Adebiyi Adedotun is a User Interface and Frontend Engineer.
Inception
Sometimes in August 2013, I wrote my first line of code (on paper) in Java. Then, as a Computer Science undergrad (2013-2017) at the University of Ilorin, I wrote some code in the C language, much more in C++, and a lot in C#.
In a past life
C# was fun. We weren't taught in school but I'd discovered it (and Visual Studio) and loved it.
I created some Windows applications with C#, eXtensible Application Markup Language (XAML), Windows Presentation Form (WPF), and Windows Forms. And then I didn't. As a student, my PC wasn't powerful enough to effectively run Visual Studio, and I couldn't afford a high-speed internet connection. Fortunately, I discovered the web.
Caught in the web
I remember writing HTML and CSS, just like yesterday, and immediately seeing the result in the browser. Coming from the C# and Visual Studio experience, that was a big and enticing improvement. I was caught in the web for good.
On the web, the simplicities of inventing on principle are alluring; the complexities are humbling; and the closure is satisfying.
How it's going
Today, I am primarily a user interface and frontend engineer. I really love to craft user interfaces for the web.
I first fell in love with the web in the early days of my career because: 1) I could watch my code come alive in the browser in a matter of seconds; and 2) unlike other mediums, the blank canvas of the browser's viewport is your oyster.
Working at Edgio
I work at Edgio as a Developer Advocate on the community support team, where I help [potential] customers understand the internet's need for performance and security [at scale] through articles or code.
In early 2022, I rebuilt Edgio documentation using the React's beta documentation as a starting point.
I contribute to the documentation by 1) updating its interface and 2) making sure the it is up to date.
I have contributed to an e-book about Core Web Vitals with folks from companies like Algolia, and Cloudinary etc.
Writing and Reading
Writing (and reading) have always been central to who I am and what I do. It's the hand I got dealt during my formative years, when I had no imagination of what I'd do, where I'd go, or who I'd become. I just wanted to read and write a lot.
Laboratory
In the early days of my web development journey, I used to pick apart websites and rebuild them. It could be navs, buttons, footers, cards, anything. I still experiment in that way today with UI components. I love how the disintegrated part can be composed to form something meaningful and functional.
Beneath the surface
At the heart of it, I am a computer scientist who strives to understand anything computing-related. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science.
One of my biggest achievements was my final year project, "Digital Data Mining from Forensic Linguistics." At the time I worked on this project, I was unaware the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had used forensic linguistics in the "Manhunt: Unabomber" serial killer case of 1996.
The Septum: the center that holds
I founded a media and publication company, The Septum, focused on creating content that fosters the art of communication in many forms, such as writing, podcasts, videos, and more.