Why I chose Clojure/Script for building Vade Studio

1. In 2022, I started with a big vision: one platform to build SaaS applications. Today's no-code space is fragmented.

You need 10+ tools to get a simple SaaS product working.

I wanted to change that.

1. My constraints were clear

• Build and customize UI

• Integrate with diverse data sources

• Create workflows, and chain APIs together

• Deploy the app into secure and reliable infrastructure

• Out of the box monitoring and alerting

• Extend the platform through code and pre-built modules

1. First attempt: NodeJS + React.

Got a basic version in 3 months. But the code? Bloated.

Backend workflows? Slow as molasses.

1. Tried Python backend. Still messy.

As a solo dev, the context switching was killing me.

No cohesion. Tons of config. Python classes everywhere.

5.Considered Go. Didn't feel right.

1. Then I watched Rich Hickey's "Simple Made Easy."

Lightbulb moment:

I needed a language that works WITH data, not against it.

Started building basic functionality in Clojure.

1. The results were staggering. .

• Same functionality 100X less code.

•Here's what made Clojure Vade Studio's super power:

• Multi Methods: The secret sauce for our data-driven backend and UI.

• Pathom: Simplified data retrieval across multiple sources.

• Interceptors: Powering our workflow engine with elegance.

• Fulcro: Revolutionized our approach to full-stack development.

• Macros: The game changer for our compiler

• REPL: Rapid experimentation and testing.

1. The Clojure community? Top-notch

They teach you to think in ways you never thought possible.

Their focus on simplicity and data-centric design aligned perfectly with my vision

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀:

• Our entire codebase - just 20000 lines of code

• No more context switching (Clojure Backend, ClojureScript Frontend)

• Leverage NodeJS, JS, and Java ecosystem whenever needed.

• Number of developers - 3

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻?

1. Sometimes the right tool changes everything.

2. For us, that tool was Clojure.

3. It didn't just solve our problems – it redefined what was possible.

PS: Are you curious about what we've built? Checkout preview version at https://studio.vadelabs.com