James O'Shea
Bio
I'm James, a full-stack software developer with multiple years' experience, including leading teams. My previous experience ranges working everywhere from small startups to unicorns, always working throughout the stack.
I'm currently looking for a new role either in Nürnberg, nearby, or remote. I'm proficient with React, TS and Node (i.e. I know how they work), and comfortable with Vue and various other JS-based technologies. When necessary, I've also worked with Java, Go, Python, and am always open to learning new languages, frameworks and paradigms.
Deutsch kann ich auch.
Current projects
klonoot.org is my main focus outside of work. It's an open-source replacement for the Komoot, a routing app for bikers and hikers. I was motivated by two things: Komoot's deterioration after its sale, and a desire to learn more about Postgres and its capabilities. Originally, Klonoot used Supabase as a backend, but I ended up re-implementing that functionality with the help of PostgREST. It is an ongoing passion project.
I'm reading and working though Software Design by Example in order to fill in any gaps in my knowledge. I'm a self-taught developer and acutely aware of my limitations.
Philosophy
Working as a software developer usually means working towards two contradictory goals at once: creating "business value", which is difficult to measure and typically very short-term in its scope, and building robustness into everything one works on. This is easier to measure, but harder to advocate for. If we were always to take the easy path, business value would win out, every time. Balancing these two goals requires
- Excellent communication skills
- Honesty
- Technical proficiency
in that order. I am constantly working on all three.