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Matthew Layton
R3 | ONIXLabs | Blockchain | CBDC
Professional Background
Matthew Layton is a dynamic and innovative Principal Software Engineer actively contributing to the world of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) at R3, a leading blockchain technology company. His extensive experience spans multiple high-impact roles within the software development and technology landscape, emphasizing his deep expertise in blockchain, distributed ledger technology (DLT), and open-source development.
Before his current endeavors at R3, where he holds the position of Principal Software Engineer, Matthew progressed through several influential roles within the organization. His journey began as an Application Developer, where he honed his foundational skills in various programming languages and software design principles, contributing significantly to the company's success.
Matthew’s role at R3 has solidified his reputation as a thought leader in the blockchain sector, particularly in the context of developing solutions that facilitate the adoption of digital currencies by central banks. His commitment to innovation and excellence has consistently led him to explore new technologies and methodologies that enhance product offerings and drive operational efficiency.
Education and Achievements
Matthew Layton’s academic background in Computer Science, obtained from the University of Bedfordshire, laid the crucial groundwork for his illustrious career. This educational experience provided him with a solid grasp of software engineering principles, algorithms, and system architecture, forming the basis for his successful foray into the technology sector.
In addition to his formal education, Matthew is also the founder of ONIXLabs, an initiative dedicated to creating open-source tools, libraries, and frameworks that empower developers around the globe. His passion for open-source development underscores his commitment to fostering collaboration and innovation within the software engineering community, reflecting an ethos that promotes sharing knowledge and advancing technology collectively.
Professional Experience
Prior to his current role at R3, Matthew's career has been characterized by a succession of positions that underscore his technical acumen and leadership capabilities. He served as a Senior Staff Software Engineer at R3, where he played a pivotal role in shaping engineering practices and mentoring junior engineers, thereby driving a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
Earlier in his career, Matthew held the position of Technical & Innovation Lead at Ivno, where he was instrumental in guiding the development of cutting-edge blockchain solutions. In this role, he managed cross-functional teams, leveraging synergies to propel projects forward and deliver innovative products that meet client needs.
Matthew also made significant contributions to the Marco Polo Network, where he served as both Technical Lead (Blockchain & DLT) and Senior Developer. His efforts in developing distributed ledger solutions have positioned the Marco Polo Network as a leader in the supply chain financing space, greatly influencing industry standards and practices.
His trajectory in application development began at organizations like Monarch Airlines, Boston Limited, MICROS Systems UK Limited, and Lumesse, where he embraced various critical roles that equipped him with the skills necessary for his later achievements. As an I.T Support Technician at NHS Luton, Matthew gained hands-on experience in troubleshooting and resolving technical issues, setting the stage for a successful career in technology.
Notable Contributions
Matthew Layton is recognized for his significant contributions to the field of software engineering and blockchain technology. His dedication to fostering collaborative environments through his work with ONIXLabs showcases his belief in the power of open-source projects and the importance of giving back to the developer community.
His forward-thinking approach to technology and innovation positions him as a sought-after expert in the blockchain space, particularly as it relates to the implementation of CBDCs. Matthew continues to be a vital force at R3, consistently pushing the boundaries of what is possible at the intersection of technology and finance.
In summary, Matthew Layton exemplifies the qualities of a visionary leader in the software engineering field, with a strong foundation in computer science and a passion for leveraging technology to drive advancement. He not only builds robust systems and solutions but also encourages others to explore the endless possibilities within the technology landscape, making him a valuable asset to any organization and the industry at large.
Highlights
The ONIXLabs .NET Library version 9.0.0 has now been released and is available on NuGet!
https://lnkd.in/e4wiMrSc
This version includes significant new features, enhanced code coverage, and improved performance. The entire codebase has been thoroughly analyzed and refactored to reduce heap allocations, eliminate unnecessary virtual method calls, and optimize computationally intensive algorithms.
Core updates:
Introducing the new ISpanBinaryConvertible interface, enabling objects to return their underlying byte array as a ReadOnlySpan<T>. This allows consumers to work with the original object's bytes without mutation or additional allocations.
Adding new LINQ-like extension methods for non-generic IEnumerable, such as Count, LongCount, ForEach, GetContentHashCode, IsEmpty, IsNotEmpty, IsSingle, IsCountEven, IsCountOdd, JoinToString, and ToCollectionString.
Result<T> now implements IDisposable and IAsyncDisposable, allowing for use in using and async using statements. This ensures proper disposal of underlying values that implement these interfaces.
Adding async method extensions for Result, Result<T>, and Optional<T>, facilitating seamless integration into async workflows.
Enhancing pre-condition guard clauses to handle nullable structs and strings that are null, empty, or whitespace.
Updating the GetName extension to support formatting with full type names and generic type arguments, configurable via the new TypeNameFlags enumeration.
Improving the ToRecordString extension to support more expressive record-like strings, including formatting for collection types and null values.
Cryptography updates:
Introducing new record types: NamedHash, NamedPrivateKey, NamedPublicKey, and DigitalSignatureAndPublicKey.
Fixing an issue in the SHA3 implementation where the hash length was incorrectly set.
A Tale of Performance Optimization
In a recent article called "The Journey of Creating the ONIXLabs .NET Library," I mentioned the upcoming release of version 9.0.0. As part of the ongoing work toward this release, an analysis of the entire API suite revealed several areas ripe for improvement. Here’s a look into the journey of performance optimization.
Tackling Heap Allocations
One of the first discoveries was excessive heap allocations, which often lead to increased GC pressure, negatively impacting performance:
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Array copy allocations could be reduced by using Span<T> and ReadOnlySpan<T>.
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Boxing allocations could be reduced by using generics and struct-based implementations.
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Delegate closure allocations could be reduced in some cases by entirely refactoring away the code that required the delegate in the first place.
Reducing Virtual Method Overheads
Some implementations, specifically Result, Optional, and their generic counterparts were utilising abstract (virtual) methods such as Match and Select, implemented by their respective Success, Failure, Some, and None implementations. Virtual method calls involve v-table lookups at runtime, and subsequently cannot be optimised by the compiler. By refactoring the code to replace virtual methods with direct calls where possible, the code was simplified, and runtime performance improved by eliminating the overhead of v-table lookups, where in many cases the compiler can simply inline the concrete method implementation.
Optimising Computationally Expensive Algorithms
Some computationally expensive algorithms were also identified during the analysis. These could be refactored to use Span<T>, allowing the same chunk of the stack to be reused for subsequent operations. This approach not only reduces memory usage but also speeds up the processing time by minimizing allocations.
Notably, the TryComputeHash extension method, which accepts n hash rounds to compute hashes like SHA256D was optimised to utilise a Span<T> to store the current hash value, and only allocates a byte array once the computation is complete.
Conclusion
Through careful analysis and targeted refactoring, significant performance improvements were achieved in the API suite. Tackling heap allocations, eliminating boxing, reducing virtual method overheads, and optimising computationally expensive algorithms were key steps in this journey. These improvements highlight the importance of continuous performance evaluation and how small changes can make a big difference in delivering a robust and efficient API.
Optimising performance is an ongoing process, and with each refinement, there’s a commitment to providing the best possible experience for users.
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
- Comprehensive Contact Management: Automatically collects contact data and enriches profiles to keep them up-to-date
- Network Strength: Visualizes the strength of your relationships relative to others in your network
- Timeline: Shows your relationship history with each contact
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
- Home Feed: Displays updates about your network including job changes, news mentions, and birthdays
- Groups: Organizes contacts into meaningful categories
- Nexus AI: An AI navigator that helps you derive insights from your network, such as finding contacts who have been to specific places or work at particular companies
Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus primarily on sales pipelines and business relationships, Mesh is a "home for your people," attempting to carve out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. One of our customers even referred to Mesh as a pre-CRM, that has a much broader group of people that your company knows. Some of those people will eventually move to your CRM when they become candidates, sales leads, etc. Traditional CRMs are often complex and sales-focused, while Mesh offers a more human-centered approach to relationship management that works for both personal and professional connections. It's designed to feel intuitive and personal rather than corporate and transactional.
Mesh takes privacy seriously. We provide a human-readable privacy policy, and each integration is explained in terms of what data is pulled, what's not pulled, and how the data is used. Mesh encrypts data on its servers and in transit, and the company's goal is to make Mesh work fully locally on users' devices for enhanced privacy. Mesh is also SOC 2 Type 2 certified.
Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
Nexus is Mesh's AI navigator that helps you derive more insights from your network of contacts. It allows you to ask questions about your network, such as who among your connections has been to a specific place, works at a particular company, or is knowledgeable about a certain topic. Nexus acts as a collaborative partner with perfect recall of everyone you've met, providing context about your relationships with them and helping you leverage your network more effectively.
Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.