You come across a Keronic vacancy, get approached, or encounter Keronic in some other way. It doesn’t take long before you run into the word “Magik”, not with a ‘c’! A few question probably start popping up.
You’re interested in the role, the company appeals to you, and you think: “Nice, a Friday dedicated to personal development.” But then you come across a programming language you’ve never heard of. You try Googling it, but nothing comes up. No GitHub repositories, nothing on ChatGPT, no frameworks, no community.
It makes perfect sense that you’re thinking: Why should I spend time learning a niche language that almost no one uses? Isn’t this a risk for my development as a developer? The short answer: No. It’s not a risk — it’s actually an advantage. Because that answer is a bit too brief, this article explains what Magik is, what it’s used for, and why you can trust it, supported by the experiences of developers who came before you.
Magik is an object‑oriented, dynamic programming language used within GE Smallworld™: a geographic information system (GIS) running at major network operators such as Enexis and Alliander.
The language is incremental, which makes running certain tests easier than in many other languages: you write and test code at the same time, without a separate compile step. This makes it well‑suited for complex, tightly connected systems such as energy infrastructures.
In addition, Magik lets you build complete solutions and discover extensions, rather than creating a small, often pre‑defined, component within a much larger system.
No. GE Smallworld, and therefore Magik, is used by major players in energy, water, and telecom across Western Europe and the United States. It may not be widespread, but it’s definitely used a lot.
“The bigger players, like Enexis, use it as well. But it’s similar to JavaScript: large companies don’t just share their code openly.”
— Sytse, Software Developer
Precisely because it’s niche, there’s little competition and a high demand for skilled people. The number of challenges in the energy domain is only increasing, which means there’s growing demand for people who can actually make an impact.
Magik has been a proven tool in that space for years. And specialists are often rewarded, simply because almost no one else can do what they do. The knowledge you gain here is irreplaceable.
“Think of it this way: if you want to create a French song, do you ask a singer to quickly learn a few French words? Or do you pick a random French person and hope they can sing and understand everything that goes into composing a song? I know what I would do…”
— Kees, Co‑owner
That depends on your ambition. What you learn at Keronic goes far beyond a single language. You immediately start working with complex coding challenges that demand strong analytical and conceptual thinking as a developer. In most junior positions, that’s not the case.
On top of that, Keronic offers a three‑month training program taught by experts, whereas other companies often teach you something in just a few weeks. Here, you actually learn the fundamentals of programming: skills that are widely applicable.
“For me, the programming language was never decisive. The way of working and the training program are simply very good. Personally, I think that matters more.”
— Xander, Software Developer
It actually does. Magik is closest in work style and flexibility to dynamic languages like Python or JavaScript. For developers with experience in those languages, the transition quickly feels familiar. To stay within the language‑learning metaphor: if you already know Spanish, learning French becomes a lot easier.
“Binnen een week was ik er wel aan gewend.”
— Sytse, Software Developer (Previously worked with PHP.)
— Xander, Software Developer
Because of the limited external documentation, you learn differently at Keronic: by collaborating, asking questions, and reasoning things out yourself. The knowledge isn’t on forums, it’s in your team. And that actually reduces the “noise”: the information you do get comes directly from experts, not from people mainly trying to generate YouTube views.
“It really encourages collaboration. And asking colleagues questions. Otherwise, you might just start Googling on your own.”
— Sytse, Software Developer
Meaningful work with real societal impact.
Collaborating in a close‑knit team with short communication lines.
Deep, hands‑on technical experience (GIS, infrastructure, data models).
Job security in a growing and highly relevant sector.
Learning to work in an interactive programming environment.
Experience that genuinely matters even if, after a rewarding few years at Keronic, you decide to move on.
Would you prefer to develop yourself as a specialist in one specific programming language? Fair enough. In that case, JavaScript or Python will offer you more direct opportunities.
But is being a good programmer only about the language you use? Isn’t the outcome more important than the tool itself? If that resonates, take a serious look at everything else you’ll learn at Keronic and what working in this niche actually gives you: a solid training program, a supportive learning environment, job security, complex challenges, and real responsibility.
Are you looking for a place where you’re encouraged to learn, ask questions, and explore? Then Magik might be that unexpected choice that ends up making perfect sense later on. Feel free to schedule an introductory meeting — we’re happy to tell you more.
Have a question about GE Smallworld™, our products, or consultancy support? Tell us what you’re working on!
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