01From first decision to release
End-to-end product engineering
A clear path from a product requirement to working software. I connect the interface, APIs, data, and deployment so the pieces work together.
- Discovery
- Architecture
- Build
- Launch
Hi, I’m
Khalid Baraka.
Senior Software Engineer & Independent Consultant
I help founders and product teams design, build, improve, and ship production software.
Frontend depth with a view of the whole system, from complex product interfaces to APIs, backend services, and practical AI features.
- React
- TypeScript
- JavaScript
- Go
- PostgreSQL
Primary focusProduct engineering
Based inMontréal, Canada
- Based
- Montréal, Canada
- Focus
- Product engineering
- Engagements
- Project / consulting
- Work
- Remote / worldwide
02Selected work
The work behind the words.
A closer look at the interfaces, systems, and decisions behind the work.
01UnshelfPeer-to-peer rental marketplaceConnecting the product experience to the systems behind every rental.
React Native · TypeScript · Go · PostgreSQL · Redis · Stripe
- The problem
- A rental connects borrowers, lenders, and support teams. Bookings, payments, returns, and incident resolution need to stay consistent across all three experiences.
- My role
- Product engineering across the mobile application, backend services, and internal admin tools.
- What I built
- Borrower and lender journeys, booking workflows, Stripe payment integration, and admin interfaces for operational review.
- Engineering decision
- Keep business decisions in the backend. Treat money collected from a borrower and settlement owed to a lender as separate records, with explicit transitions and reconciliation paths.
The outcome
An implemented marketplace spanning mobile, backend, and operations, with dedicated workflows for bookings and incident settlement.
02AskDocsIndependent project / AI document assistantDocument answers with their supporting sources in view.
Next.js · TypeScript · Supabase · PostgreSQL · OpenAI
- The problem
- A useful document assistant needs more than a chat box: users need to see which passages support an answer and keep their documents private.
- My role
- Product interface, document-processing workflow, and AI integration for an independent engineering project.
- What I built
- PDF upload and extraction, streaming answers, source excerpts, conversation history, and an interactive demo.
- Engineering decision
- Start with understandable lexical retrieval instead of a vector pipeline. Keep document access behind narrow API routes and user-scoped database policies.
The outcome
A working interactive demo and an implementation for authenticated document storage and grounded answers when the external services are configured.
03ClientFlowIndependent project / Client operationsA focused workspace for the details that keep client work moving.
React · Next.js · TypeScript · Supabase · PostgreSQL
- The problem
- Client relationships, project progress, and day-to-day tasks are easier to act on when they share a coherent interface.
- My role
- Frontend architecture, product workflows, and data integration for an independent engineering project.
- What I built
- A dashboard, searchable client portfolio, client detail views, task management, and loading, validation, and empty states.
- Engineering decision
- Use a small relational model with user-scoped access policies. Separate the explorable demo from authenticated persistence so the interface can be evaluated without setup.
The outcome
An interactive client-operations product with session-based demo workflows and PostgreSQL persistence when Supabase is configured.
Open a project to explore the problem, approach, and implementation.
03How I can help
Make progress.
On the right things.
Hands-on engineering, thoughtful advice, or both. The engagement starts with what your product needs.
02
Frontend engineering
React and TypeScript interfaces built for real product complexity. Thoughtful architecture, reusable design systems, and attention to performance.
- React
- TypeScript
- Design systems
- Performance
03
Architecture & technical advisory
A second pair of experienced eyes on your system, codebase, or next decision. Clear trade-offs and an actionable engineering plan.
- System design
- Code reviews
- Technical planning
04
Product improvements & rescue
Find the cause of difficult bugs, finish stalled features, and improve code that has become hard to change, including AI-generated codebases.
- Debugging
- Refactoring
- Reliability
- Delivery
05
Practical AI integration
Bring useful AI capabilities into a product or workflow, with attention to the surrounding experience, source quality, and failure states.
- AI APIs
- Document workflows
- Product integration
04Working together
A clear path.
A direct conversation.
You work directly with the engineer doing the work. Clear expectations, visible progress, and room to make good decisions.
- 01
Conversation
We start with the product, the problem, and the constraints. I ask questions and establish where I can help.
- 02
Scope
We agree on the outcome, priorities, and trade-offs. You get a clear plan for what comes next.
- 03
Build
I work in small, reviewable increments. You see progress, try the software, and stay part of the decisions.
- 04
Ship
We prepare for release, document the important details, and agree on handover and follow-up.
05A little about me
An engineer’s attention.
A product perspective.
- Strongest focus
- Frontend & product
- Core stack
- React & TypeScript
- Based
- Montréal, Canada
- Collaboration
- Remote / worldwide
I’m a Senior Software Engineer based in Montréal, working independently with founders and engineering teams.
My deepest experience is in frontend and product engineering: React, TypeScript, design systems, and the complex interfaces people rely on to get things done.
I also work across the APIs, backend services, data, and architecture that make those experiences possible. I care about understanding the whole workflow before changing one part of it.
My approach is straightforward: ask good questions, make trade-offs explicit, and take ownership of the details that help a product work well.
Khalid Baraka06Technical expertise
The tools follow the problem.
A strong frontend foundation, with the range to connect the rest of the system.
- Frontend
- ReactTypeScriptJavaScriptNext.jsmodern CSSfrontend architecturedesign systems
- Backend
- GoPythonREST APIsservice architecture
- Data
- PostgreSQLRedisSupabase
- Infrastructure
- Fly.ioCloudflaredeployment workflows
- Product & integrations
- StripeAI APIsauthenticationpaymentsmarketplace systems
07Common questions
Before we say hello.
What kinds of projects do you take on?
Product applications, complex frontend systems, API integrations, and improvements to existing software. I’m most useful when a project needs both hands-on implementation and careful technical decisions.
Do you work with startups?
Yes. I can work directly with founders to clarify a product’s scope, make the initial architecture decisions, and build an increment that is useful to put in front of users.
Can you join an existing engineering team?
Yes. I can work alongside your engineers, designers, and product team, contribute within your existing practices, and take ownership of an agreed area of the product.
Can you work on an existing codebase?
Absolutely. I start by understanding the current architecture and workflows, then make targeted changes that fit the system and can be reviewed and tested.
Can you help rescue a project already underway?
Yes. We first identify what is blocking progress, whether that’s scope, unfinished features, technical debt, or difficult bugs. Then we agree on a realistic recovery plan.
Do you only work on frontend?
Frontend and product engineering are my strongest areas. I also work across APIs, backend services, databases, payments, and deployment when the project calls for it.
Can you help with architecture before development?
Yes. An advisory engagement can cover requirements, system boundaries, trade-offs, a codebase review, or an implementation plan before a larger build begins.
Do you work with AI-generated codebases?
Yes. I review the actual behavior, architecture, access controls, and error handling, then prioritize what needs attention. The goal is software your team can understand and maintain.
Do you work with clients outside Canada?
Yes. I’m based in Montréal and work remotely with clients worldwide. We agree on communication and useful overlap at the start of the engagement.
How do consulting engagements work?
We begin with a conversation, define the scope and desired outcome, then agree on the working arrangement. Pricing and timelines depend on the scope and are discussed before work begins.
Do you offer ongoing support?
Ongoing improvements and follow-up support can be part of the engagement. We agree on scope, availability, and responsibilities rather than assuming an open-ended commitment.
08Your next step
Something in mind?
Let’s make it work.
Tell me what you’re building, what needs attention, or where you’d like a second perspective.
[email protected]