DEVLog - February

I can’t believe February is already over. A lot has happened, and I want to walk you through it.

Drawmatic

There’s good news on the Drawmatic front. The project I started last year finally reached a point where it could be released as a beta. After adding new behaviors and heads to paths, shape transformations, and copy/paste/text features, the library has really come together. Development on the app that implements it has officially started.

I don’t want to rush this. The app will launch as soon as I feel it’s ready for early adopters to test. Personally, I’m aiming to launch later this quarter. I should have something to show by next month, but treat that as a preference, not a hard deadline.

The app will undergo a rebrand to better reflect the tool’s core functionalities. My plan is to release the first official version by mid-year, though who knows—it might be ready even sooner.

Designing Infrastructure with CloudFormation

Automation is critical for integrating development with operations. This month, I implemented several automation workflows, including provisioning an entire infrastructure on AWS using CloudFormation.

The application structure is pretty similar to the diagram above, with some obvious differences—every system is unique and may require specific services or even components from other platforms rather than sticking strictly to what AWS offers.

If I could give one piece of advice from this experience, it’s this: be smart. AWS makes money by selling you services, so their tutorials and documentation will often guide you down the most expensive path (optimized for massive scale). My recommendation? Be critical. Deeply study your actual requirements and architect a solution that fits your needs, not just their sales targets.

AI/ML Professor

This month, I received an offer to become a Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. At first, I wasn’t sold on the idea. But after some tough negotiation and a couple of weeks of deliberation, I accepted.

While some might view Venezuela as behind the curve, nothing could be further from the truth. I want to teach people how to develop real-world applications that can change the country’s trajectory—and, who knows, maybe make us all a little wealthier in the process.

Beyond cultivating the minds of the future, let’s be real: where else do you get a team of 20 budding software engineers to help work on ambitious projects? This motivates me to teach them exceptionally well, challenging them to achieve remarkable things by the end of the semester.

The Bottom Line

This month was incredibly productive, and I had a lot of fun. I’m expecting great things from March, and I can’t wait to share what I’ll achieve.

In March, I plan to continue leveling up my infrastructure skills, launching the next phase of Drawmatic, creating a special app for Pi Day, and officially kicking off my journey as an AI/ML professor! Stay tuned.