During October 2025, Rhodgkins focused on backend development within the firebase/firebase-functions repository, addressing a critical reliability issue in the Firebase Functions emulator. He resolved a bug where DataSnapshot methods could be called with null data, which previously led to runtime errors during local testing. By refining the emulator’s data handling logic and introducing targeted tests for null data scenarios, Rhodgkins improved both the resilience and reliability of the local development workflow. His work, primarily using JavaScript and TypeScript, emphasized robust testing practices and contributed to a smoother experience for developers relying on Firebase’s local emulation tools for backend functions.