Photo

Full-stack web and mobile app developer specializing in:

  • GraphQL
  • Security
  • Web performance, including 60 FPS CSS animations and interactions
  • UX design
  • Tech:
    • GraphQL, Apollo, Node, React, React Native, Next.js, Gatsby, SQL, MongoDB, Cypress, Meteor, Cordova
    • Rusty: Rails, Ruby, CoffeeScript, Android, Java, C, Scheme, Haskell, PL/pgSQL, Backbone, Cucumber, Blaze
I currently live in:
  • Washington, DC
  • San Francisco
  • NYC
Created

:computer: Temporal TypeScript SDK 2021-present

The best way to write reliable code in Node. (See my intro to Temporal.)

temporal.io/ts

:book: The GraphQL Guide 2016-2021

The most comprehensive book on GraphQL. Written with John Resig, the creator of jQuery.

graphql.guide

:facepunch: Parlay App 2014-2016

Parlay

Mobile app for making social challenges and predictions.

Meteor Cordova app with P2P transactions (USD and BTC).

parlaywith.me

:fork_and_knife: Payo 2013-2016

Payo

Payo – Paleo Mayo: a healthy mayonnaise.

Only virgin-oil mayo, lowest omega-6, free-range organic eggs.

payo.us

:computer: Ferro 2013

Ferro

Efficiency & accessibility Chrome extension providing a launcher / command line for the browser.

getferro.com

Writing

:black_nib: When to use gRPC vs GraphQL 2022

Goes deep into the differences between them and recommendeds when to use each.

stackoverflow.blog

:black_nib: So you want to self-publish books and courses on programming 2021

Discusses the pros and cons of self publishing books and courses on programming.

css-tricks.com

:black_nib: The GraphQL Spec, Simplified 2021

A 3-part series explaining the GraphQL specification.

blog.graphql.guide

:black_nib: A Deep Dive on Apollo Data Sources 2020

An overview of data fetching in GraphQL and how to write a custom Apollo data source library.

apollographql.com

:black_nib: Announcing The GraphQL Guide 2017

I explain why I decided to write a book about GraphQL, and I and share about myself, the title, and the logo.

blog.graphql.guide

:black_nib: Use all the databases 2017

An introduction to GraphQL and a tutorial on writing a GraphQL Node server that fetches data from five different data sources. Won best article award on Compose's blog.

Part 1
Part 2

:black_nib: Fixing your Meteor app's render performance 2015

An in-depth analysis of the render performance of a couple complex Meteor Blaze apps.

medium.com/parlay-engineering

:black_nib: The NSA: An Inside View 2013

Blog post on my experience at the NSA. Was at the top of Hacker News for a day.

"An interesting and reasonable perspective."
—John Gruber

medium.com/@lorendsr

:black_nib: Thesis 2010

"Creating Large Disturbances in the Power Grid: Methods of Attack After Cyber Infiltration"

dartmouth.edu

Open Source

:computer: temporalio/sdk-typescript

TS SDK for Temporal

:book: GraphQLGuide/guide

Extensive React example application used in Chapter 6 of the Guide

:floppy_disk: GraphQLGuide/apollo-datasource-mongodb

Apollo Server data source for MongoDB

:japanese_ogre: join-monster/join-monster

Converts GraphQL queries into SQL statements

:stars: meteor/meteor

Community maintainer of Meteor, the #1 web app framework on Github

:key: lorensr/login-links

Meteor package for creating magic autologin links, like Slack

:credit_card: lorensr/react-payment

React components for credit card and bank account forms, using material-ui (demo)

:nail_care: lorensr/segmented-control

A good-lookin' segmented control React component (demo)

:closed_lock_with_key: lorensr/roles-restricted

Meteor package for temporarily restricting a user's authorization

:moneybag: parlaywithme/meteor-synapsepay

Meteor package for making ACH transactions through SynapsePay

:iphone: jamielob/reloader

Meteor package for better hot code push updates for Cordova apps

Podcasts

:studio_microphone: Front End Happy Hour 2021

FEHH logo

Crafting your cocktail mixture to learning

Talks

:movie_camera: JNation 2022

:movie_camera: Craft Conference 2022

logo-craft-small-orange

Building Reliable Distributed Systems (1 hr 37 min)

:movie_camera: TS Congress 2022

:movie_camera: DataLayer 2017

"All the Databases" at DataLayer

:movie_camera: Meteor Camp Conference 2016

"Apollo Tutorial" at Meteor Camp NYC

:movie_camera: Crater Mobile Conference 2016

Crater logo

"Cordova Challenges" at Crater Mobile Conf

:movie_camera: Meteor Devshop NY 2015

Meteor logo

Fixing Your Meteor App's Render Performance (NYC)

See also the in-depth blog post

:movie_camera: Meteor Devshop SF 2015

Meteor logo

starter-pack and DDP directory (SF)

Work

:floppy_disk: Temporal 2022–Present

Developer Relations Engineer

:floppy_disk: Temporal 2021–2022

Language Runtime Engineer

Maintained the TypeScript SDK.

:squirrel: Various 2014–2021

Consultant

Built, fixed, added features to, or added testing for web and mobile apps.

:us: National Security Agency 2010–2012

NSA logo

Global Network Vulnerability Analyst

  • Developed apps with Rails, Backbone, and Android
  • Computer Network Operations Development Program
  • TS/SCI clearance

:school: Dartmouth College Computer Science 2007–2009

Dartmouth logo

Section Leader

  • Assisted professors with teaching nine courses.
  • Taught weekly sections of about ten students.
  • Held lab and office hours.
Education

:book: The Pragmatic Bookshelf 2011–Present

The Pragmatic Programmer

Technical reviewer for these titles:

  • The Way of the Web Tester
  • Manage Your Project Portfolio
  • Seven Mobile Apps in Seven Weeks
  • Secure Your Node.js Web Application
  • Creating Great Teams
  • Seven Concurrency Models in Seven Weeks
  • HTML5 and CSS3
  • Mac Kung Fu
  • Learn to Program in Objective C
  • Seven Databases in Seven Weeks
  • The Rails View

:lock_with_ink_pen: National Cryptologic School 2010–2012

NSA logo

Coursework included network security, web application security, computer network operations, malware analysis, assembly language, network programming, C programming, Linux and Windows kernels, and cryptography.

:mortar_board: Dartmouth College 2006–2010

Dartmouth logo

Bachelor's in Computer Science, magna cum laude.

Honors thesis: Creating Large Disturbances in the Power Grid: Methods of Attack After Cyber Infiltration

Led co-ed fraternity and a cappella group.