May 2022 Summaries

The Courier platform has introduced a new feature called Automations, which allows developers to easily configure logic for notification workflows. This feature includes both an API and a visual builder that can be used to send notifications on behalf of the application, without requiring the development of additional infrastructure or services. Many customers are already using Automations to power key parts of their product experience, such as sending reminders and alerts to users, and integrating with other services like Slack and Twilio. The feature is designed to make it easy for developers to deliver a seamless and engaging notification experience, without requiring significant development overhead.

We built our documentation for Courier using Docusaurus, addressing pain points such as limitless collaboration, versioning, link validation, and localization. We moved away from ReadMe after finding it inconvenient due to its flat file structure and lack of Git integration. Docusaurus offered a scalable solution with features that catered to our growing team's needs, including collaborative editing, API documentation, search functionality, and customization options. By leveraging Markdown, MDX integration, and plugins, we created a user-friendly documentation platform that can be easily updated and maintained by the team, utilizing GitHub for version control and Vercel Functions for proxying API requests. Our goal now is to utilize Docusaurus's localization feature and make our documentation open-source to encourage external contributions.

Hacking the Engineering Process` is a meetup that brings together software engineers and tech enthusiasts to discuss leading topics, share ideas, and learn about developer productivity. The meetup features guest speakers who share their experiences on building or buying software in various engineering contexts. Sue Nallapeta, VP of Engineering at Apartment List, recently spoke about her approach to deciding between build and buy, considering factors such as capability, cost, complexity, competence, cohesion, competitive advantage, continuity, and the specific needs of her company. She discussed how she applied these principles to implement a process that balances building customized features with leveraging existing tools to achieve efficiency and scalability. The meetup provides an opportunity for attendees to learn from industry experts and engage in discussions on various engineering topics.