I switched from Postman to Bruno for API testing

I recently switched from Postman to [Bruno](https://www.usebruno.com/) for API testing and development. After using Postman for years, this change has been surprisingly refreshing. Here's why I made the switch and what I like about Bruno.## Why I left PostmanPostman is a powerful tool, but over time, a few things started bothering me:- **Cloud-first mentality**: Everything pushes you toward cloud storage and syncing. While you can work locally, it feels like a second-class citizen. - **Performance**: Postman can feel sluggish, especially when dealing with large collections or complex environments. - **Pricing**: The free tier is decent, but paid features can add up if you want team features and advanced functionality. - **Bloat**: There's a lot of UI and features I rarely use, which adds unnecessary complexity.## Why Bruno clicked for meBruno felt like a breath of fresh air because it's built differently:### Local-first, file-based collectionsBruno stores your API collections as plain text files (JSON or TOML format). This means: - Collections live in your project directory, not in the cloud - You can version control them with Git - No vendor lock-in or syncing confusion - It's simple and transparent### Lightweight and fastBruno is lightweight and snappy. The UI is clean and focused on what matters: building and testing API requests.### Open source and transparentBruno is [open source on GitHub](https://github.com/usebruno/bruno), which gives me confidence in the tool's longevity and the ability to contribute or fork if needed.### Works offlineSince everything is local-first, Bruno works perfectly offline without any cloud dependency or sync issues.### Environment variables and scriptingBruno has solid support for environment variables and pre-request/post-response scripting, similar to Postman but with a simpler interface.## The drawbacksTo be fair, Bruno isn't perfect:- **Smaller ecosystem**: Being newer and more niche, there are fewer integrations and plugins compared to Postman - **Team collaboration**: If you need real-time team collaboration, Postman's cloud features have an advantage - **Learning curve**: If you're used to Postman's specific workflow, there's a bit of adjustment## My workflow nowMy typical workflow with Bruno:1. Create a new collection in my project directory 2. Add requests organized by feature or endpoint 3. Define environment variables for different scenarios (dev, staging, production) 4. Write pre-request scripts to generate dynamic data or tokens when needed 5. Commit the collection to Git alongside my codeThis feels more aligned with how I work. Collections are part of my project, not separate artifacts floating in the cloud.## VerdictIf you value simplicity, local-first workflows, version control integration, and don't need heavy team collaboration features, Bruno is worth trying. It's especially great if you're already comfortable with tools that store config as files (like Docker Compose, Terraform, etc.).Give Bruno a shot—you might find it's the API testing tool you didn't know you were missing.

Read More

I built a time logger app for freelancers

I created a new app for people who need to track exactly how much time they spend on client work. It is especially useful for freelancers who juggle multiple clients and projects and need clean records for billing.## Why I built itI wanted something focused and lightweight: start tracking quickly, organize work by client and project, and turn tracked time into invoices and reports without extra setup.## Key features### Log time by project and clientTrack time entries against specific clients and projects so every billable hour is attached to the right work.### Manage clientsCreate and manage your client list in one place, making it easier to organize ongoing and completed work.### Manage projects with hourly rateSet up projects with a name and hourly rate. This helps calculate totals accurately for invoices and reports.### Share log details via URLNeed to show work details quickly? Share time log details using a simple URL.### Generate invoices and reportsConvert tracked time into invoice-ready summaries and clear reports for clients or your own records.### Simple, fresh, responsive UIThe app is designed to stay clean and fast on both desktop and mobile.## Screenshots Dashboard view Manage project details Client management Invoice and report view Shared log detailsIf you are freelancing and want a practical way to track time, share proof of work, and bill confidently, this app is built for you.## Try it now[Open Time Logger](https://tl.momane.com)## ThanksBig thanks to Cloudflare, Neon, and Resend, their generosity and support make this happen.

Read More

I created a new app called IronTrack

IronTrack is my new mobile app for anyone who wants a simple, motivating way to plan gym sessions and track every workout. I built it to remove the friction between "I should train" and "I did train" by making plans easy to create and logging fast and reliable.## Why I built IronTrackI wanted one place to plan workouts, stick to them, and see progress without a dozen taps. IronTrack focuses on the essentials: smart plans, manual control, streaks, and precise tracking for every set.## Key features### AI plan generatorTell IronTrack your height, weight, age, and goal, and it builds a plan for you. This is great if you want a quick, reasonable starting point without spending hours researching routines.### Manual plan builderPrefer full control? Build a plan by hand. Add exercises, customize sets and reps, and tweak things anytime.### StreaksConsistency matters. IronTrack shows your streaks so you can keep the momentum and see your habits build over time.### Detailed workout trackingLog every workout with time, reps, weight, and exercise name. IronTrack keeps it clean and fast, so you can stay focused on training.## Screenshots Dashboard IronTrack Plans Tracking workout Exercise details Finish screen History screen AI plan builder Chinese version Workout history Exercise library## How to get started1. Create a plan with AI or build one manually. 2. Start your workout and log time, reps, and weight as you go. 3. Keep your streak alive and watch your history grow.## ShoutoutsBig thanks to Cloudflare, GitHub, and Neon for their generous free tiers. They made it much easier to ship IronTrack and keep costs low while I built and tested the app.If you want a clean, focused gym tracker that still feels smart, IronTrack is for you. I would love feedback and feature requests as I keep improving it.

Read More

Mendix: how to set entity association in Java Action

In Mendix, you can set an entity association in a microflow by simply set the association attribute of the entity. But how to do this in a Java Action?Let's say you have two entities, `EntityA` and `EntityB`, and EntityA has a one to many association with EntityB. The association attribute in EntityB is `EntityB_EntityA`. Well its quite straight forward.Here is the code snippet:```java import com.mendix.core.Core; import com.mendix.systemwideinterfaces.core.IContext; import com.mendix.systemwideinterfaces.core.IMendixObject; import com.mendix.systemwideinterfaces.core.IMendixObjectMember; import module.name.proxies.EntityA; import module.name.proxies.EntityB;//... your other action codeEntityB entityB = new EntityB(context); EntityA entityA = new EntityA(context); entityB.setEntityB_EntityA(entityA); // when everything is done, you might also want to commit it entityB.commit() ```

Read More

The differences between React.memo, useCallback and useMemo

In React, `React.memo`, `useCallback` and `useMemo` are three hooks that can help you optimize your React application. They are similar in some ways, but they are used for different purposes. In this article, I will explain the differences between them.## React.memo`React.memo` is a higher-order component that can be used to prevent unnecessary re-renders of a functional component. It is similar to `PureComponent` in class components. When you wrap a functional component with `React.memo`, React will only re-render the component if the props have changed.Here is an example:```javascript import React from 'react';const MyComponent = React.memo(({ name }) => { return {name}; }); ``` In the example above, `MyComponent` will only re-render if the `name` prop has changed.## useCallback`useCallback` is a hook that returns a memoized version of a callback function. It is useful when you need to pass a callback function to a child component, and you want to prevent the child component from re-rendering unnecessarily.Here is an example:```javascript import React, { useCallback } from 'react';const MyComponent = ({ onClick }) => { return Click me; };const ParentComponent = () => { const handleClick = useCallback(() => { console.log('Button clicked'); }, []); return ; }; ```In the example above, `MyComponent` will only re-render if the `onClick` prop has changed.## useMemo`useMemo` is a hook that returns a memoized value. It is useful when you need to calculate a value that is expensive to compute, and you want to prevent the value from being recalculated unnecessarily.Here is an example:```javascript import React, { useMemo } from 'react';const MyComponent = ({ a, b }) => { const result = useMemo(() => { return a + b; }, [a, b]); return {result}; }; ```In the example above, `result` will only be recalculated if the `a` or `b` props have changed.## Summary- `React.memo` is used to prevent unnecessary re-renders of a functional component. - `useCallback` is used to return a memoized version of a callback function. - `useMemo` is used to return a memoized value. - `useCallback` is actually a special case of `useMemo`, where the memoized value is a function.

Read More