TIn this episode of The Hammock podcast, Arthur Fücher sits down in a casual conversation with Alex Miller, a prominent figure in the Clojure community and a vital part of Nubank’s operations, given his contributions as Clojure Maintainer at Cognitect, a company that was acquired by Nu in 2020.

With over a decade of experience in Clojure and three years at Nubank, Alex shares his unique journey, insights into the Clojure language, and thoughts on fostering a vibrant developer community.

Read on and discover the main insights from this episode!

Discovering Clojure through an unexpected path

Alex’s journey into Clojure began somewhat by coincidence. While working on an application, he stumbled upon Clojure and quickly fell in love with its capabilities. His background in open source, bytecode transformation, and concurrency positioned him well to contribute significantly to the Clojure ecosystem. 

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Embracing the community with active engagement and communication

One of the standout aspects of Alex’s role is his deep involvement in the Clojure community. Known for his active presence on various forums, Slack channels, and social media platforms, Alex manages to stay connected with developers worldwide. He attributes this to good habits and a structured routine, balancing his time between community engagement and personal life.

Today, staying engaged with the community has evolved. Alex recalls how the primary communication channels have shifted from mailing lists and IRC to modern platforms like Slack and Reddit. Despite these changes, his commitment to monitoring and responding to community queries remains unshakeable.

Beyond the code, Alex also talked about his involvement with the Boy Scouts, interest in astronomy and aptitude for music.

Alex and Rich Hickey: vigorous collaboration and adaptability to change

Alex talked about how working closely with Rich Hickey, the creator of Clojure, was one of the most significant parts of his career.

Describing their collaboration as “intense”, Alex highlights Rich’s unwavering focus on solving big-picture problems. They primarily use spreadsheets and diagrams to dissect and address issues, a method that has become second nature to Alex over the years.

With Rich’s recent retirement from Nu, their collaboration has shifted. Leveraging new communication tools like Discord, they continue to work productively, adapting to the changes in their working relationship.

Developing Clojure: challenges, innovations and excitement for Clojure 1.12

Developing a programming language like Clojure comes with unique challenges. Alex discusses the importance of balancing backward and forward compatibility when introducing new syntax. This meticulous approach ensures that new features integrate seamlessly without disrupting existing codebases.

The upcoming release of Clojure 1.12 has Alex particularly excited. He mentions the significant improvements and new features that promise to enhance the language’s capabilities. Additionally, ongoing developments in Java, such as Project Valhalla, OpenJDK’s revolutionary experimental project, present exciting possibilities for future enhancements in Clojure.

Closing thoughts: Reflecting about the future and Brazilian Clojure Community

Alex reflects on his time in Brazil, expressing his admiration for the energy and enthusiasm of the local Clojure community. His experiences at Nubank and exploring the city have been overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing his commitment to supporting and growing the Clojure community worldwide.

As Alex continues his journey with Clojure, he remains dedicated to its development and the community that surrounds it. With an unending list of ideas and improvements, he looks forward to many more years of innovation and collaboration.

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