About Stephen
Stephen Dixon is an independent developer, designer, and founder of DXN Studio, building products across Swift, AI, product design, nature, and learning.
Hey! 👋 I'm Stephen Dixon, an independent developer, designer, and founder of DXN Studio.
I've been building software since 1998, when I taught myself HTML at 11 years old. Since then, I've spent more than two decades designing, building, and shipping products across the web, mobile, and Apple platforms.
Today, my work sits at the intersection of:
- Swift and the Apple ecosystem
- Artificial intelligence and Foundation Models
- Product design and user experience
- Independent software businesses
- Nature, history, and learning
What I'm Working On
Most of my work now happens through DXN Studio.
I build products that help people learn, explore, and think differently about the world around them.
Naturalis
My primary focus is Naturalis, a modern field guide for the natural world.
Naturalis helps people identify, learn about, and remember the species they encounter. Photograph a plant, insect, fungus, bird, or animal, and build a personal library of discoveries over time.
Rather than treating identification as a one-time answer, Naturalis is designed to feel like a personal field guide — encouraging curiosity, observation, and learning.
AteIQ
I also continue to develop AteIQ, an AI-powered nutrition and meal tracking app built for people who want a simpler way to understand what they eat.
Rather than focusing solely on calorie counting, AteIQ combines food logging, nutritional insights, and AI-powered guidance to help people build a healthier relationship with food over time.
Other Projects
Alongside Naturalis and AteIQ, I occasionally explore ideas in areas such as:
- Personal knowledge and journaling
- Artificial intelligence and developer tooling
- History and education
- Games and interactive experiences
Not every project becomes a business.
Sometimes the goal is simply to learn.
What This Site Is About
stphndxn.com is where I share what I'm learning.
You'll find articles about:
- Swift development
- Apple technologies
- Artificial intelligence
- Product design
- Building and growing independent software products
- Systems, habits, and personal development
The goal isn't to chase every trend.
It's to document what I'm building, what I'm learning, and the ideas that seem worth exploring.
Why I Write
Writing helps me think.
Some of my best ideas have come from trying to explain something clearly enough for somebody else to understand it.
Whether I'm writing about SwiftUI, Foundation Models, AI-native product design, lessons learned while building Naturalis, or insights from running independent software products, the process forces me to slow down and refine my thinking.
This site is my public notebook — a place to share experiments, lessons, failures, and discoveries along the way.
Beyond Software
When I'm not building products, you'll usually find me:
- Walking and exploring nature
- Reading history
- Visiting castles, ruins, and historical sites
- Spending time with my family
- Building games and projects with my son
- Thinking about how technology can help people become more curious about the world rather than distracted from it
Get In Touch
You can find me on X, GitHub, or email me at stephen@dxn.studio.
You can also learn more about my work at:
Thanks for stopping by.
—Stephen