Wordshark’s Code: 6 Questions to Paul the Programmer
Most of us know very little about the coding behind any of the products we use, and yet, as they say at common sense education “Behind every social media post, streaming service selection, and smartphone app is, of course, code…”
Have you ever thought about the language that Wordshark is written in? Here’s a quick Q&A with Paul, the resident programmer.
1. Paul, how and why did you become a programmer?
It was accidental. I did biology as a degree because I found the subject really interesting, rather than any thought about what jobs it might lead to. After that I was stuck for a while to know what to do, but then I read a Douglas Adams book which had a few sections in it that I liked about his love for programming, did an Open University module in programming and then got in touch with White Space!
[SIDE NOTE] If you’re wondering if Paul is referring to ‘the‘ Douglas Adams, yes he is! Did you know that Douglas Adams created an interactive fiction version of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy?
2. Can you tell us about the code Wordshark Online is written in?
There are multiple languages and frameworks involved. With a web app like Wordshark Online there is a clear separation between the code, (such as JavaScript), running on the users’ browsers, and the code running in the cloud.
[SIDE NOTE] So, what exactly is a ‘framework’? According to Amazon Web Services, “A framework provides a flexible range of software components that help developers accelerate software development to production deployment. It consists resources built for a programming language, like APIs, code libraries, debuggers, and compilers.”
3. What’s the most complicated area of Wordshark to program?
Things get complicated when code depends on many other bits of code or on multiple records in the database. The aim is to have simple and small chunks of code that we can test work well in isolation and then can be built up like Lego to achieve what we want the program to do.
It’s a bit like trying to solve puzzles all day.
4. Doesn’t it get boring working with code all day?
I wouldn’t say it’s boring as there’s always something to try to work out. It’s a bit like trying to solve puzzles all day. Once you’ve done one, you move onto the next. It can be infuriating though, when you get stuck on one puzzle for far too long.
5. What’s the process when making changes to Wordshark?
I can be working on various issues, each in a different copy of the code as a whole. When we decide what we want to release, I merge those particular changes in with the main code which is then tested and, when we are happy, released. Most releases can be done with no downtime. The process of merging and releasing is done with a click of a few buttons on a dedicated website.
6. What’s your favourite part of the job?
As well as the good feeling I get when a puzzle’s been solved, it’s nice to have an idea that makes it into the program.
What would you like to read about in one of our blogs? Let us know!
Have you heard of National Coding Week? Take a look!
