DarkSnow

Freelance Web Developer

DarkSnow

I am a freelance software developer, based in Fife, Scotland, and specialising in using Free and Open Source technologies to create standards compliant web sites.

I am passionate about creating websites using the latest technology and the latest standards. Of course, sites have to work on older browsers too.

No matter what device or browser is used to access a site, they are using the same internet, the same language, the same protocols, to show the same content.

Without standards to define all those parts of a complex interaction, the internet, and the web on top of it, as it is today, would not exist at all.

What I can do for you

A lot of freelancers specialise in a single technology. When all you have is a hammer, all problems start to look like nails.

I have a selection of prefered tools and will discuss your requirements and choose the best tool for the job.

Small site

Jekyll

The Jekyll static site generator is suitable for smaller projects with simple technical requirements.

Static site generators create the site from a set of templates on the developer's machine. These files are then uploaded to a web server so no code is actually run on the server.

Pros

  • Security.
  • Performance.
  • No updates.
  • Cheap hosting.

Cons

  • No interactivity.
  • No online editing.

Complex site

Drupal

The Drupal CMS is suitable for any larger site with complex data modelling, content managment or workflow requirements.

Drupal is a fully featured enterprise content management system. It is very flexible and can be used to create anything on the web, such as a complex publishing platform, subscription service or an ecommerce solution.

Pros

  • Flexibility.
  • 3rd party modules.
  • Community support.

Cons

  • Needs good hosting.
  • Complexity.
  • Ongoing updates.

Web app

Angular

Angular is suitable for web apps that run in the browser and perhaps need access to some data from a server.

All interactivity is done in the browser, improving performance and allowing for a rich experience. Since the page is already in the browser and only the data is dynamically changed, this system is ideal for mobile use as it can seamlessly integrate offline and online data sources.

Pros

  • Fast interface.
  • Rich interactivity.
  • Offline functionality.

Cons

  • Requires a modern browser.
  • Complex development.

Expertise

You get me!

I have carried out a wide range of IT related work across the industry over twenty years. From software engineering to first line support, my breadth of experience gives me a certain flexbility and insight that a more specialist web developer might miss.

I have a deep understanding of everything that makes a web site work, from the code that underpins the beautifully designed site, to the servers and infrastructure that present that site to the world.

As a freelance web developer since 2010 I'm well versed in dealing with agencies and clients directly. The key to successful projects is good communication. I know the right questions to ask and when to ask them.

Examples of my work

Have a look at the full portfolio…

Technical Musings

In this blog I try to collect together my thoughts and ideas on the technical subjects I tackle. It’s usually all about the code, so I called it simply, The Code.

Full Blog Post Listing…