February 2017 Summaries

Stream has enhanced its onboarding experience by making its interactive API tutorial faster and easier to comprehend, aiming to simplify the process for developers. The "Getting Started" demo provides a concise introduction to Stream's capabilities, enabling users to experiment with the API directly through clear and editable code examples. The tutorial features a two-column layout, displaying tutorial content alongside a real-time example feed, and supports multiple programming languages, including JavaScript, Ruby, and Python. Users can engage with the API by registering for an API key, facilitated by GitHub login, and explore features such as Flat Feeds, Aggregated Feeds, and real-time notifications. The tutorial demonstrates practical applications, like following users and aggregating activities, to showcase Stream's comprehensive API control and advanced functionalities.

Stream, a SaaS company specializing in scalable feeds, is transitioning portions of its Python-based infrastructure to Go due to its enhanced speed and efficiency. This shift is common in the industry, as seen in previous roles at SendGrid where similar migrations from Ruby and Python were undertaken. The tutorial provides a comprehensive guide for building a RESTful API using Go and Cassandra, a NoSQL database known for its performance and scalability, utilized by platforms like Netflix and GitHub. The guide covers setting up Cassandra clusters, defining schemas for users and messages, and integrating Go with detailed instructions on environment setup and dependency management. It further explores creating and managing REST endpoints using the gorilla/mux framework, showcasing best practices in structuring Go projects. The tutorial also demonstrates connecting to Stream's API for handling scalable activity feeds, illustrating how to manage data with GoCQL for Cassandra and Stream's SDK, ensuring efficient data handling and retrieval. By following the tutorial, users can build a performant API leveraging the strengths of Go, Cassandra, and Stream, with all relevant source code available on GitHub for further exploration.