Paul Scanlon's Site
By Paul Scanlon

Best Bits 2021 ...

  • React
  • Gatsby
  • Gatsby Serverless Functions
  • three.js
  • react-three-fiber
  • JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • Theme UI
  • GitHub REST

Oh hey there! 👋

Here’s a byte-size round up of things i’ve done so far this year. This post is pinned and will be updated as the year progresses. For reference here’s my best bits from 2020

1. Gatsby Serverless Functions And The International Space Station

After a small experiment with the Where is ISS at API, Gatsby Serverless Functions and react-three-fiber Smashing Magazine got in touch and asked if i’d be interested in writing an article about how I made the interactive 3D globe that plots the position of the ISS in real time: So here ya go: Gatsby Serverless Functions And The International Space Station

2. 500 Bottles Giveaway

In June / July I worked closely with Gatsby’s marketing team to create, design, build and document a global FREE swag giveaway competition called 500 Bottles. Users were invited to “spin the bottle” for their chance to be part of the worlds most exclusive swag club. Winners received a limited edition water bottle designed by me!

The game mechanic acts as “gated content” and only once a visitor has submitted their name and email address can they play. In the first week of activity this campaign generated more than 1000 new leads. More than any previous marketing campaign run by Gatsby.

You can read more about how I made the site on the Gatsby blog: How We Made the Gatsby 500 Bottles Giveaway

3. Presenting the 2020 Silly Site Challenge Winners!

In Dec 2020 I participated in Gatsby’s #SillySiteChallenge where I fused creative web development with next level Gatsby tech to create BumHub. The challenge saw 900 developers from around the globe participate in the challenge with 134 crossing the finish line. The top Twenty entries were awarded a spot in the hall of fame but, unbelievably I was named overall winner. You can read the full post on the Gatsby blog: Presenting the 2020 Silly Site Challenge Winners!

4. Bottoms Up: Gatsby File System Route API + Bums = BumHub

As mentioned above I was announced the overall winner of Gatsby’s 2020 #SillySiteChallenge and was asked to write a rundown of how I came up with the idea and what my working process involves. You can read the full post on the Gatsby blog: Bottoms Up: Gatsby File System Route API + Bums = BumHub