Muhammad Musaab
Freelance Senior Full-Stack & Mobile Engineer
AI-Assisted Development · Backend · Mobile Apps · APIs · Cloud
I'm an independent engineer building backend systems, APIs, and web & mobile apps for international clients — from PHP/Symfony and Node.js services running in production for global media brands, to native Android/iOS and React Native apps, to large-scale platforms deployed across 80+ campuses. Over 15 years turning complex requirements into reliable, well-tested software.
A full-stack engineer with deep backend and mobile experience
Backend systems should be boring in the best way — reliable, well-tested, and built to outlast whoever wrote them.
I'm a freelance Senior Software Engineer with over 15 years of experience building web, mobile and backend systems — with a core specialism in PHP, Symfony and Laravel, and growing depth in Node.js, Next.js, and native mobile development (React Native, Android and iOS). My work spans modern API-first backends — including Symfony 6/7 applications with API Platform, running on AWS — alongside cross-platform and native mobile apps, for clients who need their product to be fast, well-tested and easy to operate.
Right now I'm juggling several concurrent engagements: building a multi-country VPN product from the ground up, developing an AI-powered health and coaching platform, and maintaining a long-running Symfony/API Platform backend — with AWS infrastructure and a MongoDB-backed data layer — for an international digital media company. Earlier engagements include a two-way accounting integration between a construction SaaS platform and Xero, and a fixed-term remote contract building Symfony 7 billing and reporting APIs with Stripe and ClickHouse.
Earlier in my career I delivered backend and full-stack projects for education-sector platforms — including an ERP system deployed across 80+ school campuses — and built mobile-backed applications with React Native, Angular and Laravel/Yii2 APIs. That range, from enterprise systems to modern cloud-native APIs, is what I bring to every engagement. Day to day, I also make deliberate use of AI-assisted development tools to move faster on implementation while keeping code review, testing and architecture decisions firmly in my hands.
Technologies I build with
A backend-strong stack with real depth across web, mobile and cloud.
Backend
Frontend & Mobile
Cloud & Infrastructure
Databases
Integrations
Python & Embedded / IoT
Projects I've delivered & am building now
A chronological look at the systems and platforms I've built — and am currently building — for clients since 2010.
Commercial VPN Product — Multi-Country Privacy Service
Aug 2026 – PresentBuilding a commercial VPN product on WireGuard with DNS-based ad, malware and phishing blocking, deployed across 5 servers in multiple countries (one co-hosting an application gateway) — differentiated by multi-hop routing, split tunneling and flat, honest pricing.
- Architecting and deploying infrastructure across 5 servers in multiple countries.
- Implementing DNS-based ad, malware and phishing blocking.
- Designing multi-hop routing and split tunneling for enhanced privacy and flexibility.
- Building companion Android and iOS apps for server selection and connection management.
- Planning the phased rollout from infrastructure to a launched, paying product.
AI Health Monitoring & Coaching Platform
Jun 2026 – PresentAn AI-powered health monitoring and coaching platform giving coaches real-time visibility into client health data and progress, connecting to wearables (Apple Health, Google Fit/Fitbit) and using AI to generate insights and check-in prompts.
- Built a full-stack platform with React, TypeScript, Node.js/Express, PostgreSQL and Drizzle ORM, with coach/client roles, JWT auth, MFA and email verification.
- Developed a cross-platform mobile app (React Native New Architecture, Expo Router) shipping on Android and iOS, with native HealthKit sync and Google Fit/Fitbit OAuth integration.
- Built a provider-agnostic health data integration layer with pluggable adapters for new wearables and platforms.
- Implemented AI-driven insights and auto-generated coach check-in suggestions using the OpenAI API.
- Engineered real-time features with WebSockets for live dashboard updates and coach-client messaging.
- Built an admin dashboard for user/resource/subscription management with white-label branding support.
Classified Ads Platform
2022 – PresentA Laravel-based classified ads marketplace with seller listings, buyer checkout and inventory-aware scheduling, extended with appointment scheduling and capacity management.
- Extended a Laravel classified ads marketplace with appointment scheduling, per-day capacity inventory and waiting lists.
- Built intake forms and age-restricted checkout flows.
- Owned full-stack features: DB migrations, APIs/controllers, Blade UI, front-end JS, and seller/buyer account flows.
Media Platform Backend & Upload Infrastructure
2020 – PresentBackend and cloud infrastructure for an international digital media company serving major TV and media broadcasters worldwide.
- Designed and built a dedicated S3 multipart upload microservice for large media files.
- Manage AWS infrastructure directly, including production deployments.
- Led PHP, Symfony and AWS version upgrades.
- Built a Dockerized development workflow with unit and functional test coverage.
Cross-Platform Parental Control Platform
Dec 2025 – Aug 2026A Google Family Link–style parental control platform letting parents monitor screen time, set app limits, activate family modes, filter web content via VPN/DNS and track location, across a NestJS API, React Native parent & child apps, and a web dashboard.
- Shipped a full product spanning a NestJS backend, React Native parent/child apps and a web dashboard.
- Built Android child enforcement with Device Owner, UsageStats, Accessibility Service, Room DB and WorkManager sync.
- Architected iOS child controls on Apple Family Controls / ManagedSettings / DeviceActivity, including Screen Time auth and WireGuard VPN via NetworkExtension.
- Implemented low-latency parent–child sync for limits, modes and usage via silent push.
- Integrated VPN + SafeDNS content filtering with per-child WireGuard provisioning.
- Delivered family modes (Bedtime, Study, Gaming, Family Time) with remote activation.
Enterprise Two-Way Xero Integration
Sep 2025 – Nov 2025A full two-way accounting integration between a construction project management SaaS platform and Xero Accounting, replacing a legacy CODAT-based connector with a direct integration layer.
- Built OAuth 2.0 authentication, token refresh and entity synchronization from scratch.
- Synced suppliers, subcontractors, VAT/tax codes, nominal codes and contacts.
- Pushed invoices, labour applications, supply & fit items, variations and external costs to Xero.
- Implemented validation, auto-matching logic, error handling and retry mechanisms with integration status tracking.
- Collaborated with an Angular developer on real-time sync management UI.
Billing & Analytics API Platform
2024 – 2025A fixed-term remote engagement building billing and internal reporting APIs in an Agile environment with weekly sprint cycles.
- Integrated Stripe for billing, invoicing and webhook handling.
- Built ClickHouse-backed reporting APIs with daily/monthly aggregation.
- Delivered user management: email change requests, confirmation flows, secure token validation.
- Wrote a full PHPUnit suite (TDD, mocked services, data providers) covering APIs, payments and background jobs.
Dancing Application — Social & Video Platform
2019 – 2020A Laravel-based social application for user-generated dance videos, with a custom streaming pipeline.
- FFmpeg-based video conversion (trimming, resizing, rotating).
- Chunked-delivery video streaming server.
- Social features: timeline, follows, likes, comments, chat.
Lockers Application
2019 – 2020A locker management platform with an Angular frontend on a Laravel API.
- Admin panel built with Laravel and Bootstrap 4.
- Multilingual CMS.
- Role-based access control (ACL).
Field Patrol Application
2019 – 2020A React Native field patrol app backed by a Yii2 API and admin panel.
- Yii2 backend API and admin.
- Multilingual CMS.
- Role-based access control (ACL).
Multi-Campus ERP System
2015 – 2019An ERP platform deployed across 80+ campuses to manage admissions, finances, HR and daily operations.
- Role-based access with dynamic menus.
- Graphical dashboards and student reports.
- Payment gateway integrations, hostel and HR/payroll modules.
School Management System
2015 – 2019A full school operations platform covering academics, communications and hardware integrations for teachers, students and parents.
- Separate teacher, student and parent modules.
- Online testing and biometric device integration.
- Push notifications and mail/SMS gateway integration.
University CMS & Alumni System
2015 – 2019A public CMS plus an alumni platform with elections, reunions and social features.
- Role-based access, dynamic pages, events and media gallery.
- Alumni elections module with OTP-based voting.
- Student social dashboard, reunions and messaging.
Workforce & Fleet Tracking Platform
2015 – 2019A real-time field-operations system tracking vehicles and field staff.
- GPS location tracking with real-time map visibility.
- KPI dashboards and sales-target alerts.
- Role-based approval workflow.
IoT Home Automation
2015 – 2019A home automation system built on Arduino and Raspberry Pi hardware.
- Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration.
- Control, schedule and monitor nodes remotely.
Online Shopping SaaS Platform
2015 – 2019A Shopify-like store management SaaS built on WordPress.
- Store signup with pre-configured templates.
- Subscriptions and online payments.
- POS and mobile app integration.
Remote Device Monitoring & Control System
2010 – 2015Early-career project building GSM/GPRS/EDGE-based remote data reception and device control, with PHP and Android APIs.
How I work
The kind of engineering work I focus on, project after project.
Architecture & API Design
Designing RESTful, well-structured APIs and services that stay maintainable as they grow.
Backend Systems at Scale
Building systems that hold up under real usage — from single-tenant apps to 80+ campus deployments.
AI-Assisted Development
Using modern AI tooling to speed up implementation, while keeping review, testing and architecture decisions firmly hands-on.
Cloud Infrastructure
Managing AWS services directly — EC2, RDS, Lambda, API Gateway, S3 — rather than treating infra as a black box.
Third-Party Integrations
Stripe and Xero billing, OpenAI-powered features, wearable health data, payment gateways and push notification systems.
Testing & Code Quality
TDD with PHPUnit, static analysis with PHPStan and CS-Fixer, and disciplined code review.
Performance & Reporting
Purpose-built reporting APIs, including ClickHouse-backed analytics at daily/monthly granularity.
Legacy Modernization
PHP and Symfony version upgrades, and migrating older systems onto current, supported foundations.
Have a project, or looking for a senior full-stack & AI-assisted engineer?
I'm happy to talk through requirements, timelines and how I can help — whether that's a long-term engagement, a fixed-scope project, or AI-assisted development work.