4 Years at Buka
It’s been over four years since I joined Bukalapak, and it’s been an incredible ride. I’ve had the chance to work with talented people and experiment with new ideas, building systems and features along the way.
The Recruitment
I knew Bukalapak as an e-commerce app I used often. So when I heard they were looking for developers, I was excited. The recruiter was very tech-savvy, which gave me a sense of the company’s strong culture.
The interview felt like a two-way process, not just the company assessing me but also me learning about the team and culture. I remember answering technical questions using only vanilla JavaScript, and things went smoothly from there.
I got the offer and became part of the Bukalapak squad!
Working at Bukalapak
I started in a team handling virtual products like bills and flight tickets. Back then, there were just a few frontend engineers, and my teammates were a huge help in those early days.
As the company grew, so did our team. Some squads broke into smaller, more autonomous teams. The cloud migration was a major milestone—migrating hundreds of services was no small feat.
I’ve been with the same team since, which has now grown to over 50 engineers. The team’s growth, along with the system and processes, has been incredible.
We run two-week sprints and daily stand-ups where we discuss blockers and deliverables. I’m lucky to work remotely, which strikes a good balance between work and personal life.
What Did I Learn?
I’ve learned a lot, not just about technology but about building large-scale systems. Bukalapak follows test-driven development, which was new to me. Every line of code is tested, reviewed by peers, and checked for edge cases.
There’s also a strong emphasis on writing—whether it’s documentation or asynchronous communication, writing is key to sharing ideas and feedback effectively.
And beyond just the work, there are many learning opportunities through team knowledge-sharing sessions.
What Bukalapak Did for Me
Bukalapak doesn’t just pay my bills; it offers great perks too.
I’ve had plenty of time to grow professionally. I’ve even had the chance to speak at online events. The company really respects our time and well-being, with no micromanagement. Leaders help remove blockers and provide support during one-on-ones.
I’m also thankful for the extra bonus I got for referring eight friends to the company—it definitely came in handy for wedding expenses!
This wraps up my #30DayWritingChallenge. Thanks to everyone who followed along, and I’ll see you in the next post!
#30DayWritingChallenge, it’s a WRAP!