One Line at A Time: Abdul Rozzaq’s Coding Journey
Here’s a guide for YOU aspiring developers.. Happy reading!
During my freshman year, I was introduced to Generation Girl through their “Hour of Code’’ program, providing an enlightening experience. Further, I delved into their elective, “Electives Lite: Predict Netflix Film Rating with Data Science,” which significantly enriched my learning journey. Fast forward to Generation Girl’s Hackathon, namely HackHERthon, my partner Valencia Santoso and I teamed up and secured third place in the competition. We build Signify that bridges the communication gap between those with deaf or mute disabilities and the wider world.
Following Generation Girl has been incredibly beneficial. Beyond the regular stream of free courses and exciting competitions, the NPO offers something truly unique: a dedicated space for women in STEM. It isn’t just “techy stuff,” though. They weave in “girly interests” too, reminding women that their passions could fit perfectly within the STEM landscape. It’s been an empowering and inspiring experience!
My name is Abdul Rozzaq, but you may simply call me Rozzaq. I am currently a third-year Computer Engineering student at Diponegoro University in Central Java. My days are fueled by code, both as a lab assistant for both Computer Basics and Programming, as well as Mobile Devices Programming and as a computer vision specialist for the marine robotics team at URDC. I’m a cohort at Goto Traveloka’s Bangkit Academy, where I acquired Android development as well as numerous real-world project and business soft skills. I’m also the leader of the Google Developer Students Club in my university.
Elon Musk’s influence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is undeniable. His contributions to technology and creativity, particularly in electric vehicles and space exploration with firms such as Tesla and SpaceX, have been really remarkable. Musk’s imaginative approach to complicated issue solving, as well as his drive to advancing sustainable technology, resonate with me.
I am particularly interested in robots and self-driving automobiles. I am pleased to be a computer vision specialist in my robotics team.
Working in this industry allows me to contribute to the advancement of cutting-edge technology with the potential to transform transportation and other industries.
One professional achievement in Development so far that really makes me proud is winning a hackathon competition and scoring an internship offer through my own efforts.
Going through the hackathon taught me a ton about patience and sticking with it while building an app from scratch. From creating something out of nothing to pitching it to experts and getting recognized for my hard work — it was quite a journey. I truly believe that where there’s a challenge, there’s a way, and our efforts won’t betray us.
I’ve been grinding since my first year in college, and now I’m seeing the results with my CV catching the eyes of some HR folks, which is super rewarding for me.
I’m really thankful for where I am now, and I hope to keep up the positive momentum going forward!
I decided to become a developer because I love being part of the tech wave that’s changing the world.
In today’s fast-paced tech scene, I want to create things that make life better for people. I usually prefer working solo because it lets me focus and make things just right — I’m a bit of a perfectionist. But if teamwork is needed, I’m good at adapting and working together with others. The main thing is to create awesome stuff while having a good time!
Effective time management is one of my skills as a developer. I thrive at analyzing and fixing problems, whether it’s debugging code or correcting errors. On the other hand, just like everyone else, I get tired of coding at times. However, I’ve discovered that engaging in things like futsal or watching Netflix allows me to refresh and return to coding with a new perspective.
One of the recent projects I’ve worked on is a mobile app using Android Kotlin and Java for my capstone project at Bangkit Academy.
The app is made for individuals with disabilities, incorporating object detection features. It used cutting-edge object detection to bridge the gap for those who are deaf, mute, or blind. The app has unique accessibility. For the blind features, navigation within the app is facilitated through a swipe gesture detector, and the feature selection is done through voice input. This enables blind users to independently navigate the app by swiping and using voice commands, so they don’t need help from others anymore.
Developing this app wasn’t just about writing code; I follow a thorough process that includes planning, analysis, design, development, testing, and implementation. I identify our users, create a User Flow, make mockups, write source code, implement object detection interface and connect the results of the TensorFlow Lite model, and create business logic for features using Java/Kotlin. It was a meticulous process, but the joy of creating something truly helpful made the effort worthwhile.
Success as a developer, I believe, is like cooking a delicious meal.
It’s not just about making lots of dishes; it’s about making ones that people find tasty and useful. Imagine whipping up all these amazing recipes, but if no one wants to eat them, it’s not really a win. In the world of coding, it’s similar. Creating great code is fantastic, but it’s even better when it does something helpful for you or others. So, success is when your code isn’t just pretty but also brings in the results — like making a dish that everyone enjoys!
Of course, the road isn’t always smooth. I once encountered a machine learning project that stumbled because of a faulty connection to the detection model. The main issue was we had very little time to finish, and the deadline was right there. I couldn’t do my best in such a rush. But I didn’t give up. I kept looking up stuff, trying things out, and getting help from blogs and YouTube. It took a bit, but the app got way better.
Beyond coding hours, I’m constantly honing my skills. I dedicate time to reading relevant tech blogs, articles, and books to stay updated on industry trends and best practices. Collaborating with the developer community through forums and attending meetups also helps me learn from others and gain different perspectives. Furthermore, I make sure to balance my screen time with physical activities like sports or hobbies to keep both my mind and body in good shape, fostering overall well-being and creativity.
Staying up-to-date is a lifelong commitment for any developer. I check out blogs, watch YouTube videos, and even invest in online courses to stay updated on the programming languages and tools I’m currently focusing on. Besides that, I read tech news to stay in the loop, not only in my field but also about other technologies. I join discussions on platforms like Quora, X, and LinkedIn to see what others are talking about. Connecting with people is cool too; you never know what new things you might learn from someone else. After all, we’re all lifelong learners, and there’s always more to discover — like they say, “Di atas langit masih ada langit!”
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