Calvin Liang

CalvinLiang

I'm a software engineer based in Vancouver
crafting delightful, secure, and snappy experiences

Potential Vanity Metrics: *

989k+ downloads

across 1 app and 2 libraries

2.3k+

on GitHub

2x #1 on Hacker News

with CalcGPT.io and this post

2 TV appearances

on CBC and Global News

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Projects

Mingletron 2000

Raspberry Pi

A receipt printer that helps people meet each other. Attendees at Socratica Symposium scan their Socraticard and walk away with a set of icebreaker questions. Hold it up, find someone else holding one, and start talking.

Orbital Flush

Raspberry Pi

3D Printing

Node.js

A toilet that flushes whenever an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) flushes. It’s mounted on a rotating platform that tracks the ISS as it orbits Earth.

Wikipedia Word Counter

Web

Astro

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Count the number of words, characters, and sentences in a Wikipedia article as of a specific date

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Socratica's 2026 Symposium Website

Web

Astro

React

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Built the website in 3 days. The site uses the new CSS animation-timeline API, with all interactions and visual effects implemented in pure CSS without any JavaScript.

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QR Code Inspector

Web

Astro

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

C++

Web Assembly

A QR code scanner that tells you everything about the QR code.

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Control Freak’s QR Code Generator

Web

Astro

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Rust

Web Assembly

A QR code generator that gives you total control and tells you exactly what is happening.

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neal.fun

Web

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Contributed several levels to I’m Not a Robot, a game on my friend’s site neal.fun.

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Unveiler.xyz

Web

Astro

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

A web app to bring awareness to the privacy implications of poorly censored images.

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Dot Counter

Web

Astro

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Click to count objects in an image with colored dots to keep track of your progress and get an instant total

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Atelier

The Vancouver node of ⁂ Socratica. My co-hosts and I run 2 weekly co-working sessions for 30+ people to work on their passion projects. I vibe-engineer the space, building both people and software infrastructure to help creativity and connection thrive.

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Link Sanitizer

Mobile

iOS

Swift

SwiftUI

Android

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

A mobile app that removes trackers from links.

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Reorderable

1169 Stars on GitHub 78k+ downloads on maven central

Mobile

Android

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

A simple library that enable drag-and-drop reordering in lists in Jetpack Compose and Kotlin Compose Multiplatform.

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Unscannable QR Code

3D Printing

A QR code you can see but not scan. This piece was displayed at the QR Show at the The Recurse Center.

Clicka!

282k+ downloads on the App Store with 4.8★ 20k+ downloads on Google Play with 4.7★

Mobile

iOS

tvOS

Swift

SwiftUI

Android

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

An absurdly simple yet addictive game, it involves a counter rising with each click, alongside a timer tracking your total game time. With each click, enjoy satisfying sound effects and visual ripples, celebrate milestones with confetti showers, unlock achievements, and compare your stats with players worldwide.

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CalcGPT.io

Web

Vue.js

Astro

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Machine Learning

LLM

CI/CD

An amusing web app, satirizing the trend of employing advanced GPT large language models for trivial tasks. It depicts a simple calculator with adjustable "Temperature" and "Top P" sliders, embodying a comical way to control overkill AI functionalities. This project humorously illustrates the potential redundancy of next-generation AI for straightforward tasks, serving as a lighthearted critique of the tech industry's novelty obsession.

SecretDrop.io

Web

Vue.js

Astro

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

Cryptography

CI/CD

A web app designed to establish secure communication in public domain. It generates encryption and decryption links, allowing texts and files to be safely shared. Developed out of a real-life need to send private messages on public forums, SecretDrop.io democratizes public key cryptography. Ideal for anyone looking to securely communicate over public platforms.

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DEF CON 32 Badge Flashy ROM

A GameBoy ROM that runs on the DEF CON 32 badge, flashes all the LEDs.

Big Weigh

Web

Astro

Vue.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Sass

A daily game where you guess the price of stranger's Big Way.

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Webpack Image Loaders

827k+ Downloads on NPM 103 Stars on GitHub

Node.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

A suite of 6 loaders for the Webpack JavaScript bundler that offers features like thumbnail creation, dominant color extraction for pre-loading previews, and generating differently sized images for responsive design. These project enhances image loading efficiency, saving bandwidth and reducing loading times for an improved user experience.

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view-transition-name

JavaScript

TypeScript

A JavaScript library that format strings to valid css `view-transition-name`s

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toggleairport

204 Stars on GitHub

macOS

A script for macOS to turn off WiFi when Ethernet is plugged in, and turn on WiFi when Ethernet is unplugged.

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AutoLinkText

84 Stars on GitHub

Mobile

Android

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

A simple library that makes links, emails, and phone numbers clickable in text in Jetpack Compose and Kotlin Compose Multiplatform.

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is-even-ai

Node.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Machine Learning

LLM

CI/CD

A library that checks number parity with AI.

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Kitsilano School App

Mobile

iOS

Objective-C

Android

Java

Database

Express.js

TypeScript

React Native

A multifunctional iOS and Android application I created in high school. This app was designed to keep students updated about upcoming school events and homework assignments. Additionally, it offers a platform for administrators, teachers, and clubs to share events, send out notifications, and disseminate news, ensuring efficient and seamless communication within the school community.

Media Appearances

Kitsilano Secondary Heritage Tour

Web

JavaScript

A virtual journey through the historic Kitsilano Secondary School, created before its destructive renovation. The project serves as a digital time capsule, preserving the walls that bore witness to countless student memories. Designed in collaboration with my arts teacher Mr.Mehl during my time at the school.

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Media Appearances

USB Morse Code Key

Arduino

A project that breathes life into a historical communication method, marrying it with modern hardware and software to forge an interactive, functional tool. It's more than just a historical novelty; it yields practical use. Perfect for Morse Code enthusiasts and history buffs.

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Hot Words on Reddit

Web

JavaScript

TypeScript

D3.js

Express.js

Machine Learning

Natural Language Processing

A web app that leverages natural language processing and sentiment analysis to creates interactive word clouds that visually represent the most discussed topics on Reddit. Each word's sentiment is intuitively color-coded, with a scale from green (positive) to red (negative). By providing a real-time snapshot of trending conversations, Hotwords of Reddit serves as a unique tool for understanding public sentiment on various issues.

Kitsilano Grad Composite Gallery

Web

JavaScript

A web app designed for Kitsilano Secondary School alumni. It serves as a digital yearbook, offering an online space for alumni to reminisce and reconnect with their high school days.

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Martini Call Blocker

Mobile

Android

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

An Android app that offers robust call blocking for intrusive spam calls. Utilizing the new STIR/SHAKEN protocol mechanisms, it ensures users receive only authenticated calls.

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NaviChat

Electron

Node.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

Raspberry Pi

An innovative way-finding kiosk designed for Emily Carr University to guide students and visitors alike. Combining a large touchscreen display with an integrated voice assistant, it provides an interactive experience of location search. Running on a Raspberry Pi and powered by Electron, the software includes 500 context-aware dialogs for voice-activated queries. Users can conveniently search for direction by typing or speaking, effectively simplifying campus navigation.

RPi-MFRC522

Node.js

JavaScript

TypeScript

C++

Raspberry Pi

A driver written in C++ for MFRC522 RFID card readers that exposes them to the Node.js runtime.

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Touch ID Box

Apple

3D Printing

A 3D printed enclosure that transform your Apple Magic Keyboard into a standalone Touch ID button.

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3D Barge Model

3D Printing

A 3D model of the English Bay barge that washed ashore in Vancouver, BC, Canada in November 2021.

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Media Appearances

Barrelfish

Operating Systems

Distributed Systems

Redesigned and re-implemented parts of the experimental operating system, Barrelfish, originally developed by ETH Zurich and Microsoft Research, to explore the frontier of multikernel and heterogeneous hardware approaches

Peer-to-Peer Isolation-Aware Value Access Network - P2P IVAN

Distributed Systems

A distributed, peer-to-peer, fault-tolerant, and scalable key-value store.

Currentcy

Android

Wear OS

Kotlin

Jetpack Compose

watchOS

Swift

SwiftUI

A Wear OS (Android) and watchOS (Apple Watch) complication that shows the exchange rate of the currency of the user's current location to the user's home currency.

Recent Blog Posts

The Fed says this is a cube of $1M. They're off by half a million.

Trust me, I counted.