Nift ↗
The website build tool I started in 2015. The current work is about keeping the core small, fast and dependable while making it nicer for both people and coding agents to work with.
Hello, I’m Nick.
I make software, study interesting problems and occasionally leave the computer.
I’m a software developer and mathematician based in Tasmania. I’ve spent a lot of time working with C++, Go and the web, usually on open-source tools and self-hosted software.
This site is a home for the things I’ve built, the mathematics I’ve worked on, and a few interests that have nothing to do with a terminal.
Lately
What I’ve been working on
Self-hosted software
I’ve been exploring what useful, inspectable alternatives to large hosted platforms can look like, including Trestle, Warden, Cortex, Watchpost and a handful of smaller tools.
Mathematics
My formal research is in algebra and combinatorics. I still enjoy the sort of problems where a small definition turns out to hide a surprising amount of structure.
Background
A slightly unusual route into software
I studied Mathematics, Economics and Applied Computing at the University of Tasmania, then completed a PhD in Mathematics. Along the way I taught university classes, worked on research projects, and helped organise an international programming competition.
Since then my work has moved increasingly towards software and systems, including operational work at Murray Irrigation and a long-running collection of open-source projects.
More about my experience →