Aftaab Siddiqui
Software engineer
I build software products and tools people use every day—at CacheVector and through open-source work.
Selected work
A selection of systems and tools I’ve designed and built, ranging from developer infrastructure to full-scale products. Each project focuses on solving a specific problem with clarity, structure, and long-term usability in mind.
Case studies
Structured write-ups: challenge, solution, and impact. No filler.
Freelancers often rely on multiple disconnected tools for managing clients, projects, invoices, and time tracking. This creates fragmented workflows and poor client experience. I wanted a single, self-hosted system that provides full control without sacrificing usability.
I built a unified client portal combining project management, invoicing, and time tracking into one cohesive system. Key decisions: a minimal, distraction-free dashboard; a client-facing portal for transparency; structured backend models connecting projects, payments, and logs into a single system. The system is fully self-hosted, giving users ownership over their data and workflows.
A complete MVP that replaces multiple SaaS tools with a single system, improving workflow efficiency while maintaining simplicity.
Most URL shorteners are either overly simplistic or tied to centralized services, limiting control, extensibility, and privacy. Developers who want self-hosted solutions often have to compromise on usability, automation, or ecosystem integration.
I built a developer-first, self-hosted URL management system that combines a modern dashboard, CLI, and API into a single cohesive platform. Key decisions: unified dashboard + CLI + API parity; automation-friendly workflows for scripting and integrations; privacy and control with self-hosted deployment; structured features like expiring links, one-time access, analytics, and custom routing. The system is packaged as a single-container deployment.
Trelay enables developers to manage links as part of their infrastructure rather than relying on third-party tools—demonstrating how developer tooling can be powerful and accessible without sacrificing control or simplicity.
Searching across repositories is often slow, fragmented, or limited to basic keyword matching. Developers lack fast and flexible tools for exploring codebases efficiently.
I built a tool for structured and fast code search across repositories, focusing on usability and speed: a clean interface for query-based searching; efficient backend handling for fast lookups; design aimed at real developer workflows rather than generic search.
A practical developer utility that improves how codebases are explored and understood, especially for large or unfamiliar projects.
Most interview preparation tools either lack structure or fail to adapt to how users actually study and track progress. Integrating intelligent features requires bridging product design with machine learning.
I built a structured preparation platform with features for tracking progress, organizing problems, and guiding study workflows. Beyond the core product: supporting ML components; CLI tools and libraries for extensibility; a system designed to evolve into a data-driven platform.
A foundation for a scalable, ML-integrated learning platform that combines structured workflows with extensibility.
CacheVector — Lab & open source
Alongside product development, I run a small lab focused on open-source tools and machine learning systems. If I build something useful, parts of it should be reusable by others.
Through this work I’ve developed tools for data processing, fuzzy matching, and image-based analysis—contributing back while exploring practical ML applications.
Open source & tools
Specializations
What I can take on end-to-end—grounded in systems thinking, not surface-level UI.
- Full-stack product development (from idea to production)
- Developer tools and internal systems
- ML-integrated applications and data-driven features
- Performance-focused and scalable architectures
Perspective
Why me over an agency?
I approach projects as systems, not just interfaces. My background in backend engineering and machine learning allows me to design products that are clean on the surface and structurally sound underneath.
I focus on long-term reliability and clarity, not just speed of delivery.
Process
How I work with teams and founders—from problem framing to shipped software.
- 01
Understand the problem
I start by understanding the problem beyond surface-level requirements.
- 02
Design minimal interfaces
Then I design minimal, structured interfaces aligned with the underlying workflows.
- 03
Build on strong foundations
I build with a strong backend foundation to ensure scalability and predictability.
- 04
Iterate and refine
I refine through iteration, focusing on performance, edge cases, and interaction details.
I pay close attention to state handling, loading behavior, and interaction feedback—the details that make a product feel complete.
Stack
Web & mobile
Backend & APIs
Systems & languages
Runtime & tooling
I choose tools based on the problem, constraints, and long-term maintainability over trends.
Blog
Long-form notes on engineering decisions, product building, and systems—not trend chasing.
- The Case for Minimalist Product Design10-05-2026
- Building a Second Brain for Developers05-05-2026
- Beyond the Code: What I Have Learned from Freelancing30-04-2026
- The Art of Technical Writing for Engineers25-04-2026
Contact
I love helping people grow strong engineering practices, navigate their careers, and ship meaningful projects. I also work with founders on product and technical strategy. Whether you have a project in mind or just want to connect—say hello anytime.