Looking for my next role
Hi, I am Niki, and I am looking for my next role.
I am a π-shaped specialist:
- A software developer,
- A product designer specializing in UI and UX.
My mission is simplicity, performance and software that helps people.
Software Developer
I have worked with and built databases:
- Created DataScript, which inspired a whole series of databases (Datalevin, Datahike, re-db) and powered projects such as Roam Research, Athens Research, Logseq;
- Optimized Firebase-backed storage in Roam Research;
- Built a Postgres-backed DBaaS at Instant DB.
Sync engines:
- Postgres to browser at Instant DB;
- DataScript to Datomic at Cognician;
- Helped with SwarmJS/RON CRDTs.
Frontend:
- I’ve been building browser-based apps since 2005;
- Built my first web framework in 2010;
- Created a popular React wrapper for ClojureScript in 2014;
- Built my own virtual DOM implementation in 2023.
Performance:
- Fast EDN is 6x faster than Clojure’s standard EDN parser, on par with JSON on JVM;
- Reduced Roam Research DB load times from minutes to seconds.
UI/UX
I write Grumpy.Website, a blog on UI/UX with 2,000+ subscribers.
My articles have been referenced by Notion, ATP.fm, Daring Fireball and Marcin Wichary.
Earlier this year, I wrote a widely shared critique of excessive menu icons in macOS Tahoe. Apple later removed many of the icons discussed in the article.
Product Design
In 2024, I launched AlleKinos.de, which quickly reached 1,500 daily visitors without marketing or SEO.
I created Fira Code, which became one of the world’s most popular programming fonts.
My Clojure Sublimed extension became the go-to Clojure development environment in Sublime Text.
I also created many other smaller products, libraries, fonts, color schemes, all available on my GitHub.
The Rest
If you want to dive deeper, here’s the usual stuff:
I also made a two-page PDF CV:
What am I looking for?
- Full-time or contract,
- Remote or Berlin,
- Individual contributor,
- Small, closely collaborating team,
- Ambitious product.
If you are working on a compiler, a database, an IDE, a programming language or another technically ambitious product, touching graphics, typography, algorithms, low-level programming, and you think my experience can help, let’s talk: niki@tonsky.me.
