Juggling life, slinging code, building products

Hello! My name is Ilia Mikhailov and this is my own tiny corner of the Internet.

I was born in the USSR, got my formal education in Syracuse University, USA and currently live in Stockholm, Sweden.

Below is a picture of me taken a few years ago.

This site#

I write about things that I find interesting to explore. Often on connecting together different technologies and frameworks with main focus on frontend. Sometimes I go deep to learn more about something I don't understand and document my findings on the way.

Writing helps me think and distill my thoughts. I find it enjoyable.

The idea behind this blog is to build some kind of launchpad for myself, where I can document things and explore ideas.

It will always be under construction. A blog is like a garden. You plant a few seeds and after a while, if you take care of it, the seeds can grow into something beautiful. A place where people, who stop by, can enjoy.

Technical knowledge#

I've done and seen many things throughout my career. Maybe a fullstack developer would accurately describe me, but I really don't like that title. Developer or engineer is a better description.

I started my career as a sysadmin/developer (pre-devops). Later I moved to pure developer role where I have worked with many languages, frameworks and operating systems.

On a professional level I have worked with Java, C#, Ruby, Python, Javascript, Clojure, Scala, VB, Coffeescript, Typescript, Golang and maybe a few more that I don't remember.

Some of the frameworks I've built things with include Rails, Django, Flask, Sinatra, Express.js, Hapi.js, Play, React, Vue, Firebase plus a few .NET frameworks.

I've also done extensive DevOps work setting up CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins, CircleCI, Terraform, Ansible, Puppet, Docker, Vagrant, Capistrano, Elasticsearch and a few other tools not worth mentioning.

When it comes to infrastructure and cloud providers I am very familiar with Linux and various BSD variants. Many different databases as well - MySQL, PostgreSQL, CouchDB, Redis and probably a few more that I don't remember now.

Well versed in Docker and Kubernetes (founder of K8S Stockholm Meetup). Done stuff on AWS, DigitalOcean and Google Cloud Platform. GCP is the platform I am the most familiar with.

Personality#

ISTP. I think the description below is pretty accurate. Source truity.com

ISTPs are observant artisans with an understanding of mechanics and an interest in troubleshooting. They approach their environments with a flexible logic, looking for practical solutions to the problems at hand. They are independent and adaptable, and typically interact with the world around them in a self-directed, spontaneous manner.

ISTPs are attentive to details and responsive to the demands of the world around them. Because of their astute sense of their environment, they are good at moving quickly and responding to emergencies. ISTPs are reserved, but not withdrawn: the ISTP enjoys taking action, and approaches the world with a keen appreciation for the physical and sensory experiences it has to offer.

Life principles#

I have a few principles that I try to live my life by.

• Whatever happens happens for a reason
• Mistakes and defeats are your best teacher
• Life is too short to be taken seriously
• Make very few promises and keep them all
• Deal with problems you have, not the ones you imagine

Hobbies#

People's hobbies are always interesting. Here are mine.

• BJJ. Rolling around on the ground with sweaty grown-ups dressed in pyjamas is my thing.
• Summer Carpenter. I prefer active vacations with good hardware.
• Hunting. Not so much for the shooting part, as for spending time in nature.

Contact#

I am on Twitter as @codechips. I also have an email. ilia@codechips.me.

Reach out and say hello!