Few days ago, I started to work on a simple url shortener. The original idea was from one of my friends, he mentioned about the idea of implement a simple and deployable url shortener. This idea just popout my head when I was working on other side project. So I spend a few days working on it and it turns out to be an interesting project that I want to blog about:

A Url Shortener

A url shortener, as its name, is a application that provide user a shorter version of url. Like the most famous one: tinyurl.com, which map the url address into a short sequence of code, like tinyurl.com/ccxngqo. Make user easier to share the link on social media like twitter or forum.

Recently I was looking for web frameworks on Node.js. There are Tower.js, Railway, GeddyJS, SocektStream, Meteor and lots of cool framework on Node.js. However, Express, which created in the beginning of Node.js era, is still a very stable and easy to use framework with the most plugin and community support. Therefore, I think it is a good candidate as my 2nd source code review project.

Express.js is developed by TJ Holowaychuk, who rebuild the web development on Node.js with express, jade, mocha, stylus and more. Express is inspired by the simple of Sinatra provide a simple and elegant interface for http request, also with connect middle support that let user can easily extend the framework.

GO v1

Recently, the Go language release it’s version 1.0, which have a more constant api that aiming on attracting enterprise developers to use go as part of their solution.

I read the tutorial when it’s first release. At that time, Go was positioned as a new system language, Like C or C++. But right now it become more powerful that can be use on any general programming topic that require efficiency and concurrency.

As a language, Go has pretty weird syntax such as postfix type decleration and interface oriented. But other then that, Go is more like a compiled version scripting language. Which is pretty easy to write, and focusing on making threading easier through It’s Go routine.

What is Backbone.js?

Backbone is a framework for front-end JavaScript, unlike jQuery focus on easier DOM manipulation and event binding, backbone provide a structure for separating data model and DOM, just like a MVC framework separate model, view and controller. Make heavy JavaScript application easier to develop and maintain.

Why Backbone?

In 2011, I flew to Seattle for an on-site interview with Amazon, that is an interesting experience and I learned a lot from the preparation and knowing how these company finding new talents. I would like to share some of my experience on that interview.

Invitation

After handing out my resume on school’s career fair, I got an email from Amazon campus recruiter that they have an interview event for campus hire hold on Amazon campus in Seattle, and they would like to pay me the trip to the interview. That really surprise me because what I heard is they will usually have one or two phone interview before you get to the on-site interview. However, this is a great oppurtunity, and also a free trip visiting Seattle. So I just go for it.

Bootstrap , from twitter

Bootstrap, a css framework that developed by Twitter, created by Mark Otto and Jacob Thronton. Which original was the internal framework in twitter for their products and quick prototyping. On the github page, Bootstrap is described as:

Simple and flexible HTML, CSS, and Javascript for popular user interface components
and interactions.

That is, Bootstrap is not only just a css framework, but actually an UI framework base on HTML, CSS and Javascripts. It includes the basic css framework that handle details like css reset, typography and grid system. Moreover, it includes the base UI elements like navigation bar, button, form and paginition… and the interaction UI elements like dropdown, popover and tooltips. Evenmore, all of the color and elements is customizable because the css is generated by less, all setting is in varibles.less file and allow user to change the variables or reuse the elements class in less.

In 2012, I am planning to start contribute and participate more on opensource projects. The target of this series is to read through the source of open source projects that I am interested with, and explain the structure and interesting pieces that I found in the source.

Sinatra

Sinatra is a rack-base , lightweight web framework implemented in ruby. Written and desinged by Blake Mizerany. Famous for it’s dsl syntax and simpliness.