Founder Story: Evan You of Vue.js
From Google Engineer to Open Source Pioneer
Evan You's journey to becoming a prominent figure in the open-source community began in an unexpected place. After completing his MFA in Design and Technology at Parsons School of Design in 2012, Evan found himself working as a creative technologist at Google Creative Lab. It was during this time that he first encountered Angular, a popular JavaScript framework developed by Google. While working with Angular, Evan began to envision a lighter, more flexible alternative.
In February 2014, Evan took a leap of faith and released the first version of Vue.js to the public. This decision marked the beginning of a remarkable journey that would eventually lead him to leave his job at Google and dedicate himself full-time to open-source development.
"I just took only a few computer classes and I didn't think I would become a programmer," Evan recalls.
This unconventional background in design and creative technology would prove to be a crucial factor in Vue.js's success, as it allowed Evan to approach framework development from a unique perspective, prioritizing simplicity and user experience.
A Vision Born from Personal Experience
Vue.js was born out of Evan's desire to create a framework that aligned with his own preferences and needs as a developer. He wanted something lighter and more flexible than existing options like Angular and React. This personal motivation turned out to be a key factor in Vue's success.
"Vue started off from my personal tastes of what I would like as a framework. I think that happened to coincide with a lot of other developers' tastes, which allowed it to naturally attract developers that had a similar mindset with me," Evan explains.
This alignment between Evan's vision and the needs of many developers in small to medium-sized companies and creative agencies created a natural market fit for Vue.js. The framework's simplicity, flexibility, and excellent documentation quickly gained traction in the developer community.
The Unconventional Path to Success
Unlike many successful tech projects, Vue.js didn't follow the traditional path of venture capital funding and rapid scaling. Instead, Evan chose to maintain Vue as an independent, community-driven project. This decision allowed him to stay true to his vision and prioritize the needs of developers over corporate interests.
In 2016, Evan made the bold decision to work on Vue.js full-time. To support this move, he launched a Patreon campaign, allowing the community to directly fund his work. This unconventional approach to funding open-source development proved successful.
"When I quit my job I think I received 4000 dollars a month on Patreon. So I was like: okay, at least I won't starve to death working on Vue, so I'll just do it. Let's see what happens," Evan recounts.
This leap of faith paid off. As Vue's popularity grew, so did the financial support from the community. By 2018, Evan was earning more from his open-source work than he had in his previous job.
Building in the Face of Opposition
Creating a new JavaScript framework in a market dominated by tech giants like Facebook (React) and Google (Angular) was no small feat. Evan faced significant challenges in gaining recognition and adoption for Vue.js.
One of the key strategies that set Vue apart was its focus on approachability and ease of use. Evan put significant effort into creating comprehensive, user-friendly documentation, which became one of Vue's strongest selling points.
"Vue captured the group of developers that there is this, I would say, a market fit that's unique to Vue. Which I didn't realize when I started. Looking back, I think that's what's made Vue succeed naturally over time," Evan reflects.
This focus on developer experience and grassroots adoption allowed Vue to grow organically, often through word-of-mouth recommendations within the developer community.
The Human Side of Technology
One of the most striking aspects of Evan's journey is his commitment to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, even as Vue.js grew into a global phenomenon. As a father of two, Evan has been open about the challenges of balancing his work on Vue with his family responsibilities.
"I try to follow a fixed schedule every day even though I'm self-employed and working from home. Having kids actually helps a lot in this regard because I get to (and have to) spend time with family whenever I'm not working," Evan shares.
This human approach to open-source development has resonated with many in the tech community, challenging the notion that success requires sacrificing personal life.
Innovation Philosophy
Evan's approach to innovation is deeply rooted in his understanding of developers' needs and his commitment to simplicity. He emphasizes the importance of API-driven development, focusing on how things should work from a user's perspective before diving into implementation.
"You need to understand what your users want," Evan states, highlighting the importance of user-centric design in software development.
This philosophy has guided the evolution of Vue.js, ensuring that each new feature and update serves the needs of developers rather than following industry trends blindly.
Industry Impact
The impact of Vue.js on the web development industry has been profound. By 2017, Vue was tied for the third-most-downloaded JavaScript framework, competing with established players backed by tech giants. Major companies like Adobe, Alibaba, and even Facebook have adopted Vue for various projects.
Vue's success has challenged the notion that only frameworks backed by large corporations can succeed in the competitive world of front-end development. It has inspired a new generation of developers to create tools and frameworks that prioritize user experience and community-driven development.
Legacy and Future Vision
As Vue.js continues to evolve, Evan has expanded his focus to include other tools that complement the Vue ecosystem. In 2020, he released Vite, a build tool designed to enhance the development experience for modern web projects.
Looking to the future, Evan has founded VoidZero, a company focused on building the next generation of toolchains for JavaScript and TypeScript development. This move represents a new chapter in Evan's journey, as he seeks to broaden his impact on the web development landscape.
Closing Thoughts
Evan You's journey from Google engineer to creator of one of the world's most popular JavaScript frameworks is a testament to the power of following one's passion and vision. His success with Vue.js has not only revolutionized front-end development but also challenged traditional notions of how open-source projects can be sustained and grown.
Perhaps the most inspiring aspect of Evan's story is how he has maintained his commitment to the developer community and his own work-life balance throughout Vue's meteoric rise. His approach serves as a model for how technology can be developed in a way that is both innovative and human-centered.
As we look to the future of web development, Evan You's journey reminds us that sometimes the most impactful innovations come not from large corporations, but from individuals with a clear vision and the courage to pursue it. In Evan's own words:
"When you want to succeed at something, it's really important that you feel that you're naturally inclined to enjoy working on it".
This philosophy, more than any technical innovation, may be Evan You's most enduring legacy to the world of technology and entrepreneurship.
References
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weaYWoL_ymI
- https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2018/09/evan-you-mfa-design-and-technology-12-starts-software-company-rivaling-google-and-facebook/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGarfK3ejHQ
- https://labs.thisdot.co/blog/creator-of-vue-js-and-vite-evan-yous-journey-from-google-engineer-to-open/
- https://evrone.com/blog/evan-you-interview
- https://blog.hackages.io/https-blog-hackages-io-evanyoubhack2017-cc5559806157?gi=21988f905e15
- https://www.vuemastery.com/courses/qa-with-evan-you/what-is-your-daily-routine/
- https://www.indiehackers.com/podcast/078-evan-you-of-vue
- https://evanyou.me
- https://github.com/readme/stories/evan-you