I was saddened to hear that Alex Hay, developer of apps like Toolbox Pro and Logger, passed away recently. His work was not only a great resource for the Shortcuts community, but an inspiration to everyone who seeks to make their devices work for them. He was also a generous and kind person in general, always willing to help others with his deep knowledge.

The team at MacStories have decided, with the blessing of Alex’s family, to dedicated the upcoming Automation April event to his memory. In his touching article remembering Alex, John Voorhees shared beautiful words about his impact and legacy. This sentence in particular struck a chord with me:

[Developers] are the artists of our time, and their imagination, creativity, and passion are what inspire us.

I couldn’t say it any better. Independent app development is a difficult profession, but it makes life better for so many people in myriad ways. I’m so thankful for people who choose to pursue it.

Alex Hay was one of the developers who had an impact on my life through his work, and he will be missed. My thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Alex.