Stuff I built / helped building
- NYPL SimplyE / Open eBooks / Readium (2020-2025)
- This is the first role where I spent a lot of my time on open source projects, to support patrons of the New York Public Library. One of these projects was a new hybrid app leveraging web technologies alongside a native SwiftUI plugin. I architected the plugin focusing on modularity, testability, and accessibility, adapting the VIP architecture to SwiftUI. I also contributed features and bug fixes to the Readium open source toolkit that we integrated to implement the actual ereader component. Previously, I contributed to the development of SimplyE and Open eBooks, the two legacy apps that the Library had. Given the similarity in their code bases, I merged them into a single repo, managing the differences through separate Xcode targets. Simultaneously, I led the creation and maintenance of reusable frameworks, contributing to the reduction of tech debt and tight coupling.
[Readium commits] [Utilities repo] [Audiobook repo] - PIX System iOS + tvOS apps (2016-2020)
- The apps I worked on while at PIX are used by Hollywood directors, actors and executives, many of which are popular household names. To deliver solid professional products, I focused on establishing processes for the team to move fast while still keeping code quality high: efficient git workflows for day-to-day work as well as app releases; investment in CI/CD, unit testing, refactoring, code readability and documentation; thorough code reviews. This was also an opportunity to learn AVFoundation and use NSOperations more intensely, to facilitate handling of DRM, watermarking, loading of metadata and user notes. Since we were maintaining multiple apps, I split the code base of the main app into reusable Swift/ObjC frameworks to move faster in the long term. Mentoring played a much bigger role than in previous positions, and it was rewarding to see younger engineers grow.
[App Store page] - Goodreads iOS app (2010-2015)
- I was the 1st iOS hire and took over the app that was built by contractors. I helped develop new navigation (twice!), new book main page, barcode scanner, on-device caching, Facebook onboarding, localization and more. I directed my attention to critical issues such as memory management and performance, helping the strong growth the company was experiencing on mobile platforms, which led to the acquisition by Amazon in 2013. When I left in 2015 the app was 99% built natively in Objective-C. I'm particularly proud of this work because (1) I got to work for a company that was helping readers, (2) I was able to do some open source contributions, and (3) I worked with an exceptional team and learned a ton of stuff.
[App Store page] - Other Open Source Contributions (2005-2020)
- The most rewarding experiences I've ever had while developing software was to contribute to open source / free software projects. Here's a few projects I collaborated to:
- Readium Swift toolkit (eReading software; 2021-2025): I added easier access to styling configuration options, improvements to error handling, and various bug fixes. My commits, PRs, and more PRs.
- Blender (3D content creation suite; 2007-08): I added support (C/C++) for 3Dconnexion / Logitech's N degrees of freedom devices. This shipped in v2.46 with some bugfixes in 2.47. Here's some of my patches (1) (2) and some community posts (1) (2).
- Second Life (MMORPG; 2008): Same deal, I added support (C++) for 3Dconnexion / Logitech's 3D devices to control your avatar in 6 degrees of freedom. This shipped in v1.20.
- Three20 (now defunct iOS library; 2011-13): several bug fixes (Objective-C), see my pull requests.
- SimplyE / Open eBooks (2020-24): now defunct, but see above for more information. My pull requests (Swift / Objective-C) are still available.
- ChessNote (2008-2018)
- This was a correspondence chess game that I created for the iPhone. Built with Objective-C, Erlang, OpenBSD. This is the first iOS app I ever worked on, cutting my teeth on iPhoneOS 3 and supporting it till iOS 9. It was also an opportunity to learn a functional programming language (very fascinating topic) and server maintenance / configuration. I shut it down in 2018 because I was not able to give it the support it deserved anymore.
- Other
- My GitHub hosts some old and no longer maintained stuff. When I look at this stuff today it's not something I'm particularly proud of anymore!
Personal Interests
Music has always been one of my biggest passions: I enjoy playing synthesizers and occasionally drums, and listening to all sorts of music, from metal and darkwave to Motown and classical music. Growing plants and more in general the outdoors is something I got into recently. Cryptography is a topic I would like to explore more. Healthcare and fact-based news are two fields I'd love to improve.
Why is this important? I tend to join companies whose products and missions are aligned to some of my interests. While I always give 100%, it will be more rewarding to work on something that feels meaningful.