In this conversation, Simon Grimm interviews Samuel Newman, a developer at Bluesky, discussing his journey from university to app development, the intricacies of the Bluesky app and its underlying AT protocol, and the challenges and solutions encountered in enhancing user experience with React Native. They explore the role of Expo in app development, the importance of open-source contributions, and the future of Bluesky as it aims for significant user growth.

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Samuel Newman

• Samuel Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/samuel.bsky.team
• Samuel X: https://x.com/mozzius
• Samuel personal: https://samuel.felixnewman.com/
• Samuel Github: https://github.com/mozzius

Links

• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/
• AT Protocol: https://atproto.com/
• AT Proto Browser: https://atproto-browser.vercel.app/

Takeaways

• Samuel built a client for Bluesky before joining the team.
• Bluesky is a microblogging app built on the AT protocol.
• The AT protocol allows users to control their own data.
• The Bluesky app reached number one on the app store.
• Samuel's team faced numerous bugs in the app's development.
• They switched to a native bottom sheet for better performance.
• React Native requires a different mindset for developers.
• The AT protocol enables developers to build their own backends.
• Users genuinely own their data with the AD protocol.