Welcome to our interview series, where we chat with the passionate people behind the Collabora Online code. Collabora Online is made possible by the worldwide team, community, contributors and partners. Today, we’re sitting down with Ezinne Nnamani, a Software Engineer who thrives on the transparency and shared ownership of the open-source world.
About Ezinne
Ezinne is a developer and technical advocate with a deep commitment to the open-source ecosystem. Since joining the Collabora community, Ezinne has focused on bridging the gap between complex codebases and the users who rely on them daily. Outside of professional development and testing, Ezinne is a passionate writer on Medium, dedicated to breaking down intricate tech topics to help others navigate the digital world more easily.
What first inspired you to get involved with tech and the open-source community?
I’ve always been curious about how technology works and how software shapes our lives. My first real exposure to open source came when I started working with Collabora projects. What inspired me most was the idea that people from different parts of the world could collaborate to build something useful together.
Open source is more than just code. What does it represent to you personally?
It means transparency, collaboration, and shared ownership. Instead of software being controlled by just one organization, it allows people from different backgrounds to contribute ideas and fixes. I spend a lot of time in GitHub issues, interacting with users and contributors from different parts of the world. It’s incredible to see the process unfold: a user reports a bug, someone suggests a workaround, and a developer eventually implements a fix. It’s “learning in public” where every contribution is an opportunity to learn something new.
How did you first discover Collabora Online?
It was around 2020, during the major shift to remote work. I was looking for open-source alternatives for collaborative editing and that’s when I came across Collabora Online. Combining open standards with real-time collaboration was a really interesting concept to me.
Which features in Collabora Online are you most excited about right now?
I’m really excited about the Track Changes feature. It allows edits made by different users to be clearly marked, so you can see who changed what and review those changes easily. This is extremely useful when multiple people are working on the same document and need a clear editing history. I also really like the Follow User feature. It allows you to follow another user’s cursor in real-time and see exactly where they are working in the document. It makes collaboration feel much more interactive, like everyone is working together in the same room, even from different locations.
How would you describe the experience of working within the Collabora community?
The best part is the global collaboration. I interact with developers, QA engineers, and users from all over the world. We are constantly exchanging ideas, solving problems together and learning from each other. If I had to describe working at Collabora in three words, they would be: Collaborative, Global, and impactful.
In such a fast-paced environment, do you have a productivity tip you swear by?
I believe in breaking big problems into smaller steps. When investigating bugs or testing features, taking it step-by-step makes complicated issues much easier to understand. It keeps me organised and helps me solve problems more efficiently.
What does a “day in the life” look like for you?
A typical day involves digging into bugs, handling GitHub issues, and testing features while reviewing community contributions. I always make sure to balance work with my personal life—spending time on hobbies and with family keeps me energized and sharp for whatever comes next.
When you’re not deep in GitHub issues, how do you spend your time?
I enjoy writing technical articles on Medium! I like breaking down complex tech topics so they are easier for others to understand. It’s a way for me to keep learning and share knowledge with the tech community outside of my day-to-day work.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the next few years?
The biggest challenges will be about professional growth. I want to get stronger at debugging tricky issues and understanding large codebases. I’m focused on learning new technologies while making sure I keep improving without losing sight of teamwork and balance.
Ezinne’s journey shows that at the heart of every great software project is a community of people willing to learn and grow together. Whether she is untangling a complex bug or simplifying a technical concept for others, Ezinne’s “learning in public” approach to software is one to encourage others in the community.
