Kolawole Mangabo is the author of Full Stack Django and React, we got the chance to sit down with him and find out more about his experience of writing with Packt.
Q: How did you become an author for Packt? Tell us about your journey. What was your motivation for writing this book?
Kolawole: I started by reviewing a book called Full Stack Development with Spring Boot and React: Build modern and scalable web applications using the power of Java and React, 3rd Edition. Then I got the proposition from the Packt team to write a book about Django and React as these technologies are in my area of expertise.
Q: What is the name of your book?
Kolawole: Full Stack Django and React: Get hands-on experience in full-stack web development with Python, React, and AWS.
Q: What kind of research did you do, and how long did you spend researching before beginning the book?
Kolawole: I spend actually 2 months researching and planning the structure of the content for the book. It also gave me some time to think better about the project to build in the book and to structure content that gives the basis to the reader on how to build a web application with Django and React and deploy it on AWS.
Q: Do you have a blog that readers can follow?
Kolawole: https://koladev.xyz
Q: What are the key takeaways you want readers to come away with from the book?
Kolawole: First, understanding how to write tests for a Django and React application. Secondly, how to use Docker, AWS and GitHub actions to automate deployments.
Q: Can you share any blogs, websites and forums to help readers gain a holistic view of the tech they are learning?
Kolawole: https://dev.to/koladev/build-a-crud-application-using-django-and-react-5389
Q. Did you face any challenges during the writing process? How did you overcome them?
Kolawole: The longest I took to create written content was 1 month. Also, at the beginning of the second part of the book, the part concerning React, I was trying to integrate Redux into the big picture. However, it would have come at the cost of having a longer book and adding another layer of unwanted complexity to the book. I decided to go then without Redux and to work with the React Context API to better explore the tools React has to offer.
Q. How would you describe your author journey with Packt? Would you recommend Packt to aspiring authors?
Kolawole: Working with Packt was both challenging and rewarding. The process of writing a book required a lot of time and effort, but it was ultimately worth it to see the finished product. Throughout the writing process, I had to learn to communicate complex concepts clearly and concisely, which made me a better writer and explainer. One of the benefits of working with Packt was that it forced me to be disciplined and motivated. Meeting deadlines and staying on track with the writing schedule required a lot of focus and determination. But in the end, this helped me develop good habits that I can use in other areas of my life as well.
Q. Why should readers choose this book over others already on the market? How would you differentiate your book from its competition?
Kolawole: This book gives you all the basics needed to create a full-stack application. The last part of the book covers tools such as Docker, Github Actions, AWS EC2, AWS S3, AWS Cloudfront, and Webpack so you can learn how to automatically and securely deploy your web application on the internet.
Q. What is/are your specialist tech area(s)?
Kolawole: Software Engineering
Q. What advice would you give to readers jumping into this technology? Do you have any top tips?
Kolawole: Practice: Want to become a React and Django ninja? Practice, practice, practice! Start with simple projects and gradually work your way up to more complex ones. The more you practice, the better you’ll get. Collaborate with others: Two heads are better than one, and working with others can be a great way to learn new skills and gain new perspectives. Join online communities or local meetups focused on React and Django, and look for opportunities to collaborate on projects with other developers. Stay up to date: React and Django are constantly evolving, with new features and updates being released all the time. Keep up with the latest developments by reading blogs, attending conferences, and following the official documentation. Who knows, you might even discover some cool new features to play with!
Q. What’s your take on the technologies discussed in the book? Where do you see these technologies heading in the future?
Kolawole: I believe that they are there to stay. Django has a really rich ecosystem which makes it the most important web framework for Python developers. React has been dominant in the market for a long time now and it comes every year with features that make it even faster and easier to build frontend applications.
Q. Do you belong to any tech community groups?
Kolawole: Yes. I am actually part of the Python Benin community.
Q. How did you organize, plan, and prioritize your work and write the book?
Kolawole: I dedicated at least 1 hour per day to writing or working on the book. There is really no prioritizing.
Q. What are your favorite tech journals? How do you keep yourself up to date on tech?
Kolawole: I follow the Pragmatic programmer tech journal. It actually keeps me up to date on what is happening in the tech industry but also great tips on software architecture.
Q. Would you like to share your social handles? If so, mention them below.
Kolawole: Twitter: https://twitter.com/koladev32, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kolawole-mangabo/
Q: What is that one writing tip that you found most crucial and would like to share with aspiring authors?
Kolawole: I dedicated at least 1 hour per day to writing or working on the book. There is really no prioritizing but if a review came in, then I will work on the chapter review before continuing any tasks.
You can find Kolawole’s book on Amazon by following this link: Please click here
