Ratko Solaja
Verified Expert in Engineering
WordPress Developer
Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia
Toptal member since September 7, 2016
With over 10 years of WordPress expertise, Ratko specializes in crafting bespoke websites that are tailored to each client’s unique needs. His experience spans custom plugin and theme development (classic, hybrid, and block-based), API integrations, and eCommerce solutions. From creating custom APIs to managing complex migrations, Ratko’s focus is on delivering high-quality, fully customized solutions that engage and inspire, going beyond generic approaches to meet specific business goals.
Portfolio
Experience
- WordPress Plugins - 10 years
- WordPress - 10 years
- PHP - 10 years
- HTML5 - 9 years
- WooCommerce - 9 years
- Object-oriented Programming (OOP) - 7 years
- WordPress Theme Design - 7 years
- Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) - 4 years
Work Experience
Senior WordPress Developer
Simplicity, LLC
- Developed websites for the country's largest media and news organizations, including prominent names like Dnevni List Danas, Radar, CityMagazine, and Nasa Mreza.
- Engineered a versatile booking plugin featuring a dynamic calendar that handles single or multiple-day bookings, even when split across weeks or months.
- Built WooCommerce stores with advanced features, such as custom payment methods, memberships, and subscription services, tailored to meet unique client needs.
Senior WordPress Developer
Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall, LLC
- Increased the loading speed of the website (PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals).
- Removed outdated dependencies from the theme and replaced them with newer ones.
- Contributed to the launch process for the changes made.
WordPress Technical Lead
PEMS LLC
- Created a number of different custom pages, designs, and code.
- Troubleshot and resolved critical bugs on the front-end.
- Built a custom WordPress theme for one of the sites.
Senior WordPress Developer
CRIO, Inc
- Developed a fully tailored marketplace for purchasing study designs, including features like product tracking and a CSV import script that seamlessly adds, updates, or removes products.
- Designed a comprehensive partner directory from scratch, enabling partners to showcase their profiles and services and connect directly with clients through the help center.
- Crafted a new marketing website from the ground up, utilizing Bedrock and Sage 10 for a modern, efficient, and scalable solution.
- Implemented robust user authentication flows—including login, registration, and password recovery—while managing site options across various user roles.
Senior WordPress Developer
Speck
- Spearheaded the development of an LMS tailored for medical professionals, enhancing their training, education, and certification.
- Innovated a chat system that connects WordPress users in real-time during webinars, boosting engagement and collaboration.
- Designed and launched a dynamic website using Elementor for a client, supporting the creators of Epic Sum Up for Jira.
- Provided expert guidance in setting up a robust server infrastructure for the project, ensuring seamless performance.
Junior/Medium WordPress Developer
MediaNovak
- Developed WordPress websites for clients globally, with a focus on photographers and videographers. Given the media-rich content, optimizing performance was a top priority, ensuring fast load times and a seamless user experience.
- Developed and sold custom WordPress themes and HTML templates on Envato’s ThemeForest marketplace, adhering to industry standards and best practices for design, functionality, and performance.
- Provided support for premium themes, assisting clients with functionality set up and troubleshooting. Ensured timely resolution of technical issues, delivering high-quality customer service to enhance user satisfaction.
Project History
CRIO Marketing Website
https://clinicalresearch.io/Marketing Website for Epic Sum Up Jira
https://epicsumup.com/WordPress Website for Swimming Courses
https://lespetitsbaigneurs.com/Website for A1 Group
https://nasamreza.rs/Education
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
Univerzitet PIM - Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Skills
Libraries/APIs
REST APIs, Animate.css, jQuery UI, jQuery, Sage, WordPress API, BuddyPress, Stripe, Google API, OpenAI API, React
Tools
Terminal, Sublime Text 3, Git, Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), Oh My Zsh, LearnDash, WP-CLI, Gutenberg Editor, Figma, Mailchimp, ACF PRO, Figma to HTML, WPML, GitHub, Google Analytics, NGINX, Litmus, Confluence, Facebook Pixel
Languages
SCSS, PHP, JavaScript, CSS3, HTML5, CSS, HTML, PHP 8, SQL
Frameworks
ZURB Foundation, Redux, Bootstrap 3+, Tailwind CSS, Alpine.js, Divi, Vanilla JS, Bootstrap
Paradigms
Functional Programming, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Object-oriented Programming (OOP), UI Design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), UX Design, Manual Testing
Platforms
MacOS, WordPress, WordPress Theme Design, WooCommerce, Web, LAMP, Amazon Web Services (AWS), HubSpot, Shopify, cPanel
Industry Expertise
Web Design, Marketing
Storage
WP Engine, MySQL, MySQL/MariaDB, JSON, Redis Cache
Other
Command-line Interface (CLI), WordPress Multisite, Ajax, WordPress Plugins, CSS3 Animation, Machine Learning, WordPress Themes, Computer Science, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, Sage 9, Elementor Pro, Elementor, Sage 10, WordPress Design, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Responsive Design, Web Development, WordPress SEO, WordPress Security, SEO Tools, API Integration, APIs, WordPress Customization, Third-party Integration, Figma to WordPress, Communication, Payment APIs, Websites, Mobile UI, Yoast SEO, Payment Gateways, Full-stack Development, Marketplaces, Subscriptions, eCommerce, Learning Management Systems (LMS), Plugin Customization, Web Dashboards, Responsive Web Apps, HTTP, Front-end, Themes, UI Animation, WordPress Page Builder, WP Rocket, WordPress LMS, Full-stack, Optimization, Performance, Widgets, Cross-browser Compatibility, Custom WordPress, Responsive UI, Email, Foundation Inky, Gravity Forms, Servers, Google SEO, Email Marketing, PayPal, Insurance Technology (Insurtech), Quality Assurance (QA), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Core Web Vitals, Technical SEO, AI Integration, Dom Manipulation, DNS, Ubuntu Server, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), OneTrust, FTP/S, IT Support, MemberPress, ActiveCampaign, Funnel Marketing, Sales Funnel, Squarespace, Financial Services, PCI DSS, DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM)
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