Independent since 2016

Software that works quietly, years after launch.

I design and build web applications, APIs and the infrastructure they run on — usually joining a project at the beginning and staying until it runs without me.

No agency overhead, no hand-offs. You work directly with the person writing the code.

Remote · EU time zones Long-term contracts preferred B2B / sole proprietorship
// Services

What I do

From one-page sites to systems processing thousands of transactions a day. The scope differs; the standard of execution doesn't.

Complex

Custom web applications

Bespoke applications built around the way your business works, when off-the-shelf tools fall short. User accounts, permissions, custom business logic, third-party integrations.

Complex

APIs & backend systems

Data modelling, REST APIs, background jobs and queues. Designed for the long run — documented, tested and monitored from day one, not patched in later.

Complex

Integrations & data pipelines

Connecting systems that were never meant to talk to each other: ERPs, CRMs, payment providers, suppliers' APIs. Reconciliation, reporting, migrating data out of spreadsheets.

Complex

Infrastructure & migrations

Moving services from self-hosted or VPS setups to modern, low-maintenance platforms. Docker, CI/CD, monitoring — and hosting bills that stop surprising you.

Simple

Websites & landing pages

Fast, lightweight company sites and landing pages. No bloated frameworks, sensible SEO basics, and it looks right on a phone. Usually live within a couple of weeks.

Simple

Taking over & maintenance

Adopting an existing codebase, fixing long-standing bugs, upgrading dependencies, small improvements. You don't have to start from scratch to move forward.

// How I work
01

Honest scoping first

A short call, and I'll tell you straight whether it's a project for me — and what it should realistically cost.

02

Data before code

I start with the schema and the interfaces. What's designed well up front saves a year of refactors later.

03

Fewer dependencies

The boring choice is usually the right one. Code that's easier to maintain a year from now beats code that's impressive today.

04

You own everything

Code, repositories, infrastructure accounts, documentation. No lock-in — anyone competent can take it over after me.

// Work

Selected work

A few projects I can talk about. Client names stay confidential unless they say otherwise.

2023 – now

Freight dispatch platform

Order management for a mid-size freight forwarder: quote calculation, document generation, carrier API integration. Replaced a spreadsheet workflow used daily by forty people.

DjangoPostgreSQLCelery
2022 – 2024

Payments reconciliation service

A background service matching thousands of daily transactions across three payment providers, flagging mismatches before the accounting team notices them. Runs unattended; paged only when something actually breaks.

PythonRedisREST
2022

B2B portal for a manufacturer

Catalogue, customer-specific price lists and order history for wholesale buyers. Cut the sales team's quote turnaround from days to minutes.

TypeScriptReactAPI
2021

Self-hosted → cloud migration

Moved a ten-service setup from aging dedicated servers to a managed platform: containerised, monitored, with deployments a non-developer can trigger. Monthly costs went down; 3 a.m. incidents went away.

DockerCI/CDLinux
2024

Architecture studio website

A quiet, image-heavy bilingual site for an architecture practice. Loads in under a second on a phone — because a portfolio that's still loading is a portfolio nobody sees.

HTML/CSSStaticCloudflare
// About
Photo of me

Marek Nowak

I started on the infrastructure side — systems, networks, servers I kept alive myself. At some point I got tired of maintaining machines that ran badly written software, and moved to writing the software instead. That path left me with a lasting habit: I think about how a system behaves in production first, and about how it's written second.

Since going independent I've worked with logistics, fintech and manufacturing companies, as well as small businesses that just needed a website that doesn't embarrass them. I prefer long engagements where I'm responsible for the whole thing — requirements, code, database, deployment — over being one more pair of hands in a large team.

Where I add the most value: when something needs to exist, work correctly, and keep working — and nobody in-house has the time to make it so.

Tools I reach for Python · Django TypeScript · React PostgreSQL · Redis Docker · CI/CD Linux Cloudflare Plain HTML/CSS
// Contact

Got a project?

Email is the fastest way to reach me. I reply within two business days, and I'll tell you straight if it's not something I should take on.

I take on a small number of projects at a time, so it's worth writing a few weeks ahead if you can.

// FAQ

Practical questions

The things clients usually ask before we start.

How do we settle the work?

B2B contract with a VAT invoice. Either a fixed price for an agreed scope, or a monthly retainer if you need ongoing support. No hidden costs — the quote you get after our first call is the number you pay.

How long does a project take?

A simple website is typically two to three weeks. An application or integration depends entirely on scope — you'll get a realistic deadline, not an optimistic one, once we've agreed what's in and what's out.

Do you work remotely?

Yes, remotely, with clients across the EU. We meet online; on-site at the start of a larger project can be arranged if it genuinely helps.

I already have a system. Can you take it over?

Yes — taking over and stabilising existing systems is a significant part of my work. Often the right move is improving what you have rather than starting from scratch. I'll tell you which it is after looking at it.

What happens after launch?

Whatever you prefer. I can hand everything over with documentation and step away, or stay on a small retainer for maintenance and further development. Both are fine; the code and the accounts are yours either way.