This Interview has been edited for greater clarity.
Matsvei Liapich is a student at Raritan Valley Community College and the current president of the Campus Fitness Club. In addition to being the president of the Campus Fitness Club, the 19-year-old immigrant from Belarus also recently developed his first app, LockedIn. I interviewed him about what his app does, his intentions for creating it, and his future plans as a web developer.
Rodzen: For those who are unaware, can you explain what LockedIn does?
Liapich: LockedIn is your ultimate productivity companion! Whether you’re a student, a professional, or simply seeking better focus, this app has you covered. With features like a minimalist timer, Pomodoro technique, guided breathing mode, customizable background music, gentle reminders, and seamless Apple Health integration LockedIn ensures you stay on track. Unlock your potential, reclaim previous time, and elevate your productivity game. Download now to experience the power of unwavering focus!
Rodzen: What inspired you to create the app?
Liapich: I was struggling to focus to my Calculus II homework when I decided it was time to change something. I’ve tried many pomodoro and focus timer apps on App Store before realizing what I was looking for was not there and I could just make the app myself. In the app, I personally prioritized the design and ease of use and while there were good contenders on App Store, they always lacked either in design or the easy of use, or were simply too expensive.
Rodzen: Was this the first app you’ve ever created?
Liapich: Yes.
Rodzen: How long have you been interested in software development?
Liapich: Almost two years now, but I got serious about it at the beginning of the last semester.
Rodzen: What made you decide to become more focused on software development?
Liapich: Originally, I wanted to go into graphic design. However, as time passed I wanted to know more about building the actual product so I begin looking into Apple’s programming language Swift, which would allow me to create an app for App Store from scratch. I took a 100 day SwiftUI course and by day 40, I knew enough to begin my first project which was LockedIn.
Rodzen: I know currently the app is only available on iPhones. Do you have any plans to release an Android version of the app?
Liapich: Not in the near future. Since the app is written in Swift, I’m limited to Apple products. I would have to learn Android development and write the app from scratch for that to happen.
Rodzen: There was a recent update to the app, what has changed?
Liapich: I updated the design, added support for live activities, added new sounds, rewrote timer logic, and fixed some bugs.
Rodzen: Do you plan on offering the app in other languages?
Liapich: I may offer the app in Russian and Spanish in the future.
Rodzen: Who do you think will benefit from the app?
Liapich: Mainly people whose success depends upon their ability to maintain focus for long periods of time like students, writers, developers, scientists, etc.
Rodzen: Do you plan on developing other types of apps in the future?
Liapich: I want to develop a habit tracker app in the future.
The app can be downloaded here.
