Tips & Tricks
A Tool to Generate Dart Classes From JSON Returned From API
I know I've mentioned this one before, but if you're communicating with an API which returns JSON objects and you need to convert those objects into instances of a Dart class, I think you'll really appreciate this CLI tool, which does the conversion work automatically by parsing the JSON structure returned from the API you're consuming.
Think of how much time you'll save by not having to write all of those boilerplate fromJson and toJson calls by hand!
Fixing iOS Deployment Target Build Error
If you're like me and have seen some weird build errors like this before, you might find this StackOverflow post helpful as you start your debugging process.
I won't belabor this point, but if it helps just one reader I figure it's worth sharing, as these can be among the most annoying (and time-consuming) errors to track down.
Development Process
Flutter Project Structure: Feature-first or Layer-first?
So Andrea Bizzotto brings up a good point here: When you're setting up your Flutter project, what is the best way to organize your folder structure within the project? Do you create a separate sub-folder for each major product feature, or do you organize the code around the kind of work the code is doing, whether that be UI presentation, data access, etc.?
I know that in my own projects I tend to lean toward the Feature-first option, but I hadn't considered too deeply a case Andrea brings up here, where sharing the code among a group of developers who don't need access to the entire code base might make me lean otherwise.
These are great thoughts, and I definitely think it's worth considering some of these tradeoffs, especially if you're just getting a new Flutter project off the ground.
Configuring Your Windows Machine for Flutter Builds
Although Flutter officially supports building native Windows apps now, if you've previously done all your Flutter work in a Mac environment, you may not be familiar with the nuances you'll need to consider if you plan to also target the Windows platform, starting with the build process.
This great little tutorial by Tom Arra of Very Good Ventures covers what you need to know to get that Windows build going.
Flutter Jobs
New Data: What Makes Developers Happy at Work?
I really found the results of this new survey from StackOverflow interesting. When they asked developers the general question, "Are you happy at work?" more than 70% responded positively. Although results varied somewhat by country (see the article for the full breakdown), I think this speaks positively for our industry overall.
I also found the results around ideal working environment to be enlightening. To me these would seem to go against the grain of the modern, bustling, and noisy "open office" floor plan so in vogue these days. I hope that managers in particular will take these lessons to heart, especially in cases where developers are working on-site rather than remotely.
// From Mark
What Makes YOU Happy at Work?
This week's issue features the results of a developer survey from StackOverflow (see article below), where they dug into what makes developers happy at work.
Although I really enjoyed seeing the results of the survey, it also had me reflecting on what makes me personally happy at work, and comparing my own priorities with the survey.
Perhaps pondering these questions is useful exercise for all of us to undertake from time to time. What makes you happy in your own work? What do you find satisfying about the role you're currently filling?
Perhaps an important question for each of us to ask ourselves is this: Where is room for improvement in my own happiness at work, and if this is within my control, what am I doing about it?
Mark Winters