Cheers to a Node.js conference in Japan
From 12th to 13th in November, Node.js users and developers came together to join a conference called “東京Node学園祭2016” in Tokyo for two days. This conference was the 5th time for us since it has been holding every year from 2011, and this time was the first time to have two days instead of a single day. It should be the largest in the past.
Its goal was to welcome new beginner hackers, try to contribute to Node.js core code together, have a discussion with all about Node.js, exchange knowledge, and meet with new hacker friends.
First day
The first day was interactive day! We had Nodeschool, Node discussion, PayPal / Braintree Workshop, Code and Learn, and lightning talks.
Nodeschool
Nodeschool was hold from morning to evening. It’s to have an opportunity to learn the web software skills for everyone, and it was great✰ as usual according to the questionnaire.
One of the differences with most of the other nodeschool is that they used not only the basic workshoppers, but also three special workshoppers in the following which are created by the developers in Japan users community.
- learnyoureact: create an app with React.js created by @kohei_takata
- tower-of-babel: learn ES2015 with Babel created by @yosuke_furukawa
- electronica: make a mini-browser with Electon by @yosuke_furukawa
Node discussion
Node discussion was to have a discussion with core developers directly about good points/bad points/wish list for Node.js from the developers in Japan.
We distribute a bunch of post-it and pen to everyone first, and then they write their thoughts on good points, bad points, and wish list for Node.js itself. Then, moderator categorize them on a whiteboard and start the discussion to ask the questions to the most suitable person who has a deep knowledge of the topic.
Here is the result what they wrote:
- Good points: https://twitter.com/kamiyam/status/797283582729285632
- Bad points: https://twitter.com/kamiyam/status/797283674215452672
- Wish list: https://twitter.com/kamiyam/status/797283775566618624
As the last year, so many post-it were put on the board, and we had a lively discussion than we expected. @bradleymeck wrote up the answers for most of post-it after the nodefest since the time was not enough to wrap up. We appreciate his polite work.
- to Bad points: https://gist.github.com/bmeck/e619c3
- to Wish list: https://gist.github.com/bmeck/acfa3f
PayPal / Braintree Workshop
An evangelist @benzookapi at Paypal held a workshop to build a purchase feature in Node.js with Paypal and the braintree API. Many participants gained billion yen by his workshop(in the sandbox). It means most of the participants actually could build an example app including the purchase feature by themselves quickly because of the workshop.
For more detail, here is his slide:
http://www.slideshare.net/junichiokamura/tokyo-nodefestival-workshop20161112
Code and Learn
It was one of the challenging contents in nodefest. We got inspired from Node Interactive Europe, and tried to have the same contents. @shigeki, @yosuke_furukawa, and some of the other developers prepared weak points in the core which can be fixed easily at this issue:
https://github.com/nodejs/code-and-learn/issues/58
@shigeki also left more tips to contribute into core, like a general style of commit message in Node.js, developer’s certificate of origin, docs have to check(README.md, CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md, BUILDING.md, CONTRIBUTING, and docs/guides/writing_tests.md), and some of the other tips. Here is his slide:
https://speakerdeck.com/shigeki/nodehefalse-kodogong-xian-falseshi-fang
Eventually, nine commits were already merged into the core. Sugoi🎉
$ git clone https://github.com/nodejs/node.git
$ cd node
$ git log --oneline --grep 'https://github.com/nodejs/code-and-learn/issues/58'9927795 test: use setImmediate() in test of stream2
30bf123 doc: fix typo in doc/repl.md line: 6
63e889a test: add test case of PassThrough
195989d doc: fix typo e.g., => e.g.
8a78fcb test: change from setTimeout to setImmediate
a3dd943 doc: fix typo about cluster doc, (eg. -> e.g.)
9428854 doc: fix typo in doc/tls.md
8ca322d test: improve test-stream2-objects.js
7030f09 doc: fix e.g., to e.g. in doc/http.md
Lightning talks
We had seven lightning talks. Here is some of them that were very popular according to the questionnaire.
Tasting ES2017
By @yoshiko_pg. This talk was about tasting some experimental features in ES2017. Here are features that she mentioned in her talk:
- Object.values / Object.entries
- String padding
- Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor
- Trailing commas in function parameter lists and calls
- Async Functions.
For more detail:
Make a production line app with Electron in a factory
By @fossamagna. This talk was about making a production line app in a golf-club factory. He used node-serialport and Electron to create the following two apps:
- Control the patrol lamp connected by the serial cable(RS-232C) through a signal
- Print a label via a special label printer
For more detail:
https://speakerdeck.com/fossamagna/business-application-by-electron
How to start using Node.js in a company does nothing with Node.js yet
By @moomooya. This talk gave us some tips to persuade company to use Node.js. It’s always good that solve some easy problem by Node.js as thefirst step. We have a ton of packages on the npm registry, and we can pick some modules to automate some easy works. He mentioned Excel tasks to total the internal data as an example.
For more detail:
http://www.slideshare.net/isamusuzuki54/nodejsnodejs-68770119
Second day
The second day was a session day! We had 25 talks including lightning talks in a single day.
Summary of the brilliant talks
Here is links of the talks broken down by category. Check it our if you weren’t in Tokyo.
Desktop Applications
- Evolution of Electron by @zcbenz
- Jasper — The Issue Reader for GitHub with Electron by @h13i32maru
Universal applications
- GraphQL for the RESTful crowd by @barakchamo
- Introducing Now and Next.js by @nkzawa
- Vue 2.0 — Server side render by @kazupon
- CHOO BOARDING THE TINY FRAMEWORK by @yoshuawuyts
- Development of large scale commercial service using React + Redux by Naohiro Yoshida
Standards
- Node.js and Web Standards by @jasnell
- Why to Standardize your READMEs by @RichardLitt
- The journey toward ES modules by @bmeck
- The Seif Project by @douglascrockford
- What we need in WebAssembly by @shibukawa
Hacks
- NES programming with JavaScript by @fritzvd
- Putting TV on the Internet by @mafintosh
- Building Interactive npm Command Line Modules by @lrlna
- Browser is the new server by @bahmutov
- RuntimeJS Playground by @groundwater
Culture
Development ecosystem
- PostCSS: Build your own CSS processor by @morishitter
- From Library to Tool — power-assert as a General Purpose Assertion Enhancement Tool by @twada
- How Do We Get Along With Static Types by @gfx
- Introduction to Rakuten React kit by @adammunoz & Koji Hirano
Low levels
- Demystifying JavaScript Engines by @a0viedo
- Debugging Node.js Performance Issues in Production by @watson
- Parallel processing with JavaScript: shared memory and lock by @chikoski
After parties
In the after party, we had not only foods, but also an open mic to give a lightning talk freely in front of people while they are eating. See the photo stream of them.
After party
Open mic
After after party
After after after party
After after after after party
Recap
Thanks to the cooperation of 32 speakers, 16 company sponsors, 612 participants, all volunteer staff, we were able to have the two exciting days together. Node.js is active in many various fields, and the richness of this variation also leads to the breadth of participants. Among the many cultural differences in the world, we’re very pleased to spent the same time with many dedicated people at the same place, as part of the diverse Node.js community.
We will continue to strive to be held the conference next year. And if you are interested in supporting our community, please let us know!
Many thanks to all sponsors
We never could have made the days without sponsor’s supports. Again, we appreciate to all sponsors.
Related links
Cheers,
