Meet the Makers: Brad Munz

Celebrating Catalyst-powered innovations and the developers behind them.

Meet the Makers is a Q&A series that shines a spotlight on the brilliant developers within our community. We aim to showcase the diverse range of innovative solutions our customers and partners have built using Catalyst. Join us in celebrating their achievements, learning from their journeys, and exploring how they leveraged Catalyst's capabilities to bring their visions to life.

Grab your favorite coding beverage, put on your coolest developer cap, and join us as we meet the makers who are reshaping the digital landscape with Catalyst!

Let's kick off our Meet the Makers interview! We had the pleasure of chatting with Brad Munz from KumoFlow, a coding maverick who has built several integrations using Catalyst. Let us jump right into the conversation and learn from his incredible journey.

Q 1. Could you tell us a bit about yourself? How did you discover Catalyst, and what made you choose it for your project?
    
Brad: Sure! I'd be happy to share some information about myself and my discovery of Catalyst. In our work developing Zoho base solutions, my team and I frequently encountered the need to create customer-facing applications and integrations that went beyond the capabilities of Zoho. During my research, I came across an email that introduced Zoho Catalyst, and it immediately caught my attention as the missing piece to our Zoho puzzle. Recognizing its potential, we chose Catalyst to enhance our Zoho-based projects.

Q 2. Could you provide an overview of your project built on Catalyst? What problem were you aiming to solve or what need were you trying to fulfill?

Brad: Our projects built on Catalyst revolves around creating various applications and integrations that primarily focus on seamless integration with other Zoho applications. One of our most successful solutions involves integrating Zoho Subscriptions with payment gateways. In South Africa, we have no local payment gateway support for Zoho Subscriptions (that is, managing card tokenization and billing). To address this need, we used Catalyst to build an integration for the major payment gateways in South Africa. This integration enables customers to onboard through multiple channels like WhatsApp, SMS, third-party web applications, and more. It also provides them with a customized checkout page and facilitates the management of periodic credit card deductions. By leveraging Catalyst, we were able to bridge the gap and fulfill this critical requirement.

Q 3. What were the specific Catalyst features or tools that played a crucial role in your development process? 

Brad: When it comes to our development process, several Catalyst features and tools played vital roles. First and foremost, web client hosting provided us with the capability to host our web applications seamlessly. OAuth connections proved to be an essential feature for establishing secure connections with external systems and services. Circuits enabled us to build robust workflows and automate complex processes efficiently. The Cron feature allowed us to schedule and execute tasks at specific intervals, ensuring timely operations. Functions offered a powerful toolset for creating custom logic and implementing business rules effectively. However, perhaps the most crucial aspect throughout our development journey was the extensive logging functionality provided by Catalyst. The ability to access detailed logs was invaluable in debugging, troubleshooting, and ensuring the smooth functioning of our applications.

Q 4. What were some of the challenges you encountered along the way, and how did you overcome them using Catalyst? 

Brad: Throughout our journey, we encountered several challenges that we successfully tackled with the help of Catalyst. One significant hurdle we faced initially was the absence of an API gateway, which meant we had to develop our own API authentication mechanism from scratch. However, our challenges were overcome when the API gateway feature became available in Catalyst. This feature provided us with a standardized and secure solution for managing API authentication, alleviating the burden of building and maintaining our custom mechanism. By leveraging the capabilities of Catalyst's API gateway, we were able to streamline our authentication process and enhance the overall security of our applications.

Q 5. How would you describe the overall developer experience with Catalyst? Were there any standout features or aspects that impressed you?

Brad: The overall developer experience with Catalyst has been truly excellent! Often, platforms of this nature can be overwhelming, with steep learning curves. However, Catalyst has managed to focus on the essential aspects of solution development and has built meaningful abstractions that simplify the process. 

There are several standout features that have impressed me throughout my journey. First and foremost, Catalyst takes care of all the authorization aspects, relieving developers from the burden of handling them manually. Additionally, Catalyst provides excellent support for modern front-end frameworks such as Angular and React, enabling seamless integration and enhancing development efficiency. The utilization of environment variables simplifies configuration management and enhances flexibility. Moreover, the robust logging, alerting, and application performance monitoring (APM) capabilities provided by Catalyst have been exceptional, ensuring comprehensive visibility and enabling effective troubleshooting. Overall, Catalyst has proven to be a developer-friendly platform with standout features that significantly contribute to a smooth and efficient development experience.
    
Q 6. Now, let's talk about the impact your project had on your target audience or users. Have there been any notable successes or feedback you've received?

Brad: The impact of our project on our target audience and users has been remarkable. Most of the applications we have built using Catalyst have served as crucial starting points for numerous new businesses. Many of these have gone on to be successful and sustainable businesses, thanks to the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of Catalyst. The positive outcomes experienced by our users have been evident in their success stories and the feedback we have received. The ability to leverage Catalyst's capabilities has empowered these businesses to thrive, and it is rewarding to witness how our project has played a significant role in enabling the growth and prosperity of these ventures.

Q 7. Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the development process or any lessons learned that you'd like to share with other developers?

Brad: In hindsight, there are a few things we would have approached differently during the development process, and we have valuable lessons to share with fellow developers. One important lesson is to fully leverage the logging and alerting functionality offered by Catalyst. We highly recommend logging as much information as possible and utilizing different log levels to control alerting effectively. This practice proves invaluable and saves more time than you may initially realize. Comprehensive logging not only aids in debugging and troubleshooting, but also provides crucial insights into the performance and behavior of your applications. By utilizing the logging and alerting capabilities of Catalyst from the start, you can proactively address issues, ensure smooth operations, and streamline your development process.

From a DevOps perspective, Catalyst Application Alerts really helped us have a pulse on the our applications’ performance with instant, automated emails that helped us respond promptly and correctly, every time there was an occurrence. 

Q 8. As part of the Catalyst community, do you actively engage with other developers or contribute to the platform's ecosystem? If so, how has this involvement benefited you?

Brad: As members of the Catalyst community, we actively seek engagement with other developers who are interested in joining and contributing to the ecosystem. While the community may not be large at the moment, we are eager to connect with like-minded developers and offer advice and guidance based on our experiences. 

Additionally, our involvement has allowed us to benefit from the supportive nature of Catalyst Support. They have shown a high level of engagement and openness to suggestions, which has been truly appreciated. In fact, many of our suggestions have been incorporated into the product, demonstrating the collaborative relationship between developers and Catalyst. This involvement has not only fostered a sense of community but has also provided us with a platform where our input is valued and contributes to the continuous improvement of Catalyst.

Q 9. What do you do to take a break from coding?

Brad: Given my responsibilities as a business owner, breaks from coding are rare. However, whenever I do get the opportunity, I enjoy engaging in a few activities to unwind. One of my favorite pastimes is playing Padel and watching documentaries. These activities provide a well-deserved break from the demanding nature of coding and allow me to recharge and find inspiration in different areas of life.

Q 10. Finally, what advice or words of encouragement would you offer to fellow developers who are considering or just starting to explore Catalyst for their own projects?

Brad: I once overheard a senior developer give advice to a junior developer and it's so true: "Know your tool and know it well". It's crucial to dive deep into the platform and fully understand the extensive capabilities and features that Catalyst offers. Take the time to explore and familiarize yourself with the functionality available. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the wide range of problems that Catalyst can help solve. By thoroughly understanding the platform, you can harness its full potential and leverage its capabilities to develop robust and efficient solutions. Embrace the learning process and be open to discovering new possibilities. Catalyst has a lot to offer, so delve into it with enthusiasm and curiosity. With a solid understanding of the platform, you'll be well-equipped to tackle your projects and achieve success.
 

It's exciting to see how developers like Brad are leveraging Catalyst to solve real-world problems and create opportunities for new businesses. We hope you enjoyed reading this and gained insights into the real-world applications of Catalyst and how it can empower developers to create innovative solutions. Stay tuned for our upcoming interviews, as we continue to delve into the journeys of exceptional developers who have made their mark with Catalyst.

Note: If you're a developer and have used Catalyst to create an exceptional app, website, microservice, or solution, we'd love to feature you in our Meet the Makers series. Share your story of innovation and inspiration at content-contributions@zohocatalyst.com.