DEV Community: Victor Loveday

Re-sharing Articles on Dev Community

Victor Loveday — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 18:25:44 +0000

Is there a way I can possibly share someone's article here? Similarly to Twitter retweet.

Kotlin for Server-Side

Victor Loveday — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 16:19:27 +0000

With Kotlin, we can create different applications for different platforms. Server-side applications are no exception. Similarly to Java, Kotlin can be used to set up and run server side applications. Several frameworks like Spark and Spring which is used with Java also have support for Kotlin. I will show you four of them as we proceed. But first;

Ktor

Ktor (pronounced Kay-tor) is an asynchronous open source framework for creating micro services and web applications. It was developed with Kotlin by Jetbrains. The framework is lightweight and has a great support for coroutines and KMM (Kotlin Multi Platform).

Four frameworks for server-side development with Kotlin

Spring Boot: This framework is widely used for creating stand-alone Spring Based Applications. Applications created with Spring Boot are of large-scale, production-grade, while you just need to trigger the run button.
Javalin: This framework is referred to as the most lightweight for Kotlin and Java server-side development. Javalin supports network configuration components such as Web Sockets, HTTP2 and async requests and so on. Javalin was initiated as a clone of Java. Although it was not anticipated by its developers, still Javalin emerged into a wider framework. It was moulded into a ground-up rewrite, with reference to the JavaScript framework koa.js.
Spark: Spark is one of the earliest expressive Kotlin or Java web framework built for rapid development. It can also be used in higher-level Kotlin development. It is not so popular. Spark is not so trusted with respect to micro-services.
Vert.X: Just like Java and Kotlin, Vert.X is an ecosystem used for building reactive applications in different programming languages. Vert.X comes with a powerful set of tools. However, it is not advisable for everyone. It comes with detailed documentation and is thoroughly compatible with Kotlin libraries. It creates reactive Web applications for the Java Virtual Machine.

Why Ktor ?

It is a very lightweight framework that reduces the effort required to create web applications in Kotlin. It doesn’t manipulate the underlying technologies of a project and is compatible with most of them, with very rare exceptions.

It is highly reliable, as it is a product of the Kotlin team, itself. It allows developers to rapidly create both, client and server-side applications that target multiple platforms. Ktor exploits Kotlin Coroutines for providing high scalability and offers an efficient and idiomatic API for developers.

It works on a minimum memory footprint and comes in as a lightweight thread. It is analogous to Javalin, it is also a real micro-framework plus it's simplicity. Left to me, I'd say it's the most suitable for prototyping.

3 Soft Skills To Succeed as a Developer

Victor Loveday — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 12:40:36 +0000

1. Creativity
When problems surface, a creative developer knows solutions likely already exist. And if it doesn’t, the developer isn’t afraid to come up with new solutions.

As a software developer, solutions aren’t handed over to you to mindlessly code. Instead, you must explore possibilities, weighing different technologies and your team’s skills. After gaining some experience to understand what technologies exist, the creativity of combining these solutions together becomes easier.

As a full-time software developer, you cannot fail — if a problem exists in your code, there is a solution, and you will find it. This will be the true test of your creativity.

2. Reliability
In a team, people rely on you to get your work done, especially when you promise to complete a task. If you’re reliable, no one will need to check up on your progress, as you’ve proven you can take on responsibilities.

Leaders want software developers who don’t need any babysitting. They want direct reports from who agree to do something and then follow through on their commitment. Believe it or not, many people aren’t reliable, so being a reliable developer will make you the go-to person for new tasks and opportunities.

3. Steller Communication
All softwares are built on a team composed of people with different ideologies, beliefs, biases, and experiences.

The best software developers communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical folks or technical ones who are still learning. You will go far as a developer if you can communicate across roles and teach others.

Hactoberfest

Victor Loveday — Tue, 26 Oct 2021 13:31:01 +0000

Hi. Any Kotlin Hacktoberfest repo? I'd love to contribute.

Thanks in advance.