Software Developer — Full-Stack, Simulation & Applied AI

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I got into programming trying to make two boxes collide correctly in a game engine. I never really left that mindset — I just traded pixelated boxes for production systems that actually need to work. These days that means four years of building full-stack platforms and simulation tools, and a suspicious amount of joy from convincing servers they don't need to work as hard as they think. 🎮

Half physicist by training, software developer by 2 AM debugging sessions. Currently studying Computer Education & Instructional Technology at METU, after five years in the Physics department that mostly taught me how to be patient with things that don't work the first time (see: my code).

A few chapters so far. I spent a good stretch elbow-deep in robotics simulation, teaching browsers to do things they really weren't built for — running physics engines and full IDEs client-side so the servers could finally take a break. For a while I was also the one-person tech team parachuted into a company to untangle its manual workflows and drag some old systems into the present. And somewhere in between all that, I've been mentoring university students through the CS concepts that actually trip people up — not just enough to pass, but enough to actually get it.

I haven't shipped anything open-source in a while — these are relics from a more experimental era, built purely because I wanted to build them. No promises they still run.

• GPad — A desktop application converting gamepad inputs into precise mouse movements and keyboard actions.
• Simple Shortcut — A custom keyboard shortcut management tool designed for streamers and power users.
• Ascii Webcam — A fun application that transforms webcam feeds into ASCII art in real-time on the terminal.

More on github.com/EtkinD

I don't marry a stack. I pick whatever the problem actually needs, and if that means picking up something new mid-project, that's usually the fun part.

Some of what I've experimented with and used along the way:

Languages: JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Java, C++, C#, SQL, Dart, Lua, Bash

Frameworks & Libraries: React, Next.js, Node.js, Express.js, Spring Boot, Flutter, React Native, Tailwind CSS

Simulation & Engines: Godot Engine, Unity

Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, Redis, MongoDB

Infrastructure: AWS, Docker, CI/CD, Ansible, Git, Firebase, Linux (Debian/Arch)

• Email: etkindogan@gmail.com
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/etkindogan