Meet the Makers: Ikramul Karim | Elite Tech Park

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 community members 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.

So, 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!

Now, let's kick off our Meet the Makers interview! Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Ikramul Karim, founder of Elite Tech Park and a coding maverick. Let us jump right into the conversation and learn from his incredible journey.

Q 1. Hey Ikram! Can you tell us a bit about how you discovered Catalyst for your project?

Ikram: Sure thing! So, we were knee-deep in crafting Zoho-based solutions, when we encountered challenges that went beyond the capabilities of Zoho for customer-facing applications and integrations. Then, bam, Catalyst showed up in our email when we hit a wall with Zoho for customer-facing stuff. We were quick to recognize the potential of Catalyst and thought, "Let's use this to level up our Zoho game !"

Catalyst turned out to be the crucial element we were missing. Today, we are rocking diverse business needs with confidence, thanks to this powerhouse.

Q 2. Fantastic! Can you provide a snapshot of your project developed on Catalyst and the specific problem you set out to address?

Ikram: Absolutely! In our journey into developing a customer portal, we aimed to push the boundaries of what's possible. By seamlessly integrating with multiple third-party applications, we crafted a sophisticated website which not only houses these integrations but also boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface. This enhanced user experience caters to the needs of both applicants and officials, simplifying system navigation. Our continuous work in education projects, powered by state-of-the-art AI tools and Catalyst features, exemplifies the dynamic collaboration of tech, design, and functionality.

Q 3. Can you walk us through the Catalyst features that played a key role in your development process?

Ikram: Oh, for sure! Catalyst has become our go-to companion. It's our trusty sidekick, offering a suite of features and services that shaped our robust development process. There are a bunch of cool Catalyst features that shaped our development game. Top of the list? The seamless web client hosting made hosting our web apps a breeze with unbeatable reliability. And those OAuth connections were total game-changers, helping us link up securely and seamlessly with external systems.

Circuits were the real MVP, giving us the power to whip up resilient workflows and automate complex processes efficiently. The Cron feature helps us handle the scheduling and execution of tasks at specific intervals, ensuring precision and timeliness in our operations. And let's not forget the Functions feature – its powerful toolset played a pivotal role in creating custom logic and effectively implementing business rules.

Q 4. Every project hits some bumps along the way. What hurdles did you face, and how did Catalyst come to the rescue?

Ikram: In our journey, we faced quite a few challenges, but Catalyst had our back every step of the way. One major hurdle at the start was the lack of an API gateway, so we had to roll up our sleeves and build our own authentication setup from scratch. The turning point was when Catalyst introduced its API gateway feature. Suddenly, we had a standardized and secure solution for handling API authentication. This was a game changer. It instantly rid us of the burden of developing and maintaining a custom mechanism.

With Catalyst's API gateway in action, not only did we streamline our authentication processes, but we also beefed up the overall security of our applications. It wasn't just filling a gap – it was a major upgrade that cranked up the efficiency and resilience of our systems.

Q 5. Impressive! How's the overall developer experience with Catalyst?  

Ikram: Honestly, it's been beyond expectations. Catalyst hands us this developer-friendly playground that's just amazing. The way it focuses on essential aspects and constructing meaningful abstractions that streamline the development process really stood out, eliminating the usual overwhelming learning curves.

Authorization is a game-changer. No more sweating the small stuff –Catalyst takes care of it, liberating developers from the manual intricacies involved. Plus, it's got your back with modern front-end frameworks like Angular and React, making integration a breeze and ramping up overall development efficiency. Talking about environment variables – Catalyst keeps it simple for config management, making things adaptable on the fly.

Even the logging, alerting, and APM capabilities are top-notch. It's like having a backstage pass to your app's performance, making troubleshooting a walk in the park. Catalyst's not just friendly; it's your development wingman, no doubt about it.

Q 6. Let's talk impact! How has your project shaken things up for your target audience or users?

Ikram: It’s been transformative for our target audience and users. A majority of our Catalyst-powered applications didn't just launch startups; they catapulted them into full-blown success stories. The efficiency boost from Catalyst played a major role in making these ventures thrive and become sustainable. Seeing success stories and getting feedback from users is like the icing on the cake. Our project's not just a success; it's a catalyst for growth and prosperity, thanks to what Catalyst brings to the table. Super rewarding to watch businesses not just survive but really flourish, all thanks to the firepower of Catalyst.

Q 7. Looking back, are there any lessons learned or things you'd do differently during the development process?

Ikram: Absolutely. Reflecting on our journey has provided some key insights that could really benefit fellow developers. One big lesson we're waving the flag for is diving deep into Catalyst's logging and alerting features. We're all about that extensive logging life, playing around with different log levels to fine-tune our alerting game. It's not just a time-saver; it's gold for debugging, troubleshooting, and gaining the inside scoop on how your app's behaving.

Our mantra? Don't sleep on logging and alerting – kick it off right from the project's birth. It's like having a crystal ball to foresee and tackle issues proactively, keeping things smooth and streamlining the whole development deal. And oh, from a DevOps angle, Catalyst Application Alerts are lifesavers. They're the real-time pulse for our apps' performance, firing off instant, automated emails that let us swoop in and handle things pronto. It's the secret sauce for upping the reliability game of our applications.

Q 8. As part of the Catalyst community, how do you engage with other developers, and how has it benefited you?

Ikram: Oh, we're all about that community life! Actively reaching out to fellow developers, sharing the wisdom, and throwing in our two cents to keep the Catalyst ecosystem evolving. Even though it's in its baby stages, we're all about connecting with developers who are on the same wavelength. Sharing insights and dishing out guidance based on our own adventures.

And let me tell you, Catalyst Support is a huge help. Their engagement and responsiveness to our suggestions have been next-level, creating this vibe of collaboration that's hard to beat. They don't just hear us out; they actually turn our ideas into product improvements. It's a give-and-take dance between developers and Catalyst, creating a platform where everyone's contributions matter. We've witnessed our input not only being welcomed but also translated into tangible enhancements within the product. This collaborative exchange between developers and Catalyst exemplifies a supportive environment. We know our voice counts, and together, we're shaping the continuous evolution of Catalyst.

Q 9. How do you unwind when you're not knee-deep in lines of code?

Ikram: Taking breaks is the name of the game for staying sharp and creative. For me, it's all about exploring new places and diving into adventures. Whether it's a chill weekend getaway to some scenic spot or a spontaneous day trip, getting lost in different environments is my go-to recharge. It's all about striking that balance so that when I dive back into coding, I've got a fresh perspective and a renewed burst of energy.

Q10. Alright, parting words of wisdom for devs diving into the Catalyst universe? 

Ikram: I vividly recall a seasoned developer sharing invaluable wisdom with a junior counterpart, and the essence remains resoundingly true: Master your craft by intimately understanding the tools at your disposal. And trust me, it's no different when you're sailing through the vast landscape of Catalyst. Delve into the platform, unravel its extensive capabilities, and get to know its features like the back of your hand. Don't rush it – take the time to explore, and you'll uncover a treasure trove of solutions Catalyst brings to the table. It's not just about revealing its potential; it's about gearing up to build sturdy, efficient solutions. Once you've got that solid grip on Catalyst, you'll be all set to tackle projects and pave the way for success.  

Stay tuned for our upcoming interviews, where we delve into the journeys of exceptional developers who have made their mark with Catalyst.

Note: If you've got a Catalyst success story, reach out – we'd love to feature you in our Meet the Makers series. Share your story of innovation and inspiration at content-contributions@zohocatalyst.com.

Happy coding!