Hi Droids and Droidettes! How are you? As the DroidCon Kenya 2023 event approaches, we are proud to announce the launch of the last Newsletter of the year! Yes, you heard us correctly. This is the final installment of the Kotlin Kenya Monthly Newsletters for the 2023 season and how best to do it than to have our fan favorite speakers lead the sessions? 🥺 Wanna find out more? 😮 Then grab a popcorn, take a mug or more of coffee like the Techie you are, and brace yourself for this is Newsletter #14, The October Edition:
The October Meetup
Android254, in liaison with Kotlin Kenya, hosted the October Meetup which was spearheaded by Jacquiline Gitau, Abdulfatah Mohammed, and Jane Waitara. They each gave their presentations on the following topics that demonstrated the diversity of Android App Development (AAD):
The Art of Testing Composable Layouts
The Droidette kicked off by introducing the audience to the different kinds of Testing, namely: Unit Tesing, Integration Testing, and UI Testing. She added onto that by going over Semantics in Compose and how they aid in testing Compose elements. She supplemented that by discussing API Tetsing, which incorporated:
- Finders
- Assertions
- Actions
- Matchers
Jacquiline finalised her session by showcasing a demo project which implemented the libraries used in testing Compose elements...
Why I Have Come To Love Feature Modularization
Following that, we had The Modularizer taking over and explaining the motivations behind Modularization. They were but not limited to:
- Presence of many moving parts in most fetaure packed Android apps
- Rapid replacement of libraries...
- Difficulty in connecting knowledge
- Adherance to good architectural practices
He supported his argument by mentioning how Modularization results in freedom to work on more features, increased productivity, easier onboarding, and opportunities for experimentation. He utilised his personal project to demonstrate the magic behind Modularization by Feature. Abdulfatah concluded by insisting that for a Modularization driven approach, it was best to always prioritise the UI over Architecture when structuring the Android app...
Composing with Accessibility in Mind
To mark the day complete, we had Mumbi Codes enlighten the attendees regarding the prioritisation of Accessibility when working on UI/UX. She began by acknowledging WHO's statistics which stated that between 15% to 20% of the world's population is categorised as people living with disabilities. She also cited some types of diabetes to give context on their need for specialised adjustments as far as Accessibility in Android was concerned. She listed the following as solutions to improving Accessibility in Android apps through Jetpack Compose:
- Visual Elements
- Headings
- Semantics
- Click Labels
- Touch Target Size
- Toggleable Selections
- Text
Jane signed off the session by modelling a practical approach to teach the above concepts by use of a Jetpack Compose project...
DroidCon Kenya
Here's a rundown of everything you need to know about DroidCon Kenya with respect to the upcoming event:
DroidCon Kenya 2023 Tickets
Alright, if you have not yet signed up for DroidCon Kenya 2023 then what are you doing? Don't you want to be part of something that catapaults your understanding of Android? Aren't you afraid that if you wait too long then the discounted tickets will be gone and you will have to sell your house or something to afford the regular tickets? Don't worry, just click me and this can be our little secret 😉...
DroidCon Kenya X Spaces
Over the last few weeks, DroidCon Kenya has been hosting its weekly X Spaces hosted by Emmanuel Muturia™ whose sole purpose is to fill in the gaps you may have on DroidCon Kenya and its commitment towards delivering the best DroidCon events in Africa. Want to catch up with our latest conversations? The just click me to get access to more than a handful of quality banter...
The DroidCon Kenya Android App (Kotlin)
Are you an Android (Kotlin) developer looking to flex your Open Source Contribution muscles? Want to show off your Problem Solving skills by contributing to the community? Worry not for the DroidCon Kenya team has released the latest issues for the DroidConKE2023 Android app for you to pick up and solve. In fact, click me to head over to the GitHub repository and squash those bugs like the wizard you are...
Call For Speakers (Monthly Meetup)
Interested in becoming a speaker for the upcoming monthly meetups? For real for real? Then stop what you are doing and head over here to make your aspiration a reality!
Dear Reader...
It is at this point, our dear reader, that we say thank you. We are deeply grateful for your support and engagement. As we mark the final Newsletter of the year, we usher you to our DroidCon Kenya 2023 event from the 8th to 10th of November, but you knew that, didn't you? 😏 With that said, don't miss us too much for we will be back before you know it. See you on the 8th 👌
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