Code & Share has become a treasured Memphis monthly ritual: a space where beginners practice talking tech without fear, where senior engineers offer encouragement and sharp recommendations, and where personal projects become shared momentum.
Here’s the Recap
Kevin Kawchak: Code Generation Competition Between LLMs
Kevin kicked off the event with a research project that showcased experimentation. He used 16 LLMs to compete against one another based on the FDA Adverse Event Reporting framework. It was a masterclass in structured prompt engineering.
Micro‑lessons from Kevin’s session:
Prompt engineering is an iterative craft, not a one‑shot command.
Real experimentation happens in the tools builders are using today: Google Colab Research, Stanford’s Code Clash, Fireworks.ai, OpenAI, and Google AI Studio.
Why it matters:
Kevin’s work gives aspiring developers a clear example of how to approach experimentation rigorously, even outside formal research settings.
Richard Whittington: A Baseball Road‑Trip Utility App
Richard’s project blended fandom and engineering into a travel‑planning tool designed specifically for baseball lovers.
What the project revealed:
A Java backend and React/Nest frontend powering a clean, purposeful experience
OpenAI for chatbox conversational flow
Clerk for identity and profiles
Community wisdom shared:
In today’s interview environment, being able to communicate problem-solving skills is more important than language lists.
Chatbots are becoming foundational skills with agentic agents as the next frontier.
AI should support the core feature, not overshadow it.
The best features come from listening to users, not guessing.
Ecosystem insight:
Richard’s project reflects a Memphis trend: building tools that feel personal, specific, and rooted in real human needs.
Coriano Harris: Portfolio Redesign Through Storytelling
Coriano reframed the idea of a portfolio as a narrative experience. His Next.js redesign wasn’t about listing skills but about inviting people into his story.
Themes that resonated across the room:
Storytelling opens doors résumés can’t.
Knowing your story and simplifying it for others is a career advantage.
A portfolio can communicate identity, not just capability.
Why it matters:
For aspiring developers practicing their voice, Coriano’s approach offered a blueprint for authenticity and clarity.
Johnathon Irby: Game Development with Pico
Johnathon’s Pico‑built game brought a spark of playfulness to the afternoon. The project highlighted how lightweight tools and creative constraints can lower the barrier to experimentation. Especially for developers exploring game design for the first time.
Memphis flavor:
This kind of project mirrors the city’s maker spirit: resourceful, imaginative, and unafraid to experiment.
Lance Hillard: Automation with Google Apps Script
Lance showcased a Google App Script tool that tracks gas consumption, summarizes it, and emails the results automatically.
Micro‑lesson:
Automation isn’t just enterprise-scale. It’s a personal superpower. Memphis builders are increasingly creating tools that make everyday life smoother.
Community moment:
Senior developers chimed in that a core tenet of tech culture is automation and how it starts with simple scripts.
Ryan Bommarito: Art E‑Commerce with Stripe
Ryan presented a polished site built to help an artist sell work online. A project grounded in real needs and real people.
What stood out:
Clean design and thoughtful UX
Stripe integration for real‑world payments
A candid conversation about the difficult leap from localhost:8000 to production
Ecosystem insight:
Memphis creators are building commerce tools that empower local artists and entrepreneurs.
Barun Tiwary: Recipe Reveal web app
Barun closed the afternoon with Recipe Reveal, a React/Next.js app that organizes recipes by food type, health themes, and ingredients. Complete with an AI chatbot to guide users.
Why it resonates:
It’s a practical, everyday example of how AI can meet people where they are. Helping them cook, plan, and explore.
In Closing
Code & Share continues to be one of the most human corners of the Memphis tech community. Each session brings new projects and perspectives, creating space for real learning and honest conversation. It’s where beginners practice their voice, senior technologists give generously, and personal projects turn into shared momentum.