AT ONLY 23 years of age, his passion for creating useful software and apps is undeniable. Despite his achievements and hard work, his youth has always been something of a surprise to many. How could someone be so young, and yet so capable?
For Tarmizi Sanusi, the answer lies in perseverance, and letting his abilities speak for themselves.
What does it mean to be a software developer?
“Most of the time people think that software developers are hired to code a program in programming languages that computers can compile and understand, but in reality, we are hired to solve problems.
“This includes analysing client needs, designing something that fulfills their requirements, and developing it while making sure it works as intended with every possible system that it might be used on. On top of that, every aspect of the process will be documented for testing and maintenance purposes.”
What drove you into software development?
“I was a computer science student. I started with coaching my juniors in college on understanding the concept of software development, with thousands of examples and use cases.
“The feeling of creating solutions, helping others to understand the process, and altering people’s perspectives was a game changer for me. It gave me the passion to continue improving the software development process, not just for users but for inter-program systems as well. It is a powerful tool and skill; the key is logic.”
What do you think of the technology scene in Malaysia, is it up to par with the global scene?
“In my opinion, Malaysia is quite aggressive on innovation and scaling of new technologies and ideas. Technology should bridge physical and digital areas to make it possible for optimising processes and make data-driven decisions in real time, and Malaysia is really going for that. For example, the accelerator for new start ups with validated ideas and digitalisation grants for businesses.”
How has the pandemic affected what you do?
“Software developers are adept at working from home, so we are not as affected. In fact, working from home was a significant improvement to our productivity. On a personal level, I successfully launched a Digital Guestbook for business owners to monitor guests or customers.”
Tell me about your current project.
“After launching my first sponsorware (open source) product, passkad.my (Digital GuestBook), I am really passionate about developing solutions at no cost to the user. Passkad was built thanks to sponsorships from companies and businesses.
“On top of passkad.my, I have also built scan.passkad.my (Progressive Web Apps) for users who don’t want to download the scanner apps. This app can be accessed through a browser for any QR code scanning.
“This solution prevents people from downloading unverified QR Code scanner apps that may come with unintended actions like viruses, and is suitable for users who do not have enough storage on their mobile phone.
“Now I’m developing a portal and apps for bookkeeping for start-up businesses or freelancers. It’s called Lejar.my, a simple bookkeeping app to keep track of expenses and revenues on a day-to-day basis. I am planning to make this product a sponsorware, as long it’s beneficial to people.”
You’re fairly young for a software developer, is there something that you wished you knew when you first embarked on becoming a software developer?
“First, learn to use the most contemporary real world software development tools as soon as possible. It is essential for an aspiring software developer to be accustomed to coding and solidifying the concepts.
“Second, be a part of the community. Community forums are a place where developers can exchange ideas, share solutions, and help each other. In Malaysia we have a Telegram group called DevHub Malaysia, founded by Nasrul Hazim, which helps the community of software developers.
“Incidentally, I was one of the committee members during the last meet up of DevHub Malaysia for the Runcloud x UpCloud Meetup Malaysia 2019 at Futurise, Cyberjaya.
“Third, don’t just watch videos and read tutorials. Build and code actual projects. Put your skills into use. Develop and practice your problem solving skills, which is a key part of being a software developer. By doing this, you will further your learning and show potential employers your effort and attitude.”
