Pausing notifications on your phone is great. The iPhone’s Do Not Disturb (DND) feature is also great. Would it not be awesome if we had a DND for our room/office? Well, that was when I had an idea for a mini project.
My nephews and I went to a local electronics store and bought some gadgets. I just bought the ESP32-C3, which has two USB-C ports.
These were the steps I did in order. Of course, ChatGPT helped me every step of the way.
I ensured the ESP32 was working by running a blinking sketch, which I created using Arduino IDE.
I then created an on-off switch using the BOOT button on the ESP32. This would turn the LED to switch between Green and Red alternatively each time you press the BOOT button the the microcontroller.
Once it was connected to Blynk with the token, etc. I used three links:
One would turn the Green light on when a GET request is sent to it.
The other would turn the Red light on when a request was sent to it.
The third one would give the current status of the light.
Then I did some configurations using Siri Shortcuts. They were:
Office Green: which would essentially visit the above link I spoke about followed by turning off Do Not Disturb on the iPhone/Apple Watch.
Office Red: which would essentially visit the second link above, followed by turning on Do Not Disturb on the iPhone/Apple Watch.
Office Switch: this would get the current status of the light. If the currentStatus was 1, it would run Office Green, otherwise it would run Office Red.
The end result was something like this:
In case you have any inspiring ideas for such projects, feel free to build on it and share to the world!
If you find this post inspiring, I have done my job. If you asked yourself why not just close the door instead of this contraption? Well, then you have done your job of critical thinking.
I will be 30 in a few days and want to write about some lessons I have acquired through the University of Life. They are in no particular order. Here we go:
Purpose trumps passion. Most of us have passions in life, such as playing football and supporting Manchester United, collecting vintage sports cars, or creating art. However, I believe purpose comes before that. As you might know already, my purpose in life is worshipping God Almighty alone. Only then will my remote career and passion for working with React and WordPress come into play.
One bad apple does not mean the whole box of apples is bad. There is a famous saying in our family that when you want to check if a pot of rice is well-cooked, you can test it with one grain of rice. In other words, you can judge if something is well done by checking a small sample of it. However, this saying does not really apply to humans. In a class of students, one person’s academic or personal performance can never determine the potential of the whole batch.
Do not judge a book by its cover. There is a famous true story of a man who hated a certain author and would not read any of his work just because he had a preconceived notion that this author/scholar was bad. A smart friend of his took a book by this same author, removed the covers and gifted the book to him. The man read it and fell in love with the book and accepted this author/scholar to be upon the truth and goodness.
Looking after one’s parents is a blessing. I saw someone who had posted that we must save for retirement instead of spending money educating our children. And that depending on our children as a retirement plan is not a good idea. I thought this was such a bad take that I did not even want to leave a comment on their post. For multiple reasons. Educating someone is one of the best things we can do. On top of that, educating our children, I believe, is a fundamental right we have to give them. What if we go broke while educating them? If they are raised well, they will look after us and this is one of the best retirement plans we have.
The ends do not justify the means. We may have the noblest of goals. However, if we are taking the wrong approach in implementing our goals, what good is there in having noble goals in the first place? Likewise, we must not steal from the rich to feed the poor. Because we are not capable nor responsible for satisfying everyone’s hunger. Likewise, vigilanteism is not a virtuous job either.
Ego is never praiseworthy. Some folks and careers are driven by ego, but what are its fruits? What good do they do? Confidence is good and we must nurture it. However, ego is essentially false confidence and we must shun it.
Gentleness gets you what harshness does not. A lot can be achieved by being easy-going and easy to deal with. Whereas threatening people and pushing your weight around and showing everyone “who the boss is” will rarely get you very far.
Have a good heart and do it for the right reasons. Some folks, when they make it big and have gained some popularity or even notoriety, answer when asked what made them so successful, “because I wanted to prove my haters wrong.” We like a good story, for example, someone making it from rags to riches. However, what is wrong in answering it with a simple, “because I wanted to put food on the table” or likewise.
You are going to die. No one is going to make it out alive. In fact, in this world, there is no such thing as infinite or forever. “We are all living on rent”, my mentor used to say. He is no more with us. God’s mercy be on his soul.
What goes up eventually comes down. We saw it with Nokia and Blackberry, we saw it with many successful people, and we even saw it happen with popular fashion and trends. Perhaps “what goes around, comes around,” too?
Are you willing to do your career as a hobby? Not everyone will say “yes”. If you can say “yes,” consider yourself extremely blessed. Like Steve Jobs once said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
“Focus is saying no to a 1000 things”, another great one from Steve Jobs.
“Design is how it works,” yet another Steve Jobs quote, essentially means that how a product works beats out how it looks or feels.
“Everything has an opportunity cost,” my mentor taught me. In other words, there are tradeoffs in every decision you make. Weigh the pros and cons and most of all, do what your heart says.
Being happy for others is being happy for oneself. Let me explain. Let’s say someone is blessed much higher than yourself. You are only burning in hatred, anger, and bitterness if you feel like you deserve more than this person. Flip envy on its head, and be happy for them because they fully deserve what they have. Go as far as congratulating them. This will make you happier and give you a natural source of encouragement and inspiration.
Doing someone a favor while expecting something in return is not a favor. It is a transaction. Instead, expect the reward from God, and you will have peace of mind and contentment. Even if you do not see an immediate reward for your good nature, have that certainty that “you reap what you sow” and that you can get the fruits one day; if not on day one.
“What really matters are good endings, not flawed beginnings.”, Ibn Taymiyyah.
Run a tight ship. I first heard this from a rather successful business owner. The previous points I have spoken about mention the virtue of being kind and forgiving. However, when we do business, we need to ensure we do the right thing. The right thing often means we do not let anyone take us for a ride.
The more you know, the less likely you are to make absolute statements. Yet, here I am making absolute statements, still! In other words, I do not know much.
People are complex and unpredictable. But life would be no fun if people behaved like manufactured machines. “I can calculate the motion of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of people.”, Isaac Newton once said. It also makes life a tiny bit harder, knowing we need to deal with people justly and kindly simultaneously. Someone else’s bad behavior does not give us any license to treat anyone poorly.
You can never get enough of what you really don’t want. But a little of what you really need would suffice you.
Love people and use things, because the opposite never works. Computers are objects that help us do things. People are not. If you have employees who help you on your mission and are compensated for it, they are another resource. Still, it means we treat each employee with the decency they deserve. Human Resource is the best resource, if utilized well.
“A person must never allow their knowledge to deceive him, for what they do not know exceeds what they actually know.” is a scholarly statement. “As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.” is something I heard and liked.
Being shy is not the same as being weak. Some shy people will not do something even though they can do it. But someone without an ounce of shame will try things they are not capable to do. Do not confuse the two.
Justice, Patience, Interactions with other people, Generosity, and Bravery. These five are considered to be the foundation of good character.
Wisdom is putting things in their place (or where they will fit). For example, it means letting the stronger person do a job that requires strength and assigning a smart individual to do a job that requires knowledge and tact.
Know your worth. I was just chatting with a friend who said they now know the value of each day they work so that they can better enjoy time with their loved ones and spend time more consciously.
“I want you to believe in the values and rewards of hard work. But realize that not all success is due to hard work, and not all poverty is due to laziness. Keep this in mind when judging people, including yourself.” I found this quote from Morgan Housel to be very beautiful.
Do the workout you love. Whether it is hitting the gym or doing a sport or simply walking, doing what we enjoy will help us stay more consistent.
Enjoy life responsibly. We need to live fully and enjoy every moment and take it as it comes. However, we need to do so responsibly and safely. For example, some might consider drugs and alcohol as means of enjoyment, but it is not IMHO. A simple meal that turns out okay IS enjoyment, even though some might consider it not.
If you find some of them trite, know they have stood the test of time!
Also, I do not celebrate birthdays, but I do keep track of time! If anything, every birthday brings us closer to our graves, and it is about time I prepare for it.
One of the aspects of dealing with humans is that you will receive feedback from them. At other times, you’ll need to give feedback to them. Here are my 2 cents on this topic.
Receiving Feedback
Getting feedback from someone is a gift. Embrace your gift and thank the person giving it to you. However, not every feedback is kind.
… is the feedback about something you can improve/change? Then it is constructive.
Notice how a scientist receives feedback. They would take feedback as input for their subsequent trials. If they were resistant and defensive each time a trial failed, that scientist or inventor is not getting very far. Similarly, we must take feedback from other (well-meaning) people in good faith.
Assume Positive Intent
API
This means having good thoughts about others as most people have good intentions.
We must respect and value businesses that give us feedback after an interview. Companies should tell candidates their application was rejected if they are not moving forward instead of keeping job-seekers in the lurk. The worst is when a candidate contacts the recruiter, and the recruiter ignores the candidate. The ideal company would go so far as to explain why you were not hired this time.
Giving Feedback
Today, while I was listening to Daniel Bachhuber on WordSesh, I heard him say the following:
Clear is kind.
Being as objective and as clear as possible is a service we are giving to the one we are giving feedback to – in order that they may take the maximum use out of this feedback.
Could you make it about their work and not about the person? If you have a personal grudge against your coworker, this will come out sooner or later. So, as a developer, always review the code, not the coder. In case you have a resentment against anyone, best to sort it directly instead of leaving snarky reviews on their work.
Another popular tactic is sandwich feedback. It may work for some and not work for others. It’s like a feel-good way to present negative feedback, where you give good feedback at the start and the end and keep the negative feedback in the middle of your message.
This resolves around being kind and not fake. We all want to be the former and not the latter.
We should be wise and know when to give feedback and when not to give feedback. For example, you should not tell a person who lost a loved one to “man up”. This is a crude example, but I believe you get the point.
Another trap some tech folks fall into is thinking they are too good to be kind. Listen! No one is too good for anything. So, we must not use genius as an excuse to behave like a jerk.
Code is written for other humans to read.
“Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand.”
Martin Fowler
Closing note
All of this does not mean I have had bad experiences with anyone or that I am now a master at giving and receiving feedback. It just means I write about topics that I like.
It may just mean I have read a bit about this or learned from the stories and experience of others.
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
While it’s tempting to reach out to build a custom block every time you need custom functionality, it may not always be the best decision. Before committing to developing a custom block, it’s essential to evaluate the needs of your website.
Custom blocks can offer flexibility and can provide a precise set of features tailored to your content. They can integrate with your site’s unique design system and provide custom experiences that generic blocks cannot. However, developing custom blocks requires time, expertise, and resources.
You can use the core blocks alongside Gutenberg filters to customize its looks or behavior. You can also use block variations to create a slightly different way of utilizing the same core blocks. Or, if you want to change the look of the core blocks, you could employ block styles to achieve it.
Having said all that, what if your requirements differ from the above? What if you want the flexibility of creating using the block editor, utilizing any color and style you want? But you also need to make that bit of HTML you built behave precisely how you want.
The following is my take on using core blocks with some custom JS sprinkled on them to create a mini-app.
Demo
This is a Stopwatch mini-app that uses some blocks and JavaScript. You can play around with its functionality:
You might notice I have used a few class names. This is so that I can use JavaScript to select those elements.
After adding the above HTML and Block markup into this post, I wanted to add some JS.
While I built the script locally using an enqueued .js file, I wanted to see if I could do it any other way on the website. Thinking about it, lead me to the WPCode plugin, which allows you to add a snippet of code at the place of choice.
The JavaScript
This is the JS I added via a Shortcode using WPCode:
This idea that I presented is familiar in the WordPress world. We have used HTML generated using the classic editor coupled with enqueued JavaScript to power up custom experiences for ages.
Also, this idea is excellent for when we need to add Google Analytics scripts, for example. We can have buttons with a certain class name and use a global script to target all those buttons to then add tracking scripts to them.
Hope this small demo and explanation helps anyone out there!
A brief introduction to Gutenberg and its purpose of existence
Introducing the Gutenberg Developer and their skillset
How to become a Gutenberg Developer
Gutenberg, which started off as the codename for the new WordPress Block Editor has been used to define many things. The new editor has been built to replace the previously used TinyMCE editor which has been in WordPress for a long time. Gutenberg started off as a plugin and was merged into WP core in WordPress 5.0 which was 5 years ago. Time flies, right?
Coming back to the point. Gutenberg has been used to define the following items:
The plugin that was built to replace the “Classic Editor” also known as the TinyMCE editor. Unfortunately, it has a very low rating on the WordPress plugin repository. As a developer, it’s difficult to understand the hate for this plugin, but it is what it is.
The “content editor” which replaced the post/page editor which was using TinyMCE.
The Full Site Editor also known as the “site editor”.
Now, Gutenberg has 4 phases:
Content Editing, which was started in 2018 with WP 5.0
Site Customization, which started last year with WP 5.9
Collaborative Editing which is being worked upon
Multilingual Support which is scheduled next
Replacement for page builders?
Although it did not start off as as replacement for page builders when first released, it has become so. Since the site editor allows you to replace every bit of the site using blocks, isn’t Gutenberg essentially another page builder? That’s what I believe so. It’s not “just another” page builder. But it is the de facto page builder that is built by the team building WordPress core. In other words, if you want to use the default way of page building / site building, you are best off choosing Gutenberg,
Atomic in nature?
Another important point we must realize is that Gutenberg has atomized the aspects of site building. The idea is that the site is broken down into smaller and smaller pieces of blocks until you get to the smallest “single block”.
A group of blocks can be categorized as the following:
Block Pattern (synced and unsynced)
Block Template Parts
Block Themes
I first saw this idea in WordPress, but other CMSs (primarily Headless CMSs) also have adapted this idea of slicing up the site into atomic pieces or blocks (as referred to in WordPress).
Gutenberg Developer 101
This is a popular job role within the WordPress space. It is still a hot and trendy job title although it’s been over 5 years since we first heard of Gutenberg. So, what makes up a Gutenberg Developer? Let’s find out!
I created this Venn Diagram to represent what I believe makes up a Gutenberg Developer.
It essentially comprises of the skills of the following 3 job roles:
WordPress Developer
React Developer
Frontend Developer
You might think that’s a lot of things to learn just to be able to do one job role. Well, that is not the case so!
How do I say that?
For example, if you have rudimentary WordPress skills, but are very good at React, you can still do a lot by reading about the Gutenberg documentation and learning the WP REST API as well as brushing up on CSS.
If you are a WordPress expert, but have basic React skills, that’s more than enough. Because building blocks requires little React knowledge to get started.
Likewise, if you are a frontend developer strong in CSS and JS, you might have to learn some React and the WordPress knowledge necessary to build blocks or a block theme.
In other words, you do not need to ace all 3 of these roles just to be able to build with Gutenberg.
So, what skills do you need to get there?
Gutenberg Developer skills
Matt Mullenweg said in 2015, “Learn JavaScript Deeply”. It still stands true. You need to know JavaScript. I believe most WordPress developers and Frontend Developers already know JS. React Developers definitely know it since React is a JS library.
Apart from JS knowledge you might need these core skills to work with Gutenberg:
React
Some basic build config knowledge like webpack and friends
PHP
HTML + CSS
JSON
How do I learn to become a Gutenberg Developer?
There a few aspects to becoming a Gutenberg Developer.
For example, you can build individual blocks or be able to build block themes, or plugins that house multiple blocks to solve specific problems.
For example, the Jetpack plugin uses an array of blocks to solve niche problems with content creation. Twenty Twenty Four is an example of a block theme – a theme built entirely out of blocks.
There are a few resources I can recommend to learn these:
The Block Theme Academy by Fränk Klein – this is an awesome set of courses to be able to build out block themes, the right way.
I have taken both these courses and have found them to be very helpful.
Getting a job as a Gutenberg Developer
There are many companies hiring for this role. WordPress development agencies look for these folks with this skillset as they need to build client sites and apps that make use of Gutenberg.
So are product companies looking for these roles. Product companies need to “blockify” their products sooner or later. If their products do not play nicely with the block editor, it could mean death to their product as more and more users adopt the new block editor and move away from the Classic Editor.
Theme shops also need Guetenberg Developers as they start to replace classic themes with either hybrid themes or block themes.
Mindset of a Gutenberg Developer
As Gutenberg Developers, we need to think of future/modern WordPress sites as pieces of a blocks inside blocks inside blocks, up until we reach a single block.
What makes up a block? They can be made using PHP or JS. The editor side is mostly written using React. The frontend uses a React-like structure, but is not, in fact, React that powers it. It gets serialized to HTML. You can also use PHP to replace the frontend code, which I quite like because of the power of PHP within the context of WordPress. I will stop here because speaking at length about this topic is cannot be covered in a single blog post.
Having said that, it’s important to decide which language to use where. You can even use React by enqueueing it to the fronend and make use of its dynamic nature to build complex UIs. However, it’s better to use PHP and vanilla JS as much as possible before reaching out to React for the frontend.
If you have read up to this point and want to become a Gutenberg Developer, here are some steps you can take:
Learn as much as possible from the courses and resources listed above.
Build out a simple block using block.json. This is a helpful tutorial.
Build more blocks!
Build out a basic block theme
Apply for jobs
???
Profit
Let’s keep in touch!
I hope you found this piece helpful. Let me know if you’d like me to cover another similar topic, or something else you’d like to read!
If you have questions about blocks or block themes or want to get in touch with me, feel free to reach out! I am also active on X and LinkedIn if you want to follow me over there. I also provide consultancy as a Gutenberg Developer, so feel free to get in touch!
I watched the WWDC Keynote last night, and boy, do I have a few thoughts!
iOS 17
I love that now AirDrop has become very easy as bringing two phones close to each other. On the other hand (pun intended), this should have been in place long ago. Think infrared ports on ancient phones were doing exactly this (despite in a more cumbersome way!). And “NameDrop” to share your contact details with another iPhone user – I chuckled hearing Apple’s choice of words for their offerings!
Swipe to reply on iMessage. Thanks for copying WhatsApp, and do so more often. However, we hardly use iMessage here in my country anyway – so, not a big win for me.
Contact Posters are a way to customize your callee’s screen when you make a call to them. It’s a nice to have. So, is “Leave a Facetime message.”
iPadOS 17
While this is a bigger version of iOS, it has its unique set of features too. Interactive Widgets are an essential and has been on Android for ages. Apple finally gets it.
macOS 13 (Sonoma)
The new screensavers look really cool, and when Apple does something, they really make it look good, and this is no exception.
They have introduced a new way for Video Conferencing, where you appear over your shared screen as if you are using a green screen. You can be your own Weatherman on your work calls now!
They also have WebApps on the Dock now, which means you get to do what Chrome allowed you eons ago. It allows you to turn any site into an “app” and place it directly on the Dock of your Mac.
And yeah, you can finally have widgets on the Mac desktop (not just in the notifications area).
watchOS 10
There is a feature called “Smart Stack,” which allows you a widget-like view of the various apps on your watch – that was pretty neat.
They have also introduced Mental Health and Vision Health features on the Health side of things. Hopefully, it helps their customers live longer, better lives.
MacBook Air 15″
This is a device that caught my attention. It’s essentially a bigger version of the current 13″ MacBook Air. Apple describes it as the thinnest 15″ Laptop and while it is a boring device, there definitely is a target demographic that would love a bigger screen without having to pay a premium.
Mac Studio, Mac Pro, M2 Ultra
These three things are definitely overkill for your standard remote-working software developer.
While they are awesome for specific needs, the costs and the fact that you cannot travel with them make them less appealing to me.
Spec-wise though, they are brilliant and Apple continues to amaze us.
Thoughts on the Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro is one groundbreaking device, without a doubt. The level of hardware–software integration and the thought that’s been put into making it easy to operate is truly astonishing.
So is the sample content they showcased. Apple does know how to sell a product!
At the same time, it makes me remember Wall-E and imagine many “couch potatoes” mindlessly consuming entertainment content. We are already glued (not literally) to our smartphone screens, and this device literally places a screen to both your eyes. This takes up your entire vision; now, you see the world through a screen.
How long until we realize the dangers of the dystopia we are heading towards? Where the Vision Pro seems more appealing than what we see with our own eyes. Where you prefer to see pictures of someone instead of the “real” person.
If we are not disciplined with using such a device, it can wreak havoc on our lives. It can become a new addiction.
While exciting, I couldn’t help feeling pessimistic about Apple introducing such a device. Perhaps this post will age badly, looking back ten years from now; but I have to share my real feelings and thoughts.
iPhone revolutionized the mobile computing world, and this is set to do the same for spatial computing. It has the potential to change and disrupt certain industries. Although I can imagine certain real-world use cases for such a device, the skeptic in me says to be wary of it.
Personally, I would like to try this new technology but not buy it.
The Apple Ecosystem
I wrote about the 🍎 Ecosystem some time ago. Although I still use Apple devices for work and stuff, I am not happy with the declining reliability of their MacBooks. Hopefully, the newly introduced devices will be more durable, but our experience has been disappointing overall.
Having said that, Apple devices do make life easier in many ways. Like Continuity for switching between different devices, AirPods while working out, and Apple Watch for managing notifications without reaching for the phone every time it dings.
While I like to try out different OSes and ecosystems, Apple’s walled garden keeps pulling me back. Only time will tell for how long, though.
I had a phone call yesterday with someone I admire. We were speaking about various matters. Then the discussion came down to my career and how I got to be where I am. We were discussing the significance of a college degree to a successful career in software engineering.
