Codenight Weekly 005
The hustle was real
This week in Codenight, the hustle was real. From secure messaging apps built with a zero-trust philosophy to AI assistants fluent in Amharic, the signal-to-noise ratio was off the charts. We saw deep dives into cryptographic security, lively debates about the future of work in the age of AI, and even a healthy dose of pragmatic advice on choosing the right database ORM. Dive in, and let's dissect the week's most valuable threads – because in the arena of code, shipping is the only truth. Join the conversation, contribute your insights, and let's build something extraordinary together.
Developer Shout-Outs
Amharic Font Gallery: Nebadesign launched fonts.nebadesign.me, a tool to preview and download Amharic fonts. Users can type text, adjust size, and download their preferred fonts. 1
Amharic AI Assistant App: Addis CV launched an audio-first AI assistant app for Android that understands Amharic. The app uses a fine-tuned model and is available in beta on the Play Store. 1
Telegram User Adding Bot: Samson shared a Python project for adding users to Telegram groups. The project utilizes the Telegram API and allows for adding multiple users. 1
Talk Mate Bot: Dawit shared a Telegram bot designed for connecting users in random chats. The bot is built using the Telegram Bot API and aims to facilitate conversations. 1, 2
Customer Feedback System: Tsegaye Abewa designed a platform to streamline the process of collecting and managing customer feedback for businesses such as hotels, supermarkets, and other customer-facing entities. 1
Events and Podcasts
DevFest Addis 2024 Recap: DevFest 2024 showcased a wealth of knowledge, innovation, and inspiration, leaving attendees barnstorming ideas and motivation for future projects. From groundbreaking talks to engaging workshops, the event highlighted the power of community and collaboration in driving technological advancements. We can't list everything here, but it was truly a remarkable experience that has set the stage for exciting developments ahead.
From Zero to 1 Million Users in a Week: Fireayehu Zekarias shared insights on scaling rapidly, tackling SSR and middleware latency, hosting databases for reliability, and automating server monitoring. Creative server queue management and optimizing PostgreSQL queries proved vital to handle the surge. Link to Slides
Why Niche Tech Belongs in Your Toolkit: Fraol Lemecha made a strong case for exploring niche technologies, highlighting their power to solve specific problems efficiently. He shared examples of their impact on successful products and urged developers to embrace them as essential tools. Link to Slides
Career Paths in Tech: Navigating Your Options: Temkin Mengistu, also known as Chapi, delivered a thought-provoking talk at DevFest, guiding attendees through the complexities of choosing the right career path in the tech industry. His insights, based on his own experiences and observations, shed light on the diverse opportunities available and the factors to consider when making this crucial decision. Link to Slides
Why You Should Do Ambitious Projects (And Why It’s Not Hard): Bereket Engida, a speaker at DevFest, shared valuable insights on why undertaking ambitious projects is not only beneficial but also less daunting than it may seem. He emphasized that ambitious projects push us beyond our comfort zones, leading to significant personal and professional growth. By breaking down large projects into smaller, manageable steps and focusing on the joy of the process, we can overcome our initial hesitation and achieve remarkable results.
Friday Night Coding: Neba hosted the second session of his Friday Night Coding series, focusing on PM2 for process management and K6 for performance testing in Node.js. The session covered practical implementations and Q&A. 1, 2, 3.
M-PESA Open API Launch Event: Safaricom is launching its M-PESA Open API on Saturday, December 7th, from 3 PM to 6 PM at the CapStone ALX Tech Hub in Lideta. The event will showcase the API's capabilities and offer networking opportunities with cocktails. 1.
Shared Resources
Codenight Weekly Digest on Substack: Codenight announced the updated release of the weekly digest. The Codenight Weekly Digest has moved to Substack and introduced a new audio transcription of the Weekly Digest all powered by Notebook ML. 1, 2
Programming Advice: Nebyu Samuel shared the book "97 Things Every Programmer Should Know". This book offers valuable advice and insights for programmers of all levels, covering various aspects of software development. 1
Amharic Font Previewer: A free tool for previewing and downloading Amharic fonts. Users can type text and adjust the size to see how different fonts appear. 1
Odoo CEO on Building a Software Company: Y M shared a YouTube video featuring Fabien Pinckaers, CEO of Odoo, discussing strategies for building a successful software company. The video explores key insights and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the software industry. 1
Tech Company Updates
Ethio Telecom is Hiring: Jio Lio shared a frontend development job opportunity. A Bachelor's degree is required for this role. 1, 2
Safaricom Talent Cloud Launch: Safaricom announced the launch of the Safaricom Talent Cloud, a platform offering a vast library of online courses, expert coaching, a thriving community, certificates, free internet, and a scholarship for females. 1
Top Discussions and Reactions:
Ethio Telecom Internet Packages and Pricing: Phi 🦉 raised concerns about Telecom's recent price increases and data caps on "unlimited" internet packages. This sparked a discussion about the company's pricing strategies and the impact on users. Several members shared their experiences and opinions on the matter. 1, 2, 3, 4
Amharic AI Assistant App Launch: Addis CV announced the launch of their audio-first Amharic AI assistant app on the Play Store. The app, which features a fine-tuned model for understanding Amharic, received positive feedback and suggestions for improvement from the community. 1, 2, 3, 4
Disclaimer: This recap is generated by AI and may not fully reflect the context or accuracy of discussions. Join the Codenight group for detailed insights and active participation.
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