A day in the life of Nawaf, one of our talented App Developers

How long have you worked at The Distance?

I've been at The Distance for over 3 years now!

How would you describe your role in one sentence?

On LinkedIn: I sculpt pocket-sized realities, shaping code into intuitive experiences that live in the palms of millions, where technology and human intent converge in motion. In real life: I’m a mobile app developer.

What’s a typical day like for you as a Mobile App Developer?

• 7:30am – My day usually starts with a classic doom scroll, catching up on the world (and regretting it immediately).
• 8:30am – After a solid hour of phone time, I finally get out of bed and start moving.
• 9:30am – With a cup of my special karak chai in hand, I settle into the workday with our daily Scrum meeting. It's a good chance to catch up with the team and get aligned on priorities.
• 12:30–1:30pm – Break for lunch and recharge.
• 1:30–5:00pm – This is usually deep work time, fixing bugs, building out features, and jumping into the occasional meeting.
• 5:00–7:00pm – I might take a break to have some tea or play a bit of badminton.
• 7:00–8:00pm – I wrap up the day with any remaining tasks and prep for tomorrow.

There’s nothing more satisfying than ticking off a task where everything clicks, clean code, minimal bugs, and delivered on time. When things run smoothly like that, it feels like all the planning and problem-solving has really paid off.

I really enjoy the problem-solving side of development, figuring out how to make something work better, faster, or cleaner. I also love contributing to great user experiences. Knowing that something I’ve built makes the app easier or more enjoyable to use is a great feeling.

What technologies do you most enjoy working with?

I enjoy working with React Native; it’s powerful, flexible, and great for building cross-platform apps. I’ve also been using Cursor, which has become one of my go-to tools for navigating and improving code. And when it comes to APIs, I really like working with GraphQL for its efficiency and how much control it gives you over the data you need.

I focus on writing clean, reusable code wherever possible. That means creating components that can be shared across the app, avoiding redundancy, and making sure everything is named clearly, whether it’s a variable, method, or screen. The goal is to make the code easy to understand and work with, both for me and for anyone else who picks it up later.

Definitely vibe coding. It’s all about creating the ideal environment for deep focus, whether that’s the right music, lighting, or tools that help you stay in flow. It might sound simple, but it’s becoming a big part of how developers stay productive and creative.

A common misconception is that full stack developers are experts in both front end and back end. In reality, most full stack devs have deep expertise in one area and solid working knowledge of the other. It’s about being able to navigate both sides of the stack, not mastering everything all at once.

Working on GoodShape, my very first project at The Distance, is still my proudest moment. I started as a developer on the project, and over time, I had the chance to lead it, all the way to it winning a Biz Tech Award, which was a huge moment for the whole team.

Honestly? It’s a bit of a mixed bag.

Realistically, I’m still figuring it out. AI is evolving so quickly that it’s hard to predict exactly where it’ll take us.

Optimistically, I see it as a tool that can boost my productivity and sharpen my skills, helping with everything from debugging to learning new frameworks faster.

Pessimistically, there’s always that quiet worry that AI could start replacing roles like mine entirely. But for now, I see it as a powerful assistant, not a full replacement.

If you were a biscuit, what biscuit would you be?

This is, without doubt, the most sophisticated question I’ve ever been asked. I took it seriously, I really did. Thought about it for half an hour… still nothing.

Let me sleep on it.

Honestly? I'd probably be figuring things out on the fly, maybe even flirting with homelessness in the early days!

More seriously, I think I’d try to start a small business. Something practical, like importing useful products or building a service that makes everyday life a bit easier. I’d keep it lean, start small, and see where it goes.

Nawaf’s calm problem-solving, attention to detail, and clear thinking make him a cornerstone of our development team. Whether he's pairing with another developer to squash a tricky bug or deep in flow mode building out complex app features, he's always working to push our projects forward with care and precision.

At The Distance, we know that building great software isn’t just about lines of code; it’s about the people behind it. Developers like Nawaf bring the logic, creativity, and focus that power the apps we’re proud to ship.

Take a look at how we work, or get in touch. We’re always up for a good conversation about turning ideas into intuitive, user-first experiences.