Dan Dailey

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I'm a freelance full-stack web application developer with years experience, during which time I've specialized in creating bespoke, web-based software solutions at scale. I excel at producing clean and performant code that is optimized for speed and maintainability. I'm proficient at database and server administration, data manipulation, and large system architecture. I'm great with people, likeable, and consider all this tech to be secondary to and in service of customer needs; great software can't exist without a genuine care for the end user!

Proficient in:

Ruby/Rails
MySQL
JavaScript (Vanilla and Vue)
Docker
Git
AWS/Cloud
PHP

Where I Shine

Code Artistry: I write clean, efficient, scalable, maintainable, and relatively bug-free code... something I'm proud of.
Problem Solving: I strive to deeply understand and solve real world problems. Conversations typically start with feature requests, but I prioritize understanding the underlying needs these features aim to address. People often don't understand these needs for themselves, but discovering them and building around them yields superior results.
Adaptability: I learn fast! I was building websites in the '90s when the web was first born, and it's come a long way since. The key to staying in the game is constantly learning and adapting to new languages, server technologies, ideas, and paradigms.
System Architecture: I've successfully managed large systems single-handedly by constantly refactoring to maintain and scale the code efficiently. I work hard to avoid code rot and keep things running smoothly. I love refactoring code to make it shine.
Data Manipulation/Migration/Management: I'm good with raw SQL. I hate dirty data, and love writing scripts to put it in its place. Regular expressions provide super powers in the right hands!
Infrastructural Changes: I started out on the web in PHP and was good at it, but as I moved to Rails I've had to convert multiple large systems from one to the other while keeping them up and running, and have done so successfully. When it's done well, I'm a strong proponent of strategic iterations towards the goal rather than a full replacement and switchover.
Optimization: I often leverage a combination of ORM tools, custom written ORM extensions, raw SQL knowledge and database optimizations, cache, and other tricks to keep things running fast.
Full Stack: DNS, hosting, server management, database management, cache optimization, server side, client side, responsive design... I've done it all
Data Modeling: All good software starts with a well thought out model of the information it is meant to manage. I'm very adept at creating data structures that are built not just for the problems they solve today, but for the solutions we may need later.
People Person: I'm articulate, easy to work with, and more interested in finding the best solutions than being right.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO:

Wetzel & Sons Moving and Storage is a full service moving and storage company. I've created and continue to grow/maintain the software that runs their entire business.

In-house solution is completely custom and written from scratch. Began work around 2002, and the system has grown continuously ever since.
100% mobile-first design so that all field crews and warehouse employees are actively working with the system in real time as they work from phones, tablets, and desktops.
Tracks clients, jobs, truck routes, employee labor, billing, equipment maintenance, inventory, and virtually everything else needed to run the business.
Inventoried items are individually tagged, photographed, tracked, and versioned in storage at every point from receiving to eventual release.
Manages availability, scheduling, and routing of workers and vehicles to and from jobs with Google Maps integration.
Highly optimized for speed, which is crucial for real-time use by workers actively servicing customers and managing multiple warehouses while simultaneously recording all data on system.
Powerful search engine which serves as the primary means of navigation. Intelligently understands search inputs and runs quickly to get users the information they need.
Robust permission management system for limiting all logged in users to see only what is needed.
Client portal for viewing items in storage and requesting services performed on those items.

I'm exceptionally proud of the work I've done here. I have lead this project for more than 20 years. It's a platform that has made their business the best in its class, and the business has never stopped growing year over year. We've worked hard to streamline every aspect of their operation, not just by writing software to support existing processes, but by completely reinventing their processes to be maximally efficient, all supported with the software I've created.

PAST PROJECTS

WingStuff.com

Sells parts and accessories for Honda Gold Wing motorcycle enthusiasts. I was instrumental in developing their online store from the ground up, and driving it to become the most successful shop in its industry.

Shopping cart solution was completely custom
Customer logins, online order status and history, wishlists, reviews, member discount program, blog, community profiles, etc.
Highly optimized for speed through the use of page fragment caching, denormalized cache tables, consolidation of CSS/JS assets, and meticulous attention to query efficiency
Flexible/intuitive product searching/filtering system for easy browsing
Highly customizable by website administrators for product promotion
Successfully achieved #1 placement for all SEO targets
Comprehensive back-end panel for easy administration of websites, user management, order management, sales reporting, and promotions
Centralized architecture to share code and user/session authentication between multiple websites feeding from the same database and varied frameworks

Palm Desert Orthopedic Surgery

Custom billing management system for a medical billing provider. Manages patient accounts, balances, and payment history, and is used for communications and reporting with insurance companies.

CubeTimer

A simple website for Rubik's Cube speedsolving enthusiasts. CubeTimer was originally created for my own personal use then successfully used to experiment with various SEO and marketing techniques. No longer actively developed, but it was the #1 site of its kind at its peak, receiving 5000 unique visitors per day by people worldwide.

PraiseTools

Song chord chart management and music set planning tool for bands/musicians. PraiseTools was also originally built for personal use, but grew to receive signups every day once it was made public. Features automatic parsing of chord charts, key transposition, organizational tools, band/team management for planning gigs, print-formatting features, and more.

Custom PHP Framework

Before frameworks were commonplace for web applications, I was rolling my own. I haven't touched this since moving to Ruby on Rails, but was encouraged to find how many Rails ideas which were new at the time were things I was already doing in PHP on my own. I'd developed a framework I used repeatedly on my projects, and at one point even licensed to others to use. Rails offered a solution out of the box that I didn't have to keep maintaining, so I made the switch.

Custom Rails Meta-Framework

I've developed layers of tools that sit on top of Rails that allow me to develop robust systems much more quickly. This is the key to my history of developing such large projects and managing them all by myself.

And More!

RV Dealerships - I've built systems for multiple RV dealerships that managed inventory and sales internally for the businesses and presented them as customer facing sites
Medical Systems - I've worked on multiple systems for the medical industry for managing clinical data
Real Estate - Before MLS connected sites were commonplace, I hand rolled my own. Also did a system for a home developer that allowed them to manage and showcase their homes online.
Custom CMS - I don't think I've ever built a WordPress site. I've provided countless custom sites with custom built back-ends that allow site owners to manage their content in a way that is bespoke to their business.
Shopping Carts - I built a shopping cart that powered close to 50 websites, complete with search, organization tools, and of course CMS options to make each site unique.

About Me

I taught myself to program on a graphing calculator as a kid, sparking a lifelong journey in software engineering. After graduating, I attended a technical college, where I was hired the day I graduated to stay and develop curriculum and teach. From there I moved to a online startup for a bit, then moved on to a small web development company, where I really thrived. After a few years of helping that company grow, I bought the business and have been doing freelance consulting ever since!

I'm a father of five, musician, a Rubik's Cube aficionado, and a big fan of interesting conversations. Favorite topics include philosophy, AI, and space exploration. My high school voted me "most artistic", and although that creativity mostly expresses itself these days through software design, I still enjoy drawing and crafting.

This resume is online at danieldailey.com