Clojure in Product. Would you do it again?

Episode 12 of "Clojure in product. Would you do it again?" is live — Marcin Maicki, Global Data Developer & Lead Developer at Dentons, joins Artem Barmin and Vadym Kostiuk to talk about running Clojure inside a large, decentralized enterprise.Highlights:- Marcin’s Clojure origin story: started with ClojureScript, moved into Clojure, and found the functional mindset a natural fit coming from React.- How Clojure landed at Dentons: a conscious choice for a focused referral‑network venture that valued expressiveness and small teams.- Practical stack and ops: Postgres, Elasticsearch, Reagent/Re‑frame + Material UI, Metabase; Marcin also works on PySpark/Databricks in his global data role. - Maintenance and risk: why they’re migrating away from old, unmaintained libs; regular security scans and external testing make dependency health a real concern.- Team, onboarding, and hiring: a small Clojure pod (Marcin + one dev, testers, DevOps); knowledge sharing, docs, and close pairing are the onboarding tools — hiring remains the main practical blocker.- Enterprise realities: polycentric org structure, integration friction with firm standards (Power BI, Azure), and the tradeoffs that make Clojure a strong fit in some contexts but a harder sell in others.Watch Episode 12 to hear the full conversation and the nuances of keeping a nine‑year Clojure codebase healthy in a corporate setting.

In this engaging discussion, Jeremiah Via, a Staff Software Engineer at The New York Times, reveals his journey with Clojure and its pivotal role in their search systems. He shares insights on the migration from other languages to Clojure, focusing on its unique advantages in data processing. Jeremiah highlights the integration of AI features, hiring practices prioritizing expertise in search, and effective onboarding methods emphasizing functional thinking. He confidently states he would choose Clojure again for its stability and long-term compatibility, while expressing a desire for enhanced NLP tooling.

Cam Saul, Chief Architect at Metabase, discusses the rapid development benefits of transitioning from Python to Clojure. He highlights how Clojure's stability allows for building upon existing work more efficiently. The conversation delves into the importance of a collaborative open-source culture that attracts contributors, as well as the challenges of hiring developers familiar with Clojure's syntax. Cam shares insights on navigating over-engineering in startups and the balance between code quality and accessibility in a JavaScript-heavy environment.

Alexander Johannes, Head of Development at JustOn, shares his insights on integrating Clojure into fintech development. He reflects on his journey transitioning from Salesforce to Clojure, emphasizing the capabilities it brings for rapid and meaningful solutions. The conversation dives into the challenges of team dynamics, hiring niche candidates, and maintaining a strong culture with local talent. They also explore coding pitfalls in Clojure and best practices for functional programming, highlighting the balance between delivering timely features and ensuring code quality.

Jereme Corrado, the former CTO of Mobot and a Clojure enthusiast, shares insights from his programming journey. He discusses the challenges of hiring skilled developers and the importance of quality engineering in Clojure projects. Jereme highlights the unique strengths of Clojure, including its role in AI data management and the advantages of integrating it into a startup environment. He also shares humorous anecdotes from late-night coding sessions and reflects on the transition from Python to Clojure, emphasizing its elegance and efficiency.

Nathan Marz, founder of Red Planet Labs and creator of Apache Storm, delves into his extensive programming journey and the intricacies of building scalable systems with Clojure. He discusses the innovative capabilities of his new platform, Rama, which simplifies software development by reducing code complexity. Marz shares insights on effective testing techniques, the challenges of hiring Clojure developers, and the importance of team dynamics in engineering, emphasizing a collaborative approach to coding and risk assessment.

Yehonathan Sharvit, an author and cybersecurity pro at CyCognito, shares his journey from struggling with C++ and Java to discovering the elegance of Clojure. He emphasizes how Clojure reignited his passion for development and details the crucial role of experienced engineers in a team. The discussion dives into complex challenges like data schema management and software dependencies, plus the ongoing debate between sticking with Clojure or migrating to TypeScript. Yehonathan’s insights are both inspiring and practical for developers navigating their tech stacks.

Jeffy, a Lead Backend Developer, shares his journey in adopting Clojure during the pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of simplicity in software and balanced coding practices. The discussion covers the challenge of recruiting for niche languages, highlighting the significance of learning potential in candidates. Jeffy reflects on how Clojure's functional programming benefits team culture and problem-solving. The podcast also delves into navigating the Clojure ecosystem, addressing the community's supportive nature and the evolving landscape of technology choices.

In this engaging discussion, James Trunk, VP of Engineering at Griffin and co-creator of the Polylith architecture, shares insights from his extensive experience in the banking sector using Clojure. He highlights how skilled Clojure engineers can foster creativity and autonomy in their teams. James talks about the journey from skepticism to success with Clojure, the advantages of Bazel for testing, and the importance of values-driven engineering. He also explores team dynamics and the challenges of using data specification tools in a high-stakes environment.

Marten Sytema, founder of CaterMonkey, shares his journey as a solo engineer turned product creator. He discusses his shift from Java to Clojure, emphasizing its transformative impact on his development process and team dynamics. Marten reveals how CaterMonkey, a smart CRM for catering businesses, evolved from a side project to an international initiative. He touches on the importance of balancing speed with engineering standards and the unique advantages Clojure brings, including community support and innovative features.