Publication
Laravel API Tutorial: Creating and Testing a RESTful API
https://www.toptal.com/developers/laravel/restful-laravel-api-tutorial
Alex is currently unavailable
Alex Braden
Verified Expert in Engineering
Back-end and Front-end Developer
Chandler, AZ, United States
Toptal member since August 29, 2025
Bio
Alex is an innovative back- and front-end developer with 10+ years of experience building scalable, data-driven applications. He's proficient in Node.js, React, Next, Vue, Angular, Laravel, and Django, with a strong focus on AI integration, data visualization, and machine learning. Adept at creating robust, user-centric solutions that deliver measurable business value, Alex is an effective collaborator skilled at transforming complex requirements into high-impact features.
Portfolio
Arizona State University
Next.js, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Prompt Engineering...
Patient Padawan Design
React, Next.js, Vue 2, Vue 3, Angular 6, Gatsby, Strapi, Payload CMS, Node.js...
DataAnnotation
Python, JavaScript, HTML5, CSS...
Experience
- JavaScript - 12 years
- TypeScript - 10 years
- Front-end Development - 10 years
- Node.js - 10 years
- React - 8 years
- Tailwind CSS - 6 years
- Next.js - 6 years
- Airtable - 4 years
Preferred Environment
MacOS, Cursor AI, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Slack, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
The most amazing...
...project I've built is a custom CMS-integrated Next.js website that boosted client search engine optimization (SEO) rankings and performance.
Work Experience
Senior AI Engineer
2025 - PRESENT
Arizona State University
- Developed a real-time AI-powered medical interview simulator independently under the direct leadership of the Director of AI Acceleration at ASU.
- Managed project timelines and deliverables from ideation to initial beta launch.
- Collaborated directly with distinguished professors of medicine, translating their requirements into reality.
Technologies: Next.js, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Prompt Engineering, Large Language Models (LLMs), Web Architecture, Docker, Database Optimization, Python 3, Claude, OpenAI, Front-end, Claude Code, Jira, Back-end, Web App Development, NestJS
Freelance Web Developer
2023 - PRESENT
Patient Padawan Design
- Designed user-focused, creative interfaces that improved user task completion by 20%.
- Implemented responsive design for optimal cross-device compatibility.
- Integrated 3rd-party APIs to enhance client functionality and reduce development time by 15%.
Technologies: React, Next.js, Vue 2, Vue 3, Angular 6, Gatsby, Strapi, Payload CMS, Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, GraphQL, REST APIs, Firebase, Supabase, Tailwind CSS, TypeScript, Ant Design, Material UI, Vuetify, Laravel, Python, Contentful, Front-end Development, CSS, Clojure, Amazon Route 53, APIs, Amazon Web Services (AWS), SQLite, Svelte, Full-stack Development, Full-stack, Agile Software Development, Django, FastAPI, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth 2, RESTFul APIs, Data Analysis, SQL, Automation, Azure DevOps, Terraform, Azure, Product Management, OpenAI API, Chatbots, Stripe API, Ruby, Ruby on Rails (RoR), Vue, Docker, Database Optimization, Data Modeling, Front-end, Web App Development
Software Developer | AI Trainer
2024 - 2025
DataAnnotation
- Utilized RLHF techniques to fine-tune AI for coding tasks, increasing model accuracy by 18%.
- Contributed to AI model development for automated coding assistance.
- Employed Python, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and documentation to evaluate and improve AI responses.
Technologies: Python, JavaScript, HTML5, CSS, Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), Front-end Development, Amazon Web Services (AWS), SQLite, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Full-stack Development, Full-stack, Data Analysis, Product Management, API Integration, Docker, Query Optimization, Python 3, Data Modeling, Front-end, Google Cloud, Back-end, NestJS
Senior Technology Consultant - React, PHP & Airtable
2021 - 2023
Rebels Repairs
- Built and launched the company's first website, increasing online visibility by 40%.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to deliver high-impact digital transformation projects.
- Delivered training to non-technical staff, reducing support requests by 30%.
- Generated detailed reports on key website performance.
Technologies: React, PHP, GitLab, Heroku, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Airtable, Full-stack Development, Full-stack, SQL, API Integration, Query Optimization, Data Modeling, Front-end, Jira
Advanced Client Solutions Associate
2021 - 2021
Bank of America
- Developed responsive UI components in Next.js and Contentful, boosting onboarding efficiency.
- Optimized Azure Cosmos DB queries, reducing data retrieval latency by 25%.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams in Agile sprints to improve client experience.
Technologies: Next.js, Contentful, Azure Cosmos DB, GitHub, AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), Front-end Development, CSS, Node.js, APIs, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Full-stack Development, Agile DevOps, Full-stack, Software Architecture, Agile Software Development, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), RESTFul APIs, SQL, Integration, Azure DevOps, Azure, Product Management, CI/CD Pipelines, CRM APIs, Stripe API, API Integration, Query Optimization, Back-end, Web App Development
Experience
Title Luxury Travel Booking Platform - Full-stack Feature Development
http://journey.com• Led back-end development for new web booking flows at a luxury travel platform, working across a Next.js and NestJS stack deployed via Vercel and GCP.
• Built custom Strapi CMS components that reduced marketing campaign launch time by around 60%, enabling non-technical team members to ship updates independently without engineering involvement.
• Stepped across the stack into the front end when needed to unblock delivery deadlines and keep release cycles on track.
• Consulted across engineering teams on search functionality and content management architecture, reducing cross-team blockers across 3+ concurrent feature workstreams.
• Built custom Strapi CMS components that reduced marketing campaign launch time by around 60%, enabling non-technical team members to ship updates independently without engineering involvement.
• Stepped across the stack into the front end when needed to unblock delivery deadlines and keep release cycles on track.
• Consulted across engineering teams on search functionality and content management architecture, reducing cross-team blockers across 3+ concurrent feature workstreams.
Firstrade Online Brokerage Platform
A Next.js-based online brokerage platform for Firstrade. I worked as the front-end developer, building responsive UI components, integrating with Contentful for dynamic content, and collaborating with back-end and design teams to deliver a seamless trading experience across desktop and mobile.
Healthcare Staffing Platform
https://www.medely.com/Developed a highly responsive healthcare staffing platform using Next.js and Material UI (MUI) to deliver a seamless experience for healthcare professionals and facilities. Implemented reusable UI components, server-side rendering for performance optimization, and API integrations to manage real-time job listings, scheduling, and user workflows. Focused on clean, scalable architecture and a consistent design system using MUI’s component library.
AIPDerm Digital Dermatology Hospital
ACOMPLISHMENTS
• Led the development of the React-based front end of the AIPDerm Digital Dermatology Hospital, a revolutionary AI-powered skin triaging and diagnostic screening platform.
• Implemented localization and internationalization features to prepare the platform for a Hungarian market launch.
• Managed and resolved dozens of customer requests, directly reducing support tickets by 65% within the 1st two weeks of launch.
• Collaborated closely with a cross-functional UI/UX team to bring sophisticated, streamlined, and pixel-perfect healthcare experiences to life.
• Took initiative in identifying areas for modification and improvement of the platform, tracked them using the Clubhouse project management tool, and delivered significant wins to user satisfaction KPIs.
• Refactored the software codebase using the latest React patterns and paradigms, including Hooks and functional components, improving efficiency, and reliability, and minimizing technical debt.
• Led the development of the React-based front end of the AIPDerm Digital Dermatology Hospital, a revolutionary AI-powered skin triaging and diagnostic screening platform.
• Implemented localization and internationalization features to prepare the platform for a Hungarian market launch.
• Managed and resolved dozens of customer requests, directly reducing support tickets by 65% within the 1st two weeks of launch.
• Collaborated closely with a cross-functional UI/UX team to bring sophisticated, streamlined, and pixel-perfect healthcare experiences to life.
• Took initiative in identifying areas for modification and improvement of the platform, tracked them using the Clubhouse project management tool, and delivered significant wins to user satisfaction KPIs.
• Refactored the software codebase using the latest React patterns and paradigms, including Hooks and functional components, improving efficiency, and reliability, and minimizing technical debt.
Education
2016 - 2018
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
Arizona State University - Phoenix, AZ, United States
Certifications
APRIL 2024 - PRESENT
Data Visualization
freeCodeCamp
DECEMBER 2023 - PRESENT
JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures
freeCodeCamp
OCTOBER 2023 - PRESENT
Responsive Web Design
freeCodeCamp
Skills
Libraries/APIs
React, Vue 2, Vue 3, Node.js, REST APIs, Chart.js, OpenAI API, Stripe API, Vue, Stripe
Tools
Slack, GitLab, GitHub, AWS Command Line Interface (CLI), Claude Code, Jira, Google Analytics, Terraform, Claude, GoLand
Languages
JavaScript, Python, HTML5, CSS, GraphQL, TypeScript, PHP, SQL, Ruby, Clojure, Python 3
Frameworks
Next.js, Angular 6, Payload CMS, Express.js, Tailwind CSS, Ant Design, Material UI, Vuetify, Laravel, Svelte, Django, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), OAuth 2, Ruby on Rails (RoR), NestJS, Ruby on Rails 6, Flask
Paradigms
Agile Software Development, Test-driven Development (TDD), Unit Testing, Automation, Azure DevOps, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, Web Architecture, REST
Platforms
MacOS, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Firebase, Contentful, Heroku, Vercel, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, Docker, Software Design Patterns
Storage
MongoDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Google Cloud, Azure Cosmos DB, Data Pipelines, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), Datadog
Other
Software Engineering, Front-end Development, Gatsby, Strapi, Supabase, Styled-components, Headless UI, APIs, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Full-stack Development, Agile DevOps, Full-stack, FastAPI, RESTFul APIs, GitHub Actions, Product Management, CI/CD Pipelines, Chatbots, API Integration, Pixel Perfect, Database Optimization, Query Optimization, Front-end, Dashboards, Workflow Automation, SaaS, Back-end, Web App Development, Cursor AI, Machine Learning, Google Tag Manager, Airtable, Amazon Route 53, Software Architecture, Data Analysis, Integration, CRM APIs, Large Language Models (LLMs), Data Modeling, OpenAI, Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), Prompt Engineering, RPC, Pub/Sub
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