After graduating from a programming bootcamp during the COVID-19 quarantine in March 2020, I embarked on an exciting journey to build my first Visual Studio Code extension. This project became a pivotal learning experience that pushed me beyond the fundamentals I had learned in bootcamp.

The Inspiration Behind Screenify

The idea for “Screenify” came from a personal need I encountered while working on various projects. I wanted to create a tool that would help developers capture and share their code screenshots more efficiently. What started as a simple idea quickly evolved into a comprehensive learning opportunity.

Technologies and Skills Learned

Building this VSCode extension introduced me to several new technologies and concepts that weren’t covered in my bootcamp:

VSCode Development API

Learning the VSCode extension API was both challenging and rewarding. Understanding how to interact with the editor, create commands, and manage the extension lifecycle opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

Unit Testing

Implementing proper testing practices was crucial for ensuring the extension’s reliability. This was my first deep dive into writing comprehensive unit tests for a real-world application.

System Design

Designing the architecture for the extension taught me valuable lessons about creating scalable and maintainable code structures.

Docker and Docker Compose

Containerizing the application and setting up development environments with Docker was an eye-opening experience. It completely changed how I think about deployment and environment management.

Google Cloud Platform

Integrating with GCP services expanded my understanding of cloud computing and how modern applications leverage cloud infrastructure.

Linear Algebra Applications

Surprisingly, the project even involved applying linear algebra concepts in the development process, showing how mathematical knowledge can be directly applicable in software development.

Challenges and Growth

The journey wasn’t without its challenges. Coming from a bootcamp background, I had to learn many concepts on the fly. Each obstacle became an opportunity to grow and expand my technical knowledge.

The project taught me that learning doesn’t stop after graduation – it’s just the beginning. Every new technology I encountered pushed me to become a better developer.

Reflection

Looking back on this project, I’m proud of how much I was able to accomplish and learn. Building Screenify was more than just creating a VSCode extension; it was about proving to myself that I could tackle complex technical challenges and continue growing as a developer.

The experience reinforced my passion for continuous learning and showed me that with determination and curiosity, you can master any technology or concept you set your mind to.

Originally published on Medium in May 2021