David Novák personal website

My goal is to multiply other team members

In my view, the role of engineers is not to write code anymore, but to "multiply" other team members (or the community in case of open source). I enjoy setting up the repo, code and tooling around agentic development. If this is done correctly, anyone with access to the source code can make good and working contributions. In the age of AI this is what I believe we should strive towards.

Tasks that are well defined and articulated are for clankers. Humans are here to understand the broader context and define what needs to be done.

I love doing work where I am not just implementing well defined tickets. I don't view myself as a programmer (although I have always spent most of my time around code). I view myself more like a problem solver specialized in technical solutions. I strive to understand the product and needs of users and others in the team to find solutions that best move us towards fulfilling them.

Vexl.it
github: https://github.com/vexl-it/vexl

Vexl has been my main focus for past 4 years. I took it from broken and technically buggy and laggy app to working, performant and maintainable app. The code is opensource see for yourself:

linky.fit
github: https://github.com/linky-fit/linky.

Fun project with friend. Focusing on decentralized messaging and cashu payments. We have over 200 users and growing. Working with cool technologies like: Nostr, evolu and cashu. My main focus is on desloping the codebase, fixing bugs and making the app secure enough so it can be used by even wider audience.

Dec 2022 - present
SatoshiLabs

Working on fully open source app for peer to peer bitcoin trading called Vexl. I delivered fully rewritten app in React Native and rewrote the backend fully into node. I am also giving talks at meetups and conferences. I am helping with the product definitions and with feature requests.

My interest in exploring new opportunities stems from my current role at a nonprofit, while I deeply value working on an open-source project and find the product profoundly meaningful, I am eager to contribute to a growing product and collaborate within a larger team.

I have honed my skills in effectTS, with a strong focus on type-driven development. The code I have developed is publicly accessible at: https://github.com/vexl-it.

Oct 2021 - Nov 2022
Creative Dock

I took the role of Tech Lead. I have created a plan to improve performance and decrease technical debt of the app. I was also defining acceptation criteria for specifications of new features. The biggest challenge of that time was helping other developers grow and making sure estimates and specifications are well thought through.

Dec 2020 - Oct, 2021
Creative Dock

At first, I was working on backoffice (CMS) and in a team of FE developers (React Native). Later I also started working on backend in Kotlin + Spring Boot. I learned a lot on this project:

• Writing backend that can handle a big traffic load
• Doing code reviews
• Scrum (rituals, working in sprints...)
• Fully automated CI/CD deployment.
• Working with Kubernetes as a developer.
• Multiservice backend architecture
• Reactive programming

May 2020 - Dec 2020

Was mainly creating websites for Creative Dock. I was also trying to create a company with a few of my friends called Sidario. Some of my work at that time was:

• ameside.cz, https://filmhunters.cz, womacinterior.cz - presentation websites GravCMS
• seba.swiss - bank website written in React and Gatsby
• filloapp.com - App that should help companies with creating documents (React + NodeJS Koa)
• clipvo.com - a simple app for creating podcasts written in React

Mar, 2018 - Mar, 2020
Creative Dock

The startup that, sadly, did not succeed. We were working on an app that connects to the company's G Suite account and scrapes employees' emails. These data were then used to create a graph database of people and companies. It should've helped with figuring out who from my company communicated with people from different companies.

My role was developing on React Native and NodeJS backend (scraping was done by data specialists). An interesting technology we worked on was Neo4j - database we used to store relations between persons.

Sept 2013 - Dec 2017

I started learning coding in 9th grade at elementary school. I started with Android development in Java. Then added web development (HTML, CSS, JS). While studying programming oriented field at high school I started doing some web development for clients (mainly coding templates from scratch in WordPress later using Grav CMS and learning the basics of Laravel framework).

Some of my work from that time includes:

• nasedacice.cz - simple website for citizens' initiative of Dačice town - written in GravCMS
• marycohr.cz, panestetic.cz, biolinejato.cz - just note that, sadly, most of those websites are not properly maintained anymore since the contract ended - written in WordPress
• nfctron.com - Native Android app for Kiosks at festivals

Seeing I have only so much mental capacity, here are some projects I had to park. I might return to them in the future or keep them in this hall of fame forever.

Qrterminal

https://qrterminal.cz/

Simple payments without fees to credit card companies.

Hop na workshop

https://hopnaworkshop.cz/

Simple workshop system so workshop hosts can manage and keep track of workshops.

FilloApp

Tool for businesses to manage their documents, filling them up from templates and printing them. Was used by 3 clients and was closed down in Aug 2026.

filloapp.com

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