Developer Journey: Week 2 – API Work
This week, I tackled API issues and prepared for my first production deployment. Dive into the challenges and learnings of integrating APIs in a professional setting.
Introduction: Settling In and Facing Challenges
As week two rolls around, I’m feeling more at ease in my new role and am starting to gel with my team. This week brought its own set of unique challenges, not least because of the short workweek due to Hurricane Idalia's impact.
Digital Signage and Weather API Troubleshooting
Our primary tool this week was a digital signage application named Janus, which is used across numerous office locations. It streams a variety of information, including real-time weather updates, through an API. However, we hit a snag when the weather feature stopped functioning. After some detective work and collaboration with the vendor, we managed to get it back online. This troubleshooting gave me a practical introduction to the complexities of maintaining API-dependent features in real-time applications.
Synchronizing Data Across Systems
Another significant task this week involved addressing a synchronization issue between our internal CDR database and our cloud-based HRM suite, Workday. Specifically, inactive job type codes were not being pulled into our CDR database. By tweaking our SOAP API calls, not only did we resolve this issue, but we also enriched our database by pulling in detailed job data for external reporting. These changes are still in the development phase, but we plan to go live next week after thorough testing.
Technical Skills Gained
This week was particularly enriching as I worked with both RESTful and SOAP APIs, sharpening my skills in these essential technologies. It’s becoming clear that SQL will be a significant part of my role, given the frequent need to integrate various data sets into our internal systems. This realization is exciting as it promises more hands-on work with data manipulation and integration.
Conclusion: Anticipating My First Deployment
As I wrap up my second week, the anticipation of deploying my first piece of code to production is building. It’s thrilling to think about the impact my work will soon have on the broader operations of our agency. Stay tuned for more updates as I take this significant next step in my development career.
