Disclaimer:

I used this project to generate this blog post. I, of course, read over everything produced to ensure that it doesn't sound too crazy or much different than how I would write this if I had written it from scratch. For the purpose of the project, I am not going to edit the content generated by AI. Instead, I will denote my own notes in each section if I want to add more context or add to what was provided.

As a aspiring software engineer constantly looking to push my boundaries, I recently embarked on a fascinating project that combined several cutting-edge technologies. My goal? To create a blog post generator that would showcase my technical skills and problem-solving abilities.

The Vision Takes Shape

The journey began with a simple idea: what if I could build an application that could help content creators generate initial drafts more efficiently? Armed with React for the frontend and a suite of AWS services, I set out to turn this concept into reality.

Navigating the AWS Ecosystem

I'll be honest - working with AWS Amplify was not love at first sight. Coming from a background of deploying applications using EC2 with NGINX, the Amplify workflow felt somewhat restrictive. My previous experiences with more direct server configuration made the initial setup a bit challenging.

EDIT: To clarify, this is the second app I have hosted on AWS. The first project used EC2 with NGINX. It's absolutely true that I enjoyed that experience far more. I'm a Linux user using Arch btw with Hyprland as a WM. You can imagine why this was the case for me.

The biggest hurdle? Getting Amplify to serve my content exactly as I intended. Each configuration tweak felt like solving a complex puzzle, testing my patience and problem-solving skills. But isn't that what growth is all about?

The Technology Stack

My tech stack became a carefully curated selection:

• Frontend: React

• AWS Services:

• Amplify for deployment

• Lambda for serverless computing

• API Gateway to manage API interactions

• Bedrock for AI capabilities

• Cognito for user authentication

The IAM policies for Bedrock proved to be another interesting challenge. Defining the correct ruleset required meticulous attention to detail - a lesson in the importance of precise access management.

EDIT: To clarify what happened here, anytime I added a region to my IAMs policy and attempted to run my Lambda function, it would switch regions. I still have no idea why this happened, and my solution was to just add every single NA region to the IAMs policy.

Overcoming Challenges

Each obstacle became an opportunity to learn. While Amplify initially felt constraining, I learned to work within its ecosystem, understanding its strengths and limitations. The IAM policy configurations for Bedrock became a masterclass in cloud security principles.

The Proud Moment

When the blog post generator finally came to life, it was more than just a technical achievement. It was a testament to persistence, learning, and the joy of creating something from scratch.

Reflections

This project reinforced something I've always believed: in tech, the journey is just as important as the destination. Every challenge is a chance to grow, every configuration error a lesson in disguise.

To my fellow aspiring engineers: keep building, keep learning, and never shy away from complex projects. Your next breakthrough might be just one line of code away.

As I continue my journey from technical support to software engineering, projects like these are my stepping stones. They're not just applications; they're stories of growth, challenge, and continuous learning.

Want to see the project in action or dive into the technical details? Reach out - I'm always excited to discuss tech, share insights, and learn from fellow developers!

Wrapping Up

This part of the blog is also organically typed. This project actually surprised me in areas that I thought would be simpler to implement. It was very fun working with technologies that I hadn't yet touched (aside from Amplify). In the future, I will probably avoid Amplify altogether unless it is for a simple project that I just need to have hosted quickly. It's a great tool, but the limitations make it frustrating to use at times. If you would like to see this project live in action, the part about about reaching out is absolutely true. I was very proud to show it off to friends and coworkers of mine.

I'm absolutely excited to work on my next project! It's going to be a re-engineered version of a project I had deployed previously. I am going to incorporate some the new skills I have gained to make it more production ready. I will, of course, be posting a blog about this project as well. Stay tuned for more!