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Filip Defar, UI Developer in Zagreb, Croatia
Filip Defar

UI Developer in Zagreb, Croatia

Member since April 7, 2014
Filip is a full-stack web developer with a special interest in data visualization. He has over seven years of professional experience working remotely on large-scale applications as well as building MVPs. He built data visualization dashboards used by the government of Saudi Arabia, refactored and saved de-railed web applications, and worked on developing the Toptal platform you are using right now.
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Portfolio

Experience

Location

Zagreb, Croatia

Availability

Part-time

Preferred Environment

Git, VS Code, Linux, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

The most amazing...

...work experience I've had was helping to build Toptal's talent platform in collaboration with a team of over 100 remote developers.

Employment

  • Full-stack Developer

    2018 - 2021
    samedi
    • Led technical side of a web portal redesign, making sure CSS/HTML code follows best practices.
    • Gave feedback on designs and helped improve technical UI issues as well as UX issues.
    • Led integration of PayPal payments API into an existing React application with a Ruby on Rails back end.
    • Reworked an existing React application to use SEO-friendly URLs.
    • Worked on fixing cross-client rendering issues in HTML email templates.
    Technologies: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript, Ruby, Ruby on Rails (RoR), UI

  • UI Developer

    2019 - 2020
    African Budget Safaris
    • Built a web application for searching and dynamic filtering of safari tours. This application is the core of the new (unreleased) website. It uses the Vue.js framework for the font-end and communicates with Google Cloud Functions API.
    • Created a simple webpack configuration to allow using of modern JavaScript while retaining compatibility with legacy browsers.
    • Worked with the client on fixing various layout (CSS/HTML) issues across the new website.
    Technologies: JavaScript, Vue.js, HTML, CSS, Webpack, UI

  • Visualization Developer

    2018 - 2019
    AlignAlytics (via Toptal)
    • Created a customizable SVG-based multi-column visualization for comparing data in various forms, including text, lists, bar charts, and heat maps.
    • Created a value chain visualization for a client company.
    • Built a CLI for synchronizing code between the local development environment and the Alytic.io web service.
    • Created a generic radar chart template to be used as part of the Alytic.io platform.
    • Designed and created a custom chart showing relationships between three datasets.
    • Created several variations of interactive tree chart visualizations.
    Technologies: D3.js, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Data Visualization, HTML, Affinity Designer, UI

  • Visualization Developer

    2017 - 2018
    Wasphi (via Toptal)
    • Created a set of reusable React + D3 visualization components for basic types of charts.
    • Created several custom non-standard chart components with D3.
    • Helped design and build a dashboard that allows exploration of data on Saudi workers abroad.
    • Designed and built a dashboard that allows exploration of data on average student grades in various educational institutions.
    • Designed and built a dashboard showing Saudi labor market trends.
    Technologies: TypeScript, React, D3.js, CSS, JavaScript, Git, Data Visualization, HTML, Affinity Designer, UI

  • Visualization Developer

    2017 - 2017
    Dekunu Technologies
    • Built an interactive visualization dashboard with positional data collected from skydivers during jumps.
    • Connected the dashboard with a back-end API.
    • Developed an algorithm to clean up spotty GPS data.
    • Developed an algorithm for detecting moments when the skydiver exited the plane, opened the parachute, and landed.
    Technologies: D3.js, JavaScript, CSS, Git, Data Visualization, HTML, Affinity Designer, UI

  • Ruby Developer

    2016 - 2017
    Toptal
    • Worked in a team of over 100 developers on maintaining the very platform you are using right now.
    • Led the development of the Top Scheduler application used for scheduling meetings with Toptal clients.
    • Continuously worked with PMs on directing the product and making sure code deliveries are made on time.
    • Acted as an Agile coach for our team, making sure our Kanban-based process is running smoothly.
    Technologies: Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ruby, CSS, Test-driven Development (TDD), PostgreSQL, Agile Software Development, Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD)

  • Back-end Ruby Developer

    2015 - 2015
    DirectVest (via Toptal)
    • Created an API wrapper for a folio institutional service.
    • Created a full test suite for existing features.
    • Refactored the application (From 1.5 to 3.9+ GPA on CodeClimate).
    • Created multistep forms for the investment process.
    • Created a dashboard that heavily relies on external APIs as well as low-level caching for increased performance.
    Technologies: Ruby on Rails (RoR), CSS, Ruby, Test-driven Development (TDD), PostgreSQL, Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD)

  • Full-stack Ruby/JavaScript Developer

    2015 - 2015
    BizRevr (via Toptal)
    • Helped design and develop new features.
    • Created an interface for bulk editing records similar to an Excel spreadsheet.
    Technologies: jQuery, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails (RoR), CSS, Ruby, Test-driven Development (TDD), PostgreSQL, Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD), UI

  • Full-stack Ruby/JavaScript Developer

    2014 - 2015
    ThinkCERCA (via Toptal)
    • Created a one-page JavaScript application for assigning lessons to students.
    • Maintained, improved, and added new features to existing Ruby on Rails and Ember.js code.
    Technologies: CoffeeScript, PostgreSQL, Ember.js, Ruby on Rails (RoR), CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, Test-driven Development (TDD), Agile Software Development, Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD), UI

  • Back-end Ruby Developer

    2013 - 2014
    CampWire
    • Created a working payments system.
    • Improved old core features and created new ones.
    • Introduced new developers to the application.
    • Wrote a full test suite for the application.
    Technologies: Heroku, PostgreSQL, jQuery, Ruby on Rails (RoR), CSS, Ruby, Test-driven Development (TDD), Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD)

  • Back-end Ruby Developer

    2012 - 2013
    Whitespectre
    • Developed a web service for creating mobile application presentations.
    • Created a web application test suite using RSpec.
    Technologies: PostgreSQL, Ruby on Rails (RoR), CSS, Ruby, Test-driven Development (TDD), Git, HTML, Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Object-oriented Design (OOD), jQuery

Experience

  • My Codepen Account
    https://codepen.io/dabrorius

    I am an active member of the CodePen community, building CSS and JavaScript examples in my free time. This includes everything from data visualizations, SVG experiments, animated UI components to an occasional visual art project.

  • Rotten Unicorns Website
    https://rottenunicorns.com/

    Rotten Unicorns is a local band collective for which I designed, built and deployed a responsive website.

    I used Sketch for prototyping and Affinity Designer for logo design. The website was built with HTML5, SCSS, and Webpack and deployed to GitHub Pages.

  • My Blog
    http://filipdefar.com/

    This is my blog where I write about technologies that currently interest me as well as my thoughts and experiences as a remote developer.

  • How to Approach SVG Animations in CSS (Publication)
    https://www.toptal.com/css/svg-animation-css-tutorial
    Animations make websites look more polished and exciting, and help improve user experience. Explore how the combined potential of SVG and CSS can be leveraged to create animations without relying on external libraries.

Skills

  • Languages

    HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, TypeScript, CoffeeScript

  • Frameworks

    Ruby on Rails (RoR), Ember.js

  • Libraries/APIs

    D3.js, jQuery, React, Vue.js, Liquid

  • Tools

    Git, VS Code, Webpack, Affinity Designer

  • Paradigms

    Object-oriented Programming (OOP), Test-driven Development (TDD), Agile Software Development, Object-oriented Design (OOD)

  • Other

    Data Visualization, UI, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), Computer Science, Software Design, Shopify Theme

  • Storage

    PostgreSQL

  • Platforms

    Heroku, Linux, Shopify

Education

  • Master's Degree in Computer Science
    2011 - 2013
    University of Zagreb - Zagreb, Croatia
  • Bachelor's Degree in Software Design
    2007 - 2011
    University of Zagreb - Zagreb, Croatia

Certifications

  • Certified Shopify Theme Developer
    JUNE 2021 - JUNE 2022
    Shopify

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