These days, most people are interested in learning how to code. As more and more of our daily and work life functions involve technologies, understanding the principles of coding languages is crucial — and the demand for computer science education reflects that. Market research from Technavio found that the global coding boot camp market size is expected to grow by $1.20 billion by 2026. This increase in student enrollment is attributed to the low cost and shorter duration of boot camp training, especially compared to formal education alternatives.
In fact, some employers have foregone relevant bachelor’s degree requirements for roles that require coding knowledge. People are also learning how to code at earlier age groups by having kids create VR games on the Babylon.js framework, for example. As coding training and education become more and more accessible, industry professionals who have never considered it an option may be pressured to try and learn — but should they?
Today, we’ll explore some of the reasons coding training may be essential for all professionals:
No-code and low-code still need coding knowledge
In a time of global digital talent scarcity, businesses have adapted by using no-code and low-code platforms to allow for AI application developments — even from employees who aren’t technically qualified. According to insights on AI democratization from Fortune, aside from making complex technologies more accessible, businesses also benefit by the ability to develop algorithms faster using these platforms and do so at lower costs. However, while offering convenience, no-code and low-code platforms and tools still require solid knowledge of principles and relevant data to be used successfully. Employees tasked with using these platforms should also be aware of their associated risks.
Coding prepares us for the future of work
As digital technologies continue to develop and evolve, businesses across industries will want to adopt the latest technologies and the most qualified talent to gain a competitive advantage in the market. Recently, LHH published Dick Verburg’s insights on learning, where he highlighted how only 9% of human resource officers feel their workforce is actually prepared for the future of work. Verburg emphasizes the importance of businesses shifting away from “buying” talent towards “building” on the existing workforce instead through initiatives and approaches to employee learning. Companies that invest in training their employees how to code may find new roles for this talent which can elevate existing business processes.
Coding is everywhere
While industry professionals may be hesitant to pursue coding training or education because it is outside their field or career path, it isn’t easy to be sure of that these days. As the technologies continue to evolve and create new data that call for new automation and processes, coding knowledge and expertise will continue to be required, making applications that are easier to use available for consumers. Supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss’ feature on coding and the future of fashion is an example of coding expertise seeing value in markets outside of big tech and Silicon Valley, and fashion is only one among many industries that will rely more and more on technologies. Kloss also highlights another practical benefit of learning to code, that is, to develop strong problem-solving skills.
While skipping out on learning how to code may not harm your existing work or career, you might just open doorways to new and exciting opportunities in the future if you take the time to learn even the basic principles of it, or face a realm of possibilities if you choose to pursue coding deeper.
Tech Upgrades to Boost Business Productivity and Save Money
Taking advantage of modern technology is important for keeping your business competitive. However, many business owners are hesitant to spend money on the latest tech. What if your investment doesn’t pay off? As a small business owner, you can’t afford to waste capital on fancy new tools and equipment just for the sake of being innovative. Your tech investments need to save you enough money that they pay for themselves in the long run.
The good news is that there are several tools out there that can do just that! You just have to know where to look—and how to pick the right technology for your unique business needs. Are you ready to invest in some new technology and take your business to the next level? Here are a few tools that are bound to pay off!
Project Management Software
Project management tools can make your life a lot easier. Even if you have a small team, good project management software will help you stay on schedule, optimize the use of your available resources, and monitor progress from one centralized platform. This will save you the headache of constant back-and-forth emails and enable your team to get work done more quickly. Look for project management software that allows you to collaborate in real-time with your team members.
Meeting Scheduling Platforms
Scheduling meetings with team members and clients is another common business task that can take a lot of unnecessary time. How many emails do you have to send before you land at a meeting time that works for everyone? According to Boomerang, it takes an average of 8 emails to schedule a single meeting! Instead, take advantage of meeting scheduling apps and tools. For example, Calendly lets people schedule meetings based on their availability, which is ideal for business owners who get a lot of meeting requests.
Accounting Apps
Accounting is yet another one of those administrative tasks that take a lot of time. And when you don’t know what you’re doing, accounting mistakes can wind up costing a lot of money! Take advantage of accounting software to save time and keep more money in your business. With accounting software for your SMB, you will be able to automate a lot of your accounting processes so you can spend less time calculating taxes and more time focusing on big-picture projects. You’ll also be able to track expenses and inventory and send electronic invoices to get paid faster.
Email Marketing Software
If you collect emails from your customers—and you should—email marketing software will help you extract the most value out of your list. Email marketing tools make it easy to store, organize, and segment your audience so you can promote your business more effectively. At the same time, you’ll be able to use your email tools to schedule automatic abandoned cart emails and drip campaigns to improve your customer conversions!
Social Media Scheduling Tools
Posting on social media and engaging with your followers is one of the most affordable ways to advertise your business. But staying on top of your social media marketing tasks can be challenging. Thankfully, there are many social media management tools that allow you to create and schedule posts in advance. These social tools also make it easier for team members to respond to customers on social media from one easy-to-use platform.
The right technology can make your small business much more productive. Tech tools will help you automate time-consuming tasks, avoid common human errors, manage your finances, and save money across all areas of your business. Start exploring small business tech tools today so you can catch up with your competitors!
Work with software entrepreneur Jyrone Parker to take your business to the next level!
Imagine my frustration when I get dozens of DMs, emails, and other messages asking when I was going to upgrade my Discord Twitter bot to be compliant with the latest Twitter changes. Like damn bro, I have other things to do lol but alas I can’t let my peeps down. In this blog entry, I will show you what I did to upgrade my codebase to use the Twitter V2 API to communicate with the Discord server to send out my tweets.
Twitter has been an integral part of social media and has become a platform for information exchange, news updates, and social interactions. Twitter offers an API that allows developers to create applications that can interact with Twitter data. Recently, Twitter introduced a new version of its API called the Twitter V2 API, which includes several updates and improvements. One of the notable features of the Twitter V2 API is the Rules API, which enables developers to create complex filters and rules for retrieving Tweets and other Twitter data.
v2 of the Discord Twitter bot
Upgrading The Package.json File
We are no longer using the Twit npm package and instead using the twitter-v2 npm package. Open your package.json file and change it to the following:
{
"name": "discord-twitter-bot",
"version": "2.0.0",
"description": "A discord bot that sends messages to a channel whenever a specific user tweets.",
"main": "main.js",
"scripts": {
"test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
},
"repository": {
"type": "git",
"url": "git+https://github.com/mastashake08/discord-twitter-bot.git"
},
"keywords": [
"discord",
"twitter",
"bot"
],
"author": "mastashake08",
"license": "ISC",
"bugs": {
"url": "https://github.com/mastashake08/discord-twitter-bot/issues"
},
"homepage": "https://github.com/mastashake08/discord-twitter-bot#readme",
"dependencies": {
"discord.js": "^13.8.1",
"dotenv": "^8.2.0",
"twitter-v2": "^1.1.0"
},
"engines" : {
"npm" : ">=7.0.0",
"node" : ">=16.0.0"
}
}
Listen To Some Hacker Music While You Code
Follow me on Spotify I make Tech Trap music
Changes To The Twitter API
In order to use the stream API, we have to set up stream rules. We want to only show tweets from yourself so in your .env file add a new field
TWITTER_USER_NAME=
Afterward, we listen to the stream pretty much as before. Open up the main.js file and update it to the following.
require('dotenv').config()
const Twit = require('twitter-v2')
const { Client } = require('discord.js');
const client = new Client({ intents: 2048 });
var T = new Twit({
// consumer_key: process.env.TWITTER_CONSUMER_KEY,
// consumer_secret: process.env.TWITTER_CONSUMER_SECRET,
// access_token_key: process.env.TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN,
// access_token_secret: process.env.TWITTER_ACCESS_TOKEN_SECRET,
// timeout_ms: 60*1000, // optional HTTP request timeout to apply to all requests.
// strictSSL: true, // optional - requires SSL certificates to be valid.
bearer_token: process.env.BEARER_TOKEN
})
// //only show owner tweets
async function sendMessage (tweet, client){
console.log(tweet)
const url = "https://twitter.com/user/status/" + tweet.id;
try {
const channel = await client.channels.fetch(process.env.DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID)
channel.send(`${process.env.CHANNEL_MESSAGE} ${url}`)
} catch (error) {
console.error(error);
}
}
async function listenForever(streamFactory, dataConsumer) {
try {
for await (const { data } of streamFactory()) {
dataConsumer(data);
}
// The stream has been closed by Twitter. It is usually safe to reconnect.
console.log('Stream disconnected healthily. Reconnecting.');
listenForever(streamFactory, dataConsumer);
} catch (error) {
// An error occurred so we reconnect to the stream. Note that we should
// probably have retry logic here to prevent reconnection after a number of
// closely timed failures (may indicate a problem that is not downstream).
console.warn('Stream disconnected with error. Retrying.', error);
// listenForever(streamFactory, dataConsumer);
}
}
async function setup () {
const endpointParameters = {
'tweet.fields': [ 'author_id', 'conversation_id' ],
'expansions': [ 'author_id', 'referenced_tweets.id' ],
'media.fields': [ 'url' ]
}
try {
console.log('Setting up Twitter....')
const body = {
"add": [
{"value": "from:"+ process.env.TWITTER_USER_NAME, "tag": "from Me!!"}
]
}
const r = await T.post("tweets/search/stream/rules", body);
} catch (err) {
console.log(err)
}
listenForever(
() => T.stream('tweets/search/stream'),
(data) => sendMessage(data, client)
);
}
// Add above rule
client.login(process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN)
client.on('ready', () => {
console.log('Discord ready')
setup()
})
What is the Twitter V2 Rules API?
The Twitter V2 Rules API is a set of endpoints that allows developers to create, manage and delete rules for filtering and retrieving Twitter data. With the Rules API, developers can define specific criteria that must be met for a Tweet or a stream of Tweets to be returned. This means developers can create more sophisticated and complex search queries and filters than before.
The Twitter V2 Rules API provides a comprehensive set of operators that can be used to create rules. These operators include “contains,” “hashtag,” “from,” “to,” “mention,” “URL,” “geo,” “lang,” and “is.” With these operators, developers can create rules based on keywords, hashtags, location, language, and many other criteria.
How to use the Twitter V2 Rules API?
To use the Twitter V2 Rules API, developers need to create a Twitter Developer Account and obtain API keys and access tokens. Once the developer has the necessary credentials, they can use the Rules API to create and manage rules for filtering Twitter data.
To create a rule, developers can use the POST /2/tweets/search/stream/rules endpoint, which accepts a JSON payload containing the rule definition. For example, to create a rule that returns Tweets containing the hashtag “#apple” and “iPhone,” the following JSON payload can be used:
This payload contains the “add” operator, which adds a new rule to the stream. The “value” field contains the search query, and the “tag” field is an optional label that can be used to identify the rule.
Once the rule is added, developers can use the GET /2/tweets/search/stream endpoint to retrieve the stream of Tweets that match the defined rule.
Why use the Twitter V2 Rules API?
The Twitter V2 Rules API offers several benefits for developers. Firstly, it provides more powerful and sophisticated filtering capabilities, allowing developers to create more precise and targeted search queries. This is particularly useful for businesses and organizations that need to monitor Twitter for specific keywords, trends, or events.
Secondly, the Twitter V2 Rules API is more reliable and scalable than previous versions. It supports higher throughput and lower latency, making it easier to retrieve and process large volumes of Twitter data.
Lastly, the Twitter V2 Rules API provides better documentation and support, making it easier for developers to get started and integrate with Twitter. The API also includes features such as pagination and rate limiting, which help developers manage their usage and avoid hitting API limits.
The Twitter V2 Rules API is a powerful and flexible tool for developers who need to retrieve and filter Twitter data. With the Rules API, developers can create complex search queries and filters that enable them to access the specific data they need. This makes the API particularly useful for businesses, organizations, and researchers who need to monitor Twitter for specific keywords, trends, or events. If you are a developer looking to work with Twitter data, the Twitter V2 Rules API is definitely worth exploring.
Usage
Via Docker
docker run --env-file= -d --name= mastashake08/discord-twitter-bot:latest
By running this command you can pull the image directly from Docker Hub all you have to do is pass in a path to your .env file with your tokens.
If you decide to run from source then pull the repo, set the .env and run the code
git clone https://github.com/mastashake08/discord-twitter-bot.git
npm install
cp .env.example .env
#set values for TWITTER and DISCORD APIs in .env
TWITTER_USER_NAME=
DISCORD_TOKEN=
DISCORD_CHANNEL_ID=
BEARER_TOKEN=
CHANNEL_MESSAGE=
node main.js
Congrats, It’s Updated!
See it in action!
That’s pretty much all we had to do to update everything to use the new API. The added benefit is that it won’t show retweets in your discord server like before :0 if you enjoyed this consider becoming a patron on Patreon and help fund in-person coding classes for kids in Louisville, KY!
Jyrone Parker is an American software engineer and entrepreneur from Louisville, KY. He is the owner and CEO of J Computer Solutions LLC, a full-scale IT agency that deals with hardware, networking, and software development. He is also a tech rapper and producer that goes by the name Mastashake.
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Whether out of want or out of necessity you have decided you are going to learn computer programming and try to get a job in 2022. Welcome to the code gang 🤪! and to help you on your self-funded self-directed journey I will be giving you 5 coders you need to follow! Each and every one of these developers provides quality content and resources that can help you learn faster.
Tae’lur Alexis
Tae’lur is a self-taught developer who specializes in Python, Javascript and Rust. I have personally known Tae’lur for years and she is one of my best friends and one of the smartest people I know. She also has her own website you should check out!
Tae’lur Alexis gives a balanced timeline of personal and tech
Coding Phase
A streamer I have followed on Youtube for years. Coding Phase has a great personality and breaks things down in a digestible way. You can check out his website at codingphase.com
Sarah Drasner is a powerhouse in the developer community. She is a Vue.js and CSS goddess (her animations are beyond amazing). She has worked for companies such as Google, Netlify, Microsoft and Zillow! Her website can be accessed at sarah.dev.
Okay so this last one is a cheat but hey if you are not following me on Twitter you slipping! I have been a senior software engineer at companies such as: Apple, Dell, Sephora and GE! I taught myself how to code and even went into semi retirement off my apps!
As pandemic comes to a close and the world is opening up, companies are looing to recoup loses from last 2 years. This includes cutting in house costs with automation. If you currently work in a career that can be automated, you should really consider upgrading your skillset so you won’t be fired by a piece of software. If you are teaching yourself to code on a budget, these accounts can give you a plethora of resources to aid your journey. Check out some of my products to help you along for a more advanced learning experience.
This is a strategy many solo software entrepreneurs fail to utilize when creating their app portfolio. Often when I do my one on one consultations with app freelancers they describe this beautiful, eloquent ecosystem of software. Web app, mobile app, backend everything is there. They always ask how they can increase their revenue. I in turn always ask them “Have you monetized your API?” The look of shock always lets me know they never thought of it. The fact of the matter is, API monetization can be your most long-tailed stream of app income! If your API service is a critical part of another app, and that app lives on for 20 years, you have a lifetime customer, multiple that by 100 and do the math. APIs are a multi-billion-dollar industry and companies will pay as long as the service works and the data is there!
Monetize that API BABY!!!
Why You Should Monetize Your API?
Think about it for a moment. Your API is the powerhouse of your applications. Without it, your product wouldn’t exist in the form it is today. If it solved a business need and there is an opportunity to solve others at a cost, then you should exploit that opportunity. By monetizing your API you can make residual money for your application being the backbone of another application that allows them to make money. While I am a fan of open-source software (I contribute to it daily) I also know that these tech companies make billions off of free software whilst the creators struggle to pay rent! If you have a product that other companies need, make them pay. If you still want to offer it free to hobbyist/solo devs? Rate limit the API and reduce scopes! In fact, a freemium model will ensure you have a consistent audience using your service which helps your overall brand!
Also by making your API accessible you open up your app to use cases you wouldn’t even dream or think of! How you envision your API usage will differ vastly from how your users use your API. These different use cases translates to more residual income for you and your business! This is the power of working smarter and not harder. Just provide the tools that OTHER people need to get their job done and you will have stability in the market. APIs are not as glamourous as the front end, but they can and often do make more money in the long run.
How Do I Sell My API?
When it comes to monetizing and selling access to your API, there are two models: in-app billing, using an API marketplace. In the first model, you would be using something like Stripe to charge either monthly, yearly, or per-use access. Using this model you have more direct control over how much make and charge as well as more flexibility with the use case. The major drawback is that you are responsible for the billing software and tracking usage. The alternative is to use an API marketplace such as RapidAPI. By using an API marketplace you get access to millions of potential customers who are looking for your solution! Honestly, if you are like me and have a much of micro-apis to monetize then putting them for sale on one platform would be less of a headache as well. Ultimately the choice is yours and I advocate you do research to find the best solution for your API and business model. Speaking of APIs, if you are an API developer and you want to have a one-on-one to get the most out of your API business, schedule a time here.
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When Most People Think Passive Income They Think Real Estate Or Stocks
The thing is though, those two avenues of wealth-building are generally reserved for those with high disposable income. What If I told you there is a way to make residual money without spending 100’s of thousands of dollars. This strategy is what allowed me to go into semi-retirement a few years back. Of course what I am talking about is having your very own app investment portfolio!
What Is An App Investment Portfolio?
Simply put, an app investment portfolio is a collection of monetized applications that bring you consistent cash flow. This could be in the form of ads, in-app purchases, affiliate links, or subscriptions! This is done by either creating the apps yourself (much higher return, much more time to implement) or buying an app, fix it up and make that $$$$!
I actually do both, as you know if you follow my brand I have multiple apps that I have created that bring in consistent revenue including but not limited to:
These applications, provide a great cushion for my active income and overall bring my peace of mind up. I own a company called J Computer Solutions LLC, which in turn owns all of the apps I wrote. I do this because all of my contracts are owned by J Comp Solu, in the event that the company loses its contracts I want to be able to still pay myself on payroll with the app revenue. Also, there are more tax advantages but I’m not a tax professional, talk to your CPA. My goal is ultimately to have J Comp Solu’s applications making all of the gross revenue and will no longer take on contracts. If my company makes passive money then my paychecks are GUARANTEED!
Stop Trying To Be A Billionaire & Focus On Paying The Bills
Listen most of the time it’s going to take a while to make anything meaningful revenue-wised from your apps. Where I see a lot of people get discouraged and fail, is that they expect their app to makes $10,000 a month the first month! Stop trying to be Jeff Bezos and do the bill method.
What Is The Bill Method?
The bill method is a method I came up with when creating my app portfolio. Basically, the bill method is described as thus:
List all of your bills and their average monthly cost
Create a monetized app(s) that focus on paying one bill at a time
Once every bill is taken care of, grow app to pay 3x monthly bill
To me, financial freedom isn’t having a million or billion dollars, in fact, I believe most people are slaves to their wealth. My version of financial freedom is me creating something of value and having that pay for my existence. Anything after that is great but as long as I know I have a roof over my head, food in my belly and I can spend all my time with my family and friends I’m straight.
I’m Not A Software Developer, Can I Still Make Money Online With Apps?
If you are reading this and you don’t code you may be thinking “Does this mean I’m SOL?” and the answer to that is NO! There are plenty of websites such as Flippa where you can purchase websites and apps that are cash flow positive! If you have the capital to go that route and you know a developer to partner with *cough cough* the two of you can make something shake!
A few days ago Apple decided they were going to start an initiative where they are going to scan your photos and messages for child pornography, and if detected will alert law enforcement. We should know by now whenever a company does something under the guise of humanitarianism, that it is a load of BULLSH!T!!!
Apple Is Poising Itself To Be The World’s Biggest Advertiser
Do you think it is coincedence that Apple screwed over advertisers with its decision to allow users to block cross app tracking, now they are mining all of your photos and texts? It would be naive to think that they are not going to be making profiles on all iOS users based off things such as EXIF data in their photos. Oh you like tacos? We know because we look at all your food photos, TAKE THIS AD! Idk what do you all think? Listen to the podcast and leave a comment below!
In this episode I interview Jason Blanchard, a self-taught senior engineer at employee cycle. We talk about his past and present in the film industry and how content creation and tech intersect in this day and age.
With it over 10 million Americans are up for evictions this week and boy have they been coming! In this week’s podcast I discuss how although the COVID-19 pandemic was the main driving focus; this rent eviction moratorium is indicitive of the larger economic landscape shift. The tech economy is driving this shift and with it many people will be financially crushed, while others will rise.
How Is The Eviction Moratorium and Tech Connected?
The evictions are mostly happening in metropolis areas, which also (increasingly) are becoming major tech hubs. What you are witnessing is active gentrification in the works! Does who are unskilled laborers (I hate that term) could not hold a job during the pandemic, thus they struggled to keep up rent, thus they are getting evicted. Those of us in tech have overwhelminly been straight. Who is left to afford to live in the city? High income tech workers. It makes a concentric circle of class. The downtown areas start first, push the poor people back. High income earners start to get cramped downtown, so they move to the suburbs, push those people back, etc, etc until you get an URBANIZATION of rural areas. Mark my words there will be engineers living in those apartments within the next year. If you enjoyed this podcast episdoe be sure to subscribe to it on Apple Podcast, Spotify and everywhere else podcasts are distributed! If you REALLY enjoyed it, consider becoming a patron on Patreon!
