Full-stack dev history 101 with Rares

The soul of Pangea.ai’s brand is making human connections. Our tech partners continue to build and strengthen our community’s DNA. We are very proud to have Tapptitude as part of our circle, whose unique individuals now inspire and empower all of our team members.

Time to meet the Full-stack developer at Tapptitude, Rares!

Why did you join Tapptitude, and what has kept you here?

To be honest, I joined Tapptitude because a good friend of mine joined a month before and told me that I’d be a great fit for the company. I then took a leap of faith, got an interview, passed, and 3+ years later, here I am!

At Tapptitude, I’ve had the opportunity to work on lots of projects with amazing people. I’ve worked on meditation-oriented apps to dating apps with start-ups from the UK, The Netherlands and even El Salvador! The diversity in projects is the main reason Tapptitude kept me engaged for all this time because, with each new project, I learn a lot of new things, and it contributes immensely to my personal development.

Besides projects, the atmosphere is very relaxed, and you can interact with anyone like you’ve been friends for a lifetime. I also love that our opinions are always considered and play a big part in the lifecycle of the projects we’re working on.

Self-portrait on black and white film at the 2022 Tapptitude teambuilding 

What drew you to software development? Have you always worked in full-stack roles?

I started my journey in web development back in high school, where I didn’t know much programming, but I participated in some contests of “applied computer science”. Later, in university, where I learned a lot of programming languages and styles of coding, I discovered that web development allowed me to see the result of my work.

Although I also enjoy working on more back-end-oriented projects, the front-end part of full-stack development is what pushes me to create a product that looks and feels great for whoever is using it. By also learning to deploy and manage all the infrastructure of a web application, you learn to create a product all by yourself and have insight into each part of the process.

Professionally I’ve only worked as a full-stack/web developer, but I also tried my hand at mobile development for my graduation thesis. I also enjoy working on some graphic or UI design when the chance arises!

Do you have any hobbies, go-to weekend activities, or long-term passion projects you’re working on?

One hobby that I have and started in secondary school is photography. I used to have a DSLR camera and loved to take photos, mainly of landscapes, and edit them. In high school, I even worked as an event photographer part-time at weddings and whatnot. When I joined the university, I stopped being an event photographer because I felt that I wasn’t enjoying the creative process of photography anymore.

A few years later, I picked up film photography and never looked back. I now enjoy the slower process of film photography with all its implications, from exposing the film and not knowing if the photos will look good or not to developing it and seeing the memories come alive. I combine this hobby with hiking in the Romanian mountains, making it the perfect weekend getaway!

What does your day-to-day look like?

My day-to-day begins a day before (if that makes any sense) when I can choose for the next day if I want to work from home or be in the office. After preparing either the home coffee or the office coffee, I usually have daily meetings on the projects I work on. I usually say because my day-to-day is constantly changing, and that’s great for me because it keeps me engaged with my work, and I never get bored!

After daily, my day can go in multiple directions. I usually help colleagues if they need my assistance, I write a few lines of code here and there and maybe hop on a meeting if there’s something to discuss in more detail. Sometimes I give estimates on new projects; sometimes, I join a meeting with our clients if the topic is more technical… it’s constantly changing!

When my work day ends, I’ll try to keep my eyes off the screen, although I admit I may slide in a bit of time for video games sometimes.

Small hike at "Cheile Turenilor" near Cluj-Napoca on expired film
 

What do you like most about software development?

As I’ve also stated before in a previous question, I really love the fact that I learn all kinds of things from the projects I work on. You can learn about running a business, philosophy, art… you name it. For example, I learned a lot about art history and painting from my graduation thesis, in which I’ve built an app that would guide you and give information about the paintings you may find in your visit at a museum.

Software development also allows you to work with well-known and influential persons from different industries. I’ve worked with and for Hollywood actors, athletes, musicians, and even government officials, each with their own stories from which you can learn.

If you could only drink one beer for the rest of your life, what would it be?

That would have to be “Crowd Control” by Hop Hooligans, a craft beer from Romania. I first tasted this beer on a night out with our project team from Tapptitude. If you have the chance to work with us, be sure to ask my very talented colleague and friend, Rares Podani, for local beer recommendations. You won’t regret it!

Get to know Rares and the rest of the Tapptitude team!

We’re delighted that Rares decided to join Tapptitude – it’s been great having them on board! If you have any questions or want to get to know Rares or one of their colleagues from the Tapptitude team, we can put you in touch. Don’t hesitate to reach out!