My GitHub Graveyards
Tags: graveyard
Published: 2018-08-09 14:43:31

---
title: My GitHub Graveyards
published: true
description: 
cover_image: https://thepracticaldev.s3.amazonaws.com/i/sue91e9v5q8hj4onrv5v.jpg
tags: graveyard
---

_[Cover image by Dave Collier on Flickr](https://www.flickr.com/photos/casamatita/)_

I liked the idea of [Isaac](https://dev.to/isaacandsuch/github-graveyards-ill-show-you-mine-49lh) to show a few, presumably dead, side-projects. Also I don't have a better idea for an article this week, so I'll do the same :D

## [Platformer](https://github.com/kay-is/platformer)

I started a platformer because I wanted to learn about making browser games. Used [Crafty](http://craftyjs.com/) for this, but never finished it. 

### Things Learned

Games, especially real-time games, are a whole different category of software than the stuff I used to.

With the entity component system used here I learned about other architecture patterns than MVC.

Performance is king here.

Also, better use frameworks that are actively maintained.

## [Platformer Rewrite](https://github.com/kay-is/platformer_phaser)

I started to re-write the platformer with Phaser (classic side-project misstake :D).

I also never finished it.

## Things learned

While using a actively maintained framework was better in terms of (community) support, I found out that game devs operate differently.

There are some pros with bad-ass theoreticall and technical skills out there, but most game devs are just people who want to create their game and ship it.

## [Gulp Emblem Printer](https://github.com/kay-is/gulp-emblem-printer)

I worked with Ember for a year, because some projects at university required it. In this time I found out about LiveScript (the days before ES2015 :D) and I was totally sold on syntactially significant whitespace languages.

I build a plugin for Gulp to convert the Emblem templating language to Embers Handlebars.

This was before I found out about WebPack and how flexible NPMs `package.json` scripts are, also I switched to React shortly after and didn't have any use for it anymore.

But, I actually finished it :D

### Things learned

How to publish a real library on NPM that people actually use.


## [Todo List](https://github.com/kay-is/old_todo)

A todo list I wrote with Ember. I used this to learn about LiveScript (again, pre ES2015 era).

[I also finished it](https://kay-is.github.io/old_todo/#/inbox), but as I said, I switched from Ember to React and from LiveScript back to JavaScript, so I didn't change anything since then.

### Things learned

With browser APIs you can get really far without the need of a back-end.

Gulp was a nicer tool than Grunt, but later I discovered Webpack and never came back to it.

Simple design can get you very far.

## [Schichtdienstplaner](https://github.com/kay-is/schichtdienstplaner)

The "Schichtdienstplaner" (German for shift planner) is an app I wrote for my girlfriend. She is a nurse and works in shifts. There are different types of shifts but not many. 

This tool is basically a different UI for Google calender and lets her input her shifts with only a few clicks each month.

I think this was the first side-project after switching to React.

And: I finished it, but I didn't change it since then, but well, the APIs didn't change and so it still works like a charm.

### Things learned

How to integrate with the Google calender API.

How to get Preact running in the browser without any build step.

## [Example Repos](https://github.com/kay-is?utf8=%E2%9C%93&tab=repositories&q=example)

When I started blogging, I created many example repositories to explain some concepts. They are basically all "finished" side-projects, because they are examples.

### Things learned

Many things about development in general, webpack, WebComponents, React, JavaScript etc. pp.

It really helped me to revisit the topics when writing the articles, often I had the impression "I know this" just to learn it for real while writing, hehe.

## [Mobile Dev Wiki](https://github.com/kay-is/mobile-dev-wiki)

A repo I used to write down some things I learned while doing mobile development with React-Native.

I still update it once in a while, but I guess it's always or never finished, depending on your point of view.

### Things learned

I basically write down what I learned while working as a mobile app developer, so nothing really learned from this project.

## [Startup CliX](https://github.com/kay-is/startup-clix)

A serverless clicker game I build for a dev.to contest. I kinda finished it, but it isn't really fun to play.

Was my first serverless project.

### Things learned

I learned much about serverless technology in general.

Had to work with AWS SAM, Lambda, API-Gateway, Step Functions and DynamoDB.

## [React From Zero](https://github.com/kay-is/react-from-zero)

A tutorial I created in 2015 a few months after I switched from Ember to React. My most popular repo on GitHub that helped me to score some contracting gigs and a book deal.

The only project I finished AND maintained over multiple years.

### Things learned

You can create things many people like even if you aren't a major skiller on the topic.

Finding a prominent person to promote your work is more important for success than everything else, lol.

## Conclusion

While I didn't finish all of my projects, every one of them helped me. Some helped me to learn new things about technology or industries, some helped me with finding jobs.

I know that few people have time to pour into this kind of stuff, but it really can pay off in terms of knowledge at least.