Devlog 01

2026/07/24
I used to keep track of the books I read in a reading journal. It not only fueled my interest in literature but also helped me read with greater intention, as I knew I would have to record my thoughts later. Over time, though, schoolwork took over and my entries slowly dwindled in frequency until I completely stopped. Now that summer has returned, I’m reviving my reading journal…this time in digital form!

Project Vision

I want my website to stay simple yet meaningful. I don’t want to take too long to build it and want it to be easy to update. It will have three pages: the Home, the Reading Room, and the Bookshelf.

I’m aiming for a cozy, library‑like atmosphere. The home page will set that tone right away with a short prose piece explaining the site’s name while setting its mood. It will include a link to the Reading Room and have a “Currently Reading” section below.

The Reading Room will hold my actual journal entries. Visitors will be able to browse through them or search for a specific book to view its entry. I plan to learn some JavaScript through this feature as I think it’ll be a fun challenge and a great way to make the site interactive.

The Bookshelf will serve as my TBR list. I’ll experiment with CSS to make it feel like users are pulling out a book when they hover or click. There will also be a small “Featured” section where I’ll recommend a book I loved, hopefully adding to the library theme! (It’s like a librarian’s book recommendation!)

Completed Work

This idea came together while following Jenin’s Personal Site Workshop. I spent about the first half hour experimenting with HTML and CSS while brainstorming the concept. After that, I took my ideas together and drafted the site structure entirely in HTML.

I mostly followed the personal site guide, only searching for extra features I wanted to add. Whenever I used code examples from online sources, I made sure to understand how each function worked and challenged myself to apply it elsewhere in my code so I was learning HTML properly through practice.

Next Steps

With the HTML foundation complete, my next goal is to polish the site using CSS. I anticipate that will be the focus of my next devlog. After styling, I’ll dive into JavaScript and add finishing touches before shipping the final version.

Thanks for reading!

Devlog #02

Welcome to the second devlog for Macropad: Stratum!

I owe an apology for the lack of frequent updates! I’ve been so focused on building the macropad that documenting my progress often slipped my mind. Honestly, the logged time for this devlog is probably quite inaccurate. I’d initally start working on something else, then slowly drift back to the macropad, and before I knew it, an hour had passed without setting up my Lookout for a timelapse. Other times, I’d pause the recording, step away, and forget to unpause when I returned.

Despite that, I’ve been steadily chipping away at this project over the past week. I didn’t expect to finish as soon as I did, but the progress feels rewarding. I think the time I did record balances out the moments spent inspecting design aspects, doing side calculations, and reworking components — which I’ll explain below. Let’s catch up on everything I’ve done in the past seven days!

2026/07/16

After posting my initial design outline, I continued refining my PCB schematic and quickly realized I didn’t have enough GPIO pins for my original plan. The design from the previous devlog required 14 pins, but the RP2040 microcontroller provided by Hackpack only has 11 free GPIOs.

So, I went back to the drawing board. I kept the OLED display but removed the rotary encoder and reduced the key count to nine; arranged in a 3×3 matrix. With the revised plan, I completed the schematic and began laying out the PCB, placing components where I wanted them before calling it a night.

I’m posting this now to get my hours logged. I’ll refine and expand on the details tomorrow. Right now, I’m working on my QMK firmware, which will be the focus of Devlog #03!

Devlog #01

Welcome to the first devlog for Macropad: Stratum!

I’m still fairly new to hardware as most of my experience comes from a couple of Arduino classes, so the HackPad mission feels like the perfect opportunity to push myself. I’ve never designed a PCB or worked with firmware before, and I’m excited to learn these skills as go through this project!

Project Vision

Stratum is a 10‑key macropad with two rotary encoders and multiple functional “layers.” Each layer changes the behavior of the keys: the default layer might offer quick access to special characters, while a “Designing” layer could turn the same keys into shortcuts for drawing tools. That’s how I came upw itht he name Stratum, as it reflects this idea of stacked, interchangeable layers of commands.

Progress So Far

I began by exploring the build guide and studying previous macropad designs (both online and in the guide) to understand the overall workflow and craft my project vision. Once I had a clearer sense of the structure, I sketched out my initial layout and did some research on keyboard matrices.

After getting more comfortable with KiCAD, I designed the matrix and wired the components, referencing the Orpheuspad to ensure I was following solid conventions. The schematic is now mostly complete, and I’m preparing to refine it before moving on to the PCB layout.

Thanks for reading — more updates soon!