Widget Tricks Newsletter #3
Life-changing books from my reading list. Who are hiring. Internal workings of Flutter Text. 10 practical uses of ChatGPT. Soft skills for developers. Memes on Twitter Algorithm repo, and much more.
📃Post of the Month
I don't usually read fiction, as I find it more enjoyable to watch fictional stories in movies than to read them. However, I do read a lot of non-fiction and technical books. Here are some of the life-changing books from my reading list.
Non-Fiction :
Technical:
Typically, I write summaries for all the books that I find interesting here. Please let me know if you would like me to cover book summaries in upcoming monthly newsletters. It can be non-fiction or technical.
💼 Flutter Jobs to Apply
Junior Flutter Developer: Solid.Software (Remote)
Implement projects from the beginning stages with a focus on quality, ongoing support, and the addition of new features. This involves participating in the development of applications architecture as a member of a high-performing team. Additionally, the candidate should be committed to continuously developing and improving their skills in Flutter and Dart.
Salary Range: $22K - 24K
Flutter Developer: Quicbird Studios (In Munich OR Remotely)
We search for a Flutter Developer who shares our passion for clean, testable code and intuitive user interfaces. We want somebody who can proactively push projects and teams forward. In teams of 2-5 developers you’d develop apps that keep working even under the extreme circumstances in clinics. You will not only learn to write scalable code but also how to lead teams and get the most out of young developers.
Senior Flutter Engineer: Hypervolt (UK Remote only)
This job requires 5+ years of experience in mobile app development with strong proficiency in Flutter. The ideal candidate should possess a good understanding of mobile app architecture and software design patterns, and have excellent analytical, problem-solving, debugging, and communication skills. Passion for sustainable energy solutions and electric vehicles is a plus.
✍️ Articles to Read
The Breakdown: Flutter Text by Deven Joshi
Text is one of the most common and complex UI components used in software. To understand any framework, simply examine the internal workings of Text which will provide up to 70% understanding of the framework's internal mechanisms.
By exploring the internal workings of the Flutter Text Widget, we can gain a better understanding of the Flutter framework logic and painting process.
Why Engineers Need to Write by Ryan Peterman
If you were to ask me what one of the most useful skills has helped me to grow in my career? It’s Writing. It’s the core of everything I do.
We need to write when we ask technical questions, comment on code reviews, or create design docs. This is because writing software is collaborative. The better you are at writing, the more effective you will be at building software.
The Levers That Money Can’t Pull by Lawrence Yeo
We often tend to believe that money is the solution to all our problems. But as Naval said, “Money solves only your money problems”.
After reading this article, you will learn that money enables you to buy the freedom you desire, but it can’t buy the reasons why you want that freedom in the first place.
📦 Code from Pub Packages
Logger
The default logger in Flutter is plain and simple, and we often spend a huge amount of time looking at logs and pulling our hair out. The Logger is a small, easy-to-use, and extensible logger that prints beautiful logs. It was inspired by logger for Android.
Stager
It’s not a pub package. It’s a demo app officially build under google repo.
Stager is a Flutter development tool that allows you to run small portions of your app as independent Flutter apps. This lets you, focus your development on a single widget or flow – no more clicking through multiple screens or setting external feature flags to reach the page you're working on.
Show all of this to your designers to make sure your app is pixel-perfect.
📺 Videos to Watch
ChatGPT Crash Course | 10 Practical Use Cases for Developers by Traversy Media
Since the launch of ChatGPT, we have been bombarded with content claiming that AI will replace developer jobs. However, instead of fighting against AI, we need to embrace it and learn to work with it.
In this video, Brad provides 10 practical tips for learning a concept, finding the necessary code, verifying the code by asking questions, using debug assistance, and more using ChatGPT
How Falling Behind Can Get You Ahead | David Epstein | TEDxManchester
"Focus on your niche" is a common saying, but in my opinion, things have changed in the past few years. Simply knowing how to code is not enough. It's essential to know how to communicate effectively through writing, talk to stakeholders, understand business needs, and even become a manager to prioritize your tasks.
“Jack of all trades, master of none,” the saying goes. But it is culturally telling that we have chopped off the ending: “…but oftentimes better than master of one.”
📚 Quotes From Books
Soft Skills: The Software developer life’s manual
How should you plan your career? How can you build your brand and identity? The author also explains how to go beyond a developer mindset to a business mindset.
To start, think of or treat your current company as your business client. This will help you to develop a business mindset.
I also suggest a similar approach to most developers who ask me this question. Don’t limit your career to finding better jobs. Ask yourself this question: What would happen if you were laid off or fired from your job today? Would you be able to survive on your own? Would you be able to work as an independent consultant?
It's easier said than done. It takes time and patience to develop this kind of mindset.
Jobs are owned by the company, you own your career!
You can read the full summary here.
Beyond Wealth: A Road Map to a Rich Life
Our actions mirror our thoughts and beliefs. We need to look no further than an individual's outer behavior to see the degree of his inner achievement.
😂 Fun and Memes
Pull request on Twitter Algorithm repo
Last month, Twitter open-sourced its algorithm. During this, developers found a variable in the codebase named author_is_not_elon. This led to a ton of funny comments and memes on the PR.
What If You Delete the "Program Files" Folder in Windows?
Thank you for being a part of the Widget Tricks Newsletter, and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.