Kyle Shevlin

Hi, I'm Kyle Shevlin, founder and lead software engineer of Agathist, a software development firm that specializes in web & mobile applications built with React, React Native , Astro and TypeScript .

I am also a writer, speaker and coding instructor. This is my personal site where I share all the content I create.

I primarily write articles and create courses, focusing on breaking software concepts down to their fundamentals. Check out one of my posts or courses (or all of them). If you like what you read, then sign up for my newsletter, too.

If you're looking to hire me and my team, send an email to kyle@agath.ist. If you need to reach me regarding something else, then my personal email is the best way to do so.

Enjoy your time here and thank you.

Recent Posts

1. My git Workflow for Refactoring

   Refactoring is a key part of my development process. Let me show you the git workflow I use to make refactoring just another step in building features or other code changes.

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   Tags

   GitSoftware EngineeringProductivity
2. Never Call new Date() Inside Your Components

   Calling impure functions with side effects like new Date() or Math.random() is a disaster waiting to happen. Learn what to do instead.

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   Tags

   ReactJavaScriptTypeScriptFunctional Programming
3. Composable Flourishes

   Learn how we can use composition to create subtle, pleasant animations that can be used on any component in our applications.

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   Tags

   AstroJavaScriptCSS
4. Prefer Alphabetized Object Keys

   Small efforts can add up to big gains, given enough time. That's how I feel about alphabetizing my object keys. By always sorting them, I increase the speed at which I can read, and even write, code.

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   Tags

   JavaScriptTypeScriptReact
5. Responsive Design and Composition

   Responsive UI can be very challenging to write well and can often lead to some of the nastiest code you have ever encountered. Learn how to use multiple compositions to make responsive design a whole lot cleaner and easier.

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   Tags

   ReactCSSTailwindRefactoring
6. Design System Retrospective

   What I learned and what I would do differently

   I built a cross platform (React & React Native) design system at my last company. I'm in the middle of building another one for a client. Let me tell you what I learned, decisions I regret, and what I'm doing differently this time.

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   Tags

   ReactDesign SystemsCSSTailwind
7. Prefer Noun-Adjective Naming

   English grammar puts the adjective before the noun, but when it comes to file or function naming, I think you should do the opposite.

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   Tags

   ReactJavaScriptTypeScript
8. Prefer Multiple Compositions

   aka Prefer Understandability and Maintainability Over Absolute DRYness

   The flexibility of JavaScript and React means there are lots of ways to achieve the same result. Let's consider why we might choose one way over another when it comes to React. Specifically, when to choose a more verbose solution with composition over the DRYest code possible.

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   Tags

   ReactJavaScriptTypeScriptRefactoring
9. align-items: center vs. text-align: center

   aka Understanding flex columns better

   Let me show you one of the most common things I see people get confused about when working the Flex columns.

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   Tags

   ReactCSSTailwind
10. Creating a React Native “Curved Bottom Bar” with Handwritten SVG

    I recently made a "curved bottom bar" in React Native for a client. Instead of using a library, let's build it from scratch with some handwritten SVG. It's no where near as intimidating as it sounds.

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    Tags

    ReactReact NativeSVGJavaScript