Sydney · Full-stack engineer

Hey, I’m Ali Shaikh

My corner of the internet. Usually tech, sometimes travel, occasionally whatever’s on my mind.

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Recent Writing

Thoughts on engineering, tools, and building things that last.

Exploring Gaussian Splatting

Turning ordinary videos into 3D scenes you can walk around inside, with nothing but a phone and a regular computer. What I've explored so far, what tripped me up, and why I think this gets weird in a good way.

· 9 min read
Gaussian Splatting 3D AI

I Let Claude Plan My Queenstown Trip

I built a small MCP bridge between Claude and Wanderlog, asked it to plan a week in Queenstown, then went. Here's what actually saved me time on the ground.

· 7 min read
MCP AI Travel
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Ali Shaikh

About Me

Sydney · Full-stack · Builder

I’m a full-stack engineer in Sydney. Most of what I build starts as a tool I wanted for myself, gets too useful to delete, and ends up running quietly on a server in my apartment.

What pulls me in right now isn’t a particular framework. It is that software has stopped being mostly CRUD. The interesting work is wiring capabilities together into systems that run unattended. I’d rather build the thing and walk away than babysit a workflow.

When I’m not building, I’m usually planning a trip I haven’t booked, tending a garden that mostly tends itself, or chipping away at an Urdu learning app because Duolingo still won’t ship one.

What I work with

TypeScript Python React SvelteKit FastAPI Astro SQLite PostgreSQL Docker Google Cloud Run Tailscale MCP Servers Playwright Claude / LLMs

Principles

  • Build the tool, then use the tool
  • E2E tests before features
  • Automate your own life first
  • No complexity before users

Where I’ve worked

Roughly seven years of shipping software in Sydney.

  1. Software Engineer II

    May 2026 — Present · Sydney, Australia

  2. Software Developer

    Nov 2022 — May 2026 · Sydney, Australia

    • Built a performant e-commerce flow for purchasing devices and subscriptions, hitting a Lighthouse score of 98.
    • Developed a unified account management system across Kayo, Binge, and Flash for streamlined releases and a consistent UI.
    • Implemented a centralised GraphQL layer that consolidated multiple backend services into a single API for mobile, TV, and web (99.99% uptime).
    • Integrated AEM, cutting content update time by ~85% by enabling stakeholder self-service.
    • Pushed Kayo/Binge LCP under 2.5s with React + New Relic, contributing to ~5% sales lift.
    • Built unit, integration, and component tests with Jest, Playwright, and Storybook to cut regression incidents.
    • Built an automated image generation service that eliminated 5,000+ manual hours per year — earned an internal innovation award.

  3. Software Engineer

    May 2021 — Nov 2022

    • Worked on digital licences for the Service NSW mobile app.
    • Built an API microservice for the COVID Safe Check-in tool, used by millions of NSW citizens.
    • Streamlined digital trade credentials such as white card and contractor licence.
    • Built a POC demonstrating Verifiable Credentials for securely storing digital credentials.
    • Improved developer efficiency with a dynamic licence generator service.

  4. Lead Instructor (Contract)

    Feb 2022 — May 2022 · Sydney, Australia

    • Taught GA's React.js bootcamp — components, state, hooks, routing, and testing. 90% positive feedback.

  5. Software Developer

    Apr 2020 — May 2021 · Sydney, Australia

    • Built and optimised Node.js/Express endpoints on AWS Lambda (Serverless) for the React app, with Neo4J and S3 backends.
    • Designed a third-party integration service using AWS Lambda and Step Functions, improving service reliability.
    • Improved the platform's mobile UX on iPhone and Android.
    • Introduced Storybook to streamline the React frontend.
    • Built a dynamic ABN registration form with React, Express, and Stripe.

  6. Teaching Assistant — USYD Web Dev Bootcamp

    Aug 2020 — Feb 2021 · Sydney, Australia

    • Taught core full-stack concepts — Node.js, SQL/NoSQL, React.
    • Provided 1:1 support for students on coursework and assignments.

  7. Full-Stack Developer · Software Developer · Academic Tutor

    Aug 2018 — Jan 2020 · Sydney, Australia

    • Educational Innovation: integrated SRES with USYD's Canvas LMS via Flask; built a unit testing framework; built a React + D3 + Flask analytics platform.
    • Software Developer: built a campus maps app in React; maintained sydney.edu.au components via Adobe Experience Manager.
    • Academic Tutor (INFO1112, INFO1111): taught OS/networks fundamentals and computing professionalism (Git, LaTeX) to two classes of 30.

Let’s Connect

I’m always open to interesting conversations, collaboration opportunities, or just saying hello.

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