About Me
About Me
I’m Santtu Nykänen, a thirty-something full-stack developer from Helsinki, now based in Barcelona. My path to becoming a developer began in June 2017 with a simple decision to try an online programming course with a friend. After reading about the high demand for developers and driven by a natural competitive streak, I enrolled in Harvard’s CS50x course.
What started with creating a simple basketball game in Scratch turned into a passionate pursuit of programming knowledge. Even though the path to becoming employable seemed challenging, the joy of problem-solving and creating through code made every step worthwhile.
My first programming project: a simple basketball game made with Scratch
After nearly two years of self-study and dedicated learning, I landed my first coding position in spring 2019. Since then, I’ve worked as a consultant on various projects, primarily using Python, Java, and JavaScript. In my free time, I continue to explore new technologies, recently diving into mobile development with Flutter.
Work Experience
Full-Stack Developer
Gofore (2022 - Present)
- Full-stack software development as a consultant on various client projects
- Technologies: Python, Java, JavaScript
Full-Stack Developer
Solidabis (2019 - 2022)
- Full-stack software development as a consultant on various client projects
- Focus on web application development and system integration
Personal/Freelance Projects
Varastolista
- Inventory management app for Hospital District of Helsinki
- CRUD application for managing spare parts inventory
- Features: Excel import/export, QR-code reader for part numbers
- Technologies: Python, Django, jQuery, PostgreSQL, Docker
Monitorimittari
- GUI application for hospital engineers to log display luminance measurements
- Integration with LXscan spot luminance meter via USB
- Automated Excel report generation
- Technologies: Python, PyQt5, PyInstaller
dopepod
- Web application for discovering and listening to podcasts
- Integration with iTunes API for podcast data
- Features: Genre-based browsing, playlist creation, podcast subscriptions
- Technologies: Node.js, jQuery, Django, REST APIs, PostgreSQL, Celery, Redis, Scrapy, Docker, Flutter
Technical Skills
Languages & Frameworks
- Python (Django, PyQt)
- JavaScript/TypeScript (React, Node.js)
- Java
- Flutter
Tools & Technologies
- Git
- Docker
- SQL Databases
- REST APIs
- Linux
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Business Information Technology
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (2018 - 2021)
- Bachelor’s degree program focusing on software development and business
- Practical application of IT skills through company collaboration
- Part-time studies alongside work
Full Stack Open
University of Helsinki (Online, 2019)
- Modern web development with JavaScript
- React, Redux, Node.js, MongoDB
- Building single page applications
- REST APIs and GraphQL
- TypeScript and React Native
Java Programming MOOC
University of Helsinki (Online, 2018)
- Comprehensive Java programming course
- Object-oriented programming principles
- Data structures and algorithms
- Test-driven development
CS50x - Introduction to Computer Science
Harvard University (Online, 2017)
- Comprehensive introduction to computer science and programming
- Topics covered: C, Python, SQL, Data Structures, Algorithms
- Created a basketball game as first programming project
- Final project: Web application development, original version of dopepod
Languages
- Finnish (Native)
- English (Fluent)
- Spanish (Basic)
Contact
- Email: santtu.nykanen@gmail.com
- GitHub: cyanidesayonara
- LinkedIn: santtu-nykanen