Alex Kates
@alexkates.dev
Pinned
Alex Kates
@alexkates.dev
· Nov 5
👋 Hello, bsky! I'm Alex.
I'm a product engineer currently working at croissant.com
I'm addicted to writing about building, and building things worth writing about.
Things I think about while building
- Time to market
- Customer feedback
- Iteration
If this sounds like you, let's connect!
I'm a product engineer currently working at croissant.com
I'm addicted to writing about building, and building things worth writing about.
Things I think about while building
- Time to market
- Customer feedback
- Iteration
If this sounds like you, let's connect!
Reposted by Alex Kates
New App Submission from beloved community member @alexkates.dev! 🌿
HelloNature lets you capture, identify, and share wildlife with others. Alex built it solo, entirely with Expo.
♢ expo-image
♢ expo-router
♢ expo-updates
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hellonature/id6741009884
#ExpoAppAwards
HelloNature lets you capture, identify, and share wildlife with others. Alex built it solo, entirely with Expo.
♢ expo-image
♢ expo-router
♢ expo-updates
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hellonature/id6741009884
#ExpoAppAwards
October 30, 2025 at 12:20 PM
New App Submission from beloved community member @alexkates.dev! 🌿
HelloNature lets you capture, identify, and share wildlife with others. Alex built it solo, entirely with Expo.
♢ expo-image
♢ expo-router
♢ expo-updates
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hellonature/id6741009884
#ExpoAppAwards
HelloNature lets you capture, identify, and share wildlife with others. Alex built it solo, entirely with Expo.
♢ expo-image
♢ expo-router
♢ expo-updates
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hellonature/id6741009884
#ExpoAppAwards
Reposted by Alex Kates
SDK 54 beta is out 🚀
◆ RN 0.81 + React 19.1
◆ Precompiled React Native for iOS → ⚡ faster builds
◆ iOS 26 Liquid Glass icons + Expo UI
◆ Android 16 edge-to-edge + predictive back
◆ Updates to EAS Update + Autolinking
◆ Final release w/ Legacy Arch
Details in the changelog: expo.dev/changelog/sd...
◆ RN 0.81 + React 19.1
◆ Precompiled React Native for iOS → ⚡ faster builds
◆ iOS 26 Liquid Glass icons + Expo UI
◆ Android 16 edge-to-edge + predictive back
◆ Updates to EAS Update + Autolinking
◆ Final release w/ Legacy Arch
Details in the changelog: expo.dev/changelog/sd...
Expo SDK 54 beta is now available - Expo Changelog
Learn about the changes, how to try it out, and how to give feedback.
expo.dev
August 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
SDK 54 beta is out 🚀
◆ RN 0.81 + React 19.1
◆ Precompiled React Native for iOS → ⚡ faster builds
◆ iOS 26 Liquid Glass icons + Expo UI
◆ Android 16 edge-to-edge + predictive back
◆ Updates to EAS Update + Autolinking
◆ Final release w/ Legacy Arch
Details in the changelog: expo.dev/changelog/sd...
◆ RN 0.81 + React 19.1
◆ Precompiled React Native for iOS → ⚡ faster builds
◆ iOS 26 Liquid Glass icons + Expo UI
◆ Android 16 edge-to-edge + predictive back
◆ Updates to EAS Update + Autolinking
◆ Final release w/ Legacy Arch
Details in the changelog: expo.dev/changelog/sd...
doggie prison is a ruff life
June 6, 2025 at 11:01 PM
doggie prison is a ruff life
i've built two shopify apps in my career
one in 2022 before the llm blitz and one today
in 2022 it took weeks, and today it took an hour
some of that is because of the llm, but a lot of it is shopify's dx getting way better
one in 2022 before the llm blitz and one today
in 2022 it took weeks, and today it took an hour
some of that is because of the llm, but a lot of it is shopify's dx getting way better
June 5, 2025 at 12:34 AM
i've built two shopify apps in my career
one in 2022 before the llm blitz and one today
in 2022 it took weeks, and today it took an hour
some of that is because of the llm, but a lot of it is shopify's dx getting way better
one in 2022 before the llm blitz and one today
in 2022 it took weeks, and today it took an hour
some of that is because of the llm, but a lot of it is shopify's dx getting way better
Reposted by Alex Kates
✨ I’ve got a couple of extra General Admission tickets to @renderatl.com and I’d love to give them to folks who might not otherwise get a chance to go.
If you’re from an underrepresented group in tech and want to be in the room or know someone who should be DM me!
If you’re from an underrepresented group in tech and want to be in the room or know someone who should be DM me!
June 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM
✨ I’ve got a couple of extra General Admission tickets to @renderatl.com and I’d love to give them to folks who might not otherwise get a chance to go.
If you’re from an underrepresented group in tech and want to be in the room or know someone who should be DM me!
If you’re from an underrepresented group in tech and want to be in the room or know someone who should be DM me!
under my htmella ella ella eh eh eh
May 8, 2025 at 11:14 PM
under my htmella ella ella eh eh eh
Reposted by Alex Kates
Startup mode: ON. 🛠️
This May 7, we’re bringing together @tazsingh.com (Guild) & @jamesperkins.dev (Unkey) for an unfiltered convo on what it really takes to go from zero to launch.
📍 1PM EDT — Torc Virtual Meetup
Come learn, ask, and connect.
#BuildInPublic #TechStartup #FoundersJourney
This May 7, we’re bringing together @tazsingh.com (Guild) & @jamesperkins.dev (Unkey) for an unfiltered convo on what it really takes to go from zero to launch.
📍 1PM EDT — Torc Virtual Meetup
Come learn, ask, and connect.
#BuildInPublic #TechStartup #FoundersJourney
May 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Startup mode: ON. 🛠️
This May 7, we’re bringing together @tazsingh.com (Guild) & @jamesperkins.dev (Unkey) for an unfiltered convo on what it really takes to go from zero to launch.
📍 1PM EDT — Torc Virtual Meetup
Come learn, ask, and connect.
#BuildInPublic #TechStartup #FoundersJourney
This May 7, we’re bringing together @tazsingh.com (Guild) & @jamesperkins.dev (Unkey) for an unfiltered convo on what it really takes to go from zero to launch.
📍 1PM EDT — Torc Virtual Meetup
Come learn, ask, and connect.
#BuildInPublic #TechStartup #FoundersJourney
Reposted by Alex Kates
🧠⚙️ The future of tech is now — and it’s powered by AI.
Join our Torc Virtual Meetup to explore how AI is reshaping tech roles: from automation to brand-new careers that didn’t exist a year ago. 💥
🗓 May 6th
🕐 1 PM EDT
✍️ guild.host/events/torc-...
Join our Torc Virtual Meetup to explore how AI is reshaping tech roles: from automation to brand-new careers that didn’t exist a year ago. 💥
🗓 May 6th
🕐 1 PM EDT
✍️ guild.host/events/torc-...
May 5, 2025 at 9:03 PM
🧠⚙️ The future of tech is now — and it’s powered by AI.
Join our Torc Virtual Meetup to explore how AI is reshaping tech roles: from automation to brand-new careers that didn’t exist a year ago. 💥
🗓 May 6th
🕐 1 PM EDT
✍️ guild.host/events/torc-...
Join our Torc Virtual Meetup to explore how AI is reshaping tech roles: from automation to brand-new careers that didn’t exist a year ago. 💥
🗓 May 6th
🕐 1 PM EDT
✍️ guild.host/events/torc-...
Reposted by Alex Kates
If the recent prompt-to-code AI tool explosion will force the tech industry to reflect on, but properly:
"How much of software engineering is the act of writing the *code* itself?"
It's a key part: but it turns out that there are many other things that are key to software
"How much of software engineering is the act of writing the *code* itself?"
It's a key part: but it turns out that there are many other things that are key to software
May 4, 2025 at 6:56 PM
If the recent prompt-to-code AI tool explosion will force the tech industry to reflect on, but properly:
"How much of software engineering is the act of writing the *code* itself?"
It's a key part: but it turns out that there are many other things that are key to software
"How much of software engineering is the act of writing the *code* itself?"
It's a key part: but it turns out that there are many other things that are key to software
We should all accept that the web is extendable and promise each other we will add "data-external-id" attributes that will never change
May 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
We should all accept that the web is extendable and promise each other we will add "data-external-id" attributes that will never change
guess i'm building a blogging app on top of AT called freedium
May 2, 2025 at 10:21 AM
guess i'm building a blogging app on top of AT called freedium
the entire world is just ETL
software can only transform data into other data, and everything we view as a higher capability is just composing transformations
imo once you are fully pilled on this, the idea of defining the structure & semantics of the data on either side of the transformation as well as possible seems obvious
imo once you are fully pilled on this, the idea of defining the structure & semantics of the data on either side of the transformation as well as possible seems obvious
May 2, 2025 at 10:07 AM
the entire world is just ETL
Listen, I get it, continuous learning is vital in software
But the pace the past 6 months feels overwhelming
But the pace the past 6 months feels overwhelming
April 28, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Listen, I get it, continuous learning is vital in software
But the pace the past 6 months feels overwhelming
But the pace the past 6 months feels overwhelming
Reposted by Alex Kates
I did it. I blogged again! This time, I wrote about what Developer Advocacy looks like in 2025.
Ashley Willis – ashley.dev
Developer advocate, open source champion, and maker of things.
ashley.dev
April 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
I did it. I blogged again! This time, I wrote about what Developer Advocacy looks like in 2025.
On my 38th birthday all I wanted was to eat a pbj on a mountain
April 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
On my 38th birthday all I wanted was to eat a pbj on a mountain
Reposted by Alex Kates
Reposted by Alex Kates
Perfect timing for me to announce my newest JavaScript framework hotdogflavoredwater.js
I’m pleased to announce that my AI company, Chocolate Starfish, is emerging from stealth with a $6 billion seed round led by a bunch of panting sweaty VCs.
April 15, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Perfect timing for me to announce my newest JavaScript framework hotdogflavoredwater.js
nothing like a good session of answering customer support questions to remind you that you get more help when you are nice to people
April 15, 2025 at 10:58 PM
nothing like a good session of answering customer support questions to remind you that you get more help when you are nice to people
test-driven-ai-development is kind of fun
April 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
test-driven-ai-development is kind of fun