lien, pas une excuse.

👉 https://quevvy.com

Quevvy #QuevvyPlatform #NoCode #SaaS #Entrepreneuriat #DigitalAfrica #GentilDeveloper