Blaz is available for hire

Blaz Blokar

Verified Expert in Engineering

Full-stack Developer

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Toptal member since November 4, 2020

Expertise

Back-end Developers SaaS Full-stack JavaScript Python Git Django GitHub PostgreSQL Linux Docker Node.js MySQL Vue.js Amazon S3

Bio

Blaz is a full-stack developer with a demonstrated history of designing and implementing complex solutions for the web. He leads development teams to success, which means not only beating deadlines but also creating products that are robust, performant, and maintainable. Blaz not only resolves the problems but addresses the underlying causes that made them possible.

Portfolio

Bitstamp

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Webpack, Linux, Python, Docker, Python 3, Django...

Bolt Observer

Django, Go, Vue, GraphQL, Full-stack, Redis, SaaS, Kubernetes, GitHub, Git...

Celtra

Node.js, Python 3, PHP, Kubernetes, Full-stack, SaaS, GitHub, Git, Back-end

Experience

Linux - 8 years
JavaScript - 7 years
Python - 7 years
Back-end - 7 years
Docker - 6 years
Django - 5 years
Amazon Web Services (AWS) - 4 years
TypeScript - 2 years

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Amazon Web Services (AWS), Django, Linux, Docker, Node.js, Python 3, Go, Git, Back-end, TypeScript

The most amazing...

...solution I've built is secure and performant user-code sandboxing architecture now used by some of the biggest corporations in the world.

Work Experience

Full-stack Developer | Solution Architect

2021 - PRESENT

Bitstamp

Built an OpenAPI framework for self-documenting REST APIs.
Implemented business-critical payment products used by thousands of people on a daily basis.
Played a key role in establishing cutting-edge best practices on our front-end and API layer to maximize developer productivity.
Built a product that uses advanced device fingerprinting that protects our customers from account takeovers.
Resolved countless time and mission-critical bugs efficiently and effectively.
Implemented a CI product that serves webpack bundles to thousands of customers daily.

Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Webpack, Linux, Python, Docker, Python 3, Django, Node.js, Vue, JavaScript, Full-stack, SaaS, Git, Back-end

Co-founder and Head of Application Engineering

2022 - 2023

Bolt Observer

Devised and built the core architecture for a SaaS data platform for monitoring and managing Bitcoin Lightning nodes. Built and maintained all the CRUD functionality with a Python back end, GraphQL API, and Vue front end.
Built several solutions for consuming public and private data sources, reliably ingesting all public gossip data from the entire Lightning Network or performantly tracking every minuscule liquidity change on large throughput routing nodes.
Worked tirelessly to bring best practices to every aspect of the business, from high-level company-wide processes to linter tweaks.

Technologies: Django, Go, Vue, GraphQL, Full-stack, Redis, SaaS, Kubernetes, GitHub, Git, Back-end, Python

Senior Developer

2021 - 2022

Celtra

Built a secure and performant framework for evaluating sandboxed user-provided code against large product catalogs that eventually became the backbone of an important new revenue stream.
Played a vital role in a company-wide effort to migrate legacy PHP code to a modern Node.js and TypeScript stack. Mentored and managed other developers.
Collaborated directly with clients such as Unilever, Spotify, and Adidas in researching and preparing product proposals in critical business areas.

Technologies: Node.js, Python 3, PHP, Kubernetes, Full-stack, SaaS, GitHub, Git, Back-end

DevOps Engineer

2017 - 2018

Lucis

Migrated large Java codebases from Maven to modern, Gradle-powered build systems.
Maintained and deployed critical healthcare software and infrastructure for some of the largest healthcare facilities in the country.
Performed in-depth R&D for healthcare applications of Blockchain and related technologies.
Administrated large production databases of various kinds.
Helped developers update their workflows from Apache Subversion (SVN) to Git.

Technologies: PostgreSQL, VMware, Linux, Apache Maven, Gradle, Java, Git, React

Experience

Lightning Login for Django

https://github.com/zwx00/lnauth-django

An open-source library that I built to easily integrate LNURL Auth to Django projects. The library brings secure and effortless lightning network integration to the Django stack. It will hopefully make life easier for some developers in the process.

A Framework for Experimental Audiovisual Exhibitions

https://github.com/zwx00/modem_

A modern Node.js and Pixi.js application that allows artists to build generative art web pages and exhibition pieces with ease. I built this in close collaboration with award-winning Slovenian artists and was part of an exhibition piece that won a prestigious national award.

The application allows for processing and rendering of large amounts of multimedia material, supported by robust AWS infrastructure for content delivery. It exposes an intuitive file system-based API for adding pages, content, and corresponding logic with minimal effort.

Skills

Libraries/APIs

Node.js, Vue, React

Tools

GitHub, Git, Webpack, Gradle, Apache Maven, VMware

Languages

JavaScript, Python, Python 3, TypeScript, Bash, Java, PHP, Go, GraphQL

Frameworks

Django, PixiJS

Storage

PostgreSQL, Amazon S3 (AWS S3), MySQL, Redis

Platforms

Docker, Linux, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kubernetes

Other

Full-stack, SaaS, Back-end, Bitcoin

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