Extending HarperDB: Powered by the Community

A database, or perhaps any technology, is only as powerful as it is flexible.

Some technologies and tools have great functionality but they make it difficult for the user- forcing them to adapt something on their end in order to access and/or accommodate the technology. While this may work for some folks, that’s not how we roll at HarperDB. Our goal is to be able to accommodate our users in every way possible, and make it easy for them to use the technology. Additionally, we take user feedback very seriously, and our team is continuously improving our product in response to feedback and requests.

With this in mind, we have built out a Bounty Program, Marketplace, and Feedback Board to engage with our community and improve the user experience in numerous ways.

Marketplace

HarperDB recently launched the Developer Marketplace, a fast and easy way to extend HarperDB. The marketplace contains a collection of SDKs and connectors to expand upon HarperDB for flexible solution development. With the goal of being the most user-friendly database out there, we want to provide resources to ensure that you can use the languages and tools that best fit your needs.

The Marketplace currently contains the following tools:

• React Hook: Easily keep track of the loading, error, and data state of your HarperDB queries
• Python SDK: Implement Python3 for API functions with wrappers for an object oriented interface
• Websocket Client: A Javascript client for real-time access to HarperDB transactions
• HarperDB Cargo Crate: A HarperDB SDK for Rust
• Node-Red Node: Use Node-Red for easy drag and drop connections
• Harperive: A HarperDB SDK for Node.js
• Gatsby HarperDB Source: Use HarperDB as the data source for a GatsbyJS project at the build time

And the cherry on top - the Marketplace is powered by the community! As we continue to make HarperDB more accessible, we invite you to share your thoughts on the Feedback Board as well as participate in ongoing efforts to expand the Marketplace. For example, you can see some of the cool things we have coming soon by looking at the #claimed bounties. Keep in mind, we are a lean tech startup and our dev team is grinding day and night, so it’s really awesome that we can look outwards for help with expanding our functionality and accessibility. This is why we created the Bounty Program...

Bounty Program

HarperDB launched a Bounty Program, a fun opportunity to make money for helping us improve. Our team is committed to the growing community of developers using our database. We not only appreciate hearing any and all feedback, but we want help implementing some of that feedback! In return for working on these extensions and connections to make HarperDB more awesome, we offer rewards through paid incentives.

This program has a few different goals. First and foremost is to harness the power of our community to build a richer ecosystem of tools, plugins, and applications to extend the power of HarperDB - ultimately making developers' lives easier. We also want to support developers of all skill levels, from code newbies to senior devs, by rewarding their creativity, hard work, and passion for development. A few examples of bounties that are currently #unclaimed are a Java SDK, a package for Django, and a KeystoneJS adapter.

What’s more! If you have a new idea for an extension or connection that you’d like to get paid for building (or have someone else build), add your suggestion to the feedback board! (The more upvotes a bounty on the feedback board receives, the higher up it moves in priority.)

Curious about how this program works? You can find all the info and claim a bounty on this page, and I’ll provide a high-level overview below:

1. Find a bounty on the Feedback board
2. Claim a bounty
3. Work with our team to solidify project requirements
4. Once your bounty claim submission is accepted, get coding!
5. Submit your bounty project once completed
6. Publish your bounty, find it on the marketplace, receive payment
7. Maintenance- option to fix bugs or add features to your project
8. Bonuses- usage based bonuses on top of your initial bounty pay out

We encourage developers of all backgrounds and skill levels to participate, this program will help you grow your skill set and our team is here to provide support on your developer journey. Let’s get coding!

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much”
– Helen Keller

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
– Isaac Newton

These programs are one way that we try to build community during these times, as well as things like our Community Slack channel and this incredible DEV.to platform. We have learned a lot from our users and other developers around us, and our team is certainly willing to give credit when/where it’s due. For example, you can read more about how we have benefitted from standing on the shoulders of geniuses in the Node.js community here.

We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions! Are you working on any side project to make a little extra bank? How do you stay connected in this remote world?