🌱Still Debugging Life: Six Years of Code and Curiosity

Ever since I began my journey into software development about six years ago, self-studying in my parents’ basement before landing my first role, I’ve been reflecting on how far I’ve come and where I want to go next.

Having worked in both a feature team and a platform team, I’ve gained an appreciation for the unique skills each path develops. Feature teams drive revenue and customer engagement by delivering exciting features on tight timelines, while platform engineering focuses on building stable systems, pipelines, and improving developer productivity.

Both have their challenges and rewards, one serving external customers directly, the other serving internal teams and together they’ve shaped my perspective as an engineer.

I’ve also developed a deep appreciation for data and its role in improving performance and stability. My background in biochemistry taught me the importance of collecting, analyzing, and applying data, and that mindset has translated naturally into my work as a developer.

Whether it’s tracking performance metrics or finding new ways to make systems more efficient, I find data to be the foundation of meaningful progress.

When I first started in tech, one of my goals was to earn the senior engineer title within five years. While that milestone hasn’t happened yet, I’ve realized that growth isn’t defined by a title. Instead, I’ve been channeling my energy into learning, side projects, and exploring new technologies that challenge me and keep me curious.

One of those projects is CanadianRecalls.ca, a site I built that leverages open health data. It’s been a playground for experimenting with data pipelines, AI tools, and improving my full-stack skills. Lately, I’ve also been diving into AI-assisted learning, using tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity to accelerate how I research, solve problems, and learn new concepts.

These tools have significantly lowered the barrier to exploring complex ideas and helped me sharpen my skills faster than ever before.

Looking forward, I’m excited to continue combining my professional experience with these personal projects to keep growing, not just as a developer, but as a problem solver and lifelong learner.

Disclaimer: These reflections are my own and do not represent the views of my current employer.