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Backend APIs & Microservices
REST APIs, real-time services and event-driven microservices in Node.js, NestJS or Spring Boot — clean, documented and testable.
Available for long-term projects
I build backend systems that stay up when traffic doesn't stay down.
I'm Muhammad Usman Shaikh — a Backend & DevOps Engineer from Karachi. I design scalable, fault-tolerant platforms with Node.js, Kafka, Redis, Docker and Kubernetes, and I've shipped SMS gateway services used by some of Pakistan's largest banks.
uptime_mindset
● healthy
request-flow.yaml
p99 stablereplicas 3/3errors 0
// built & supported SMS gateway services used by
- HBL
- UBL
- Bank Alfalah
- Standard Chartered
- Shell
- Chevron
6years coding,
almost every day
almost every day
4major banks served
through SMS gateways
through SMS gateways
24/7production mindset —
built to stay up
built to stay up
1:1direct communication
with the engineer
with the engineer
01 / services
What I can do for you
From a single API to a full production platform — designed, built, deployed and kept healthy.
⎈
Docker & Kubernetes Deployments
Containerize your app and run it on Kubernetes with health checks, autoscaling, zero-downtime rollouts and GitOps with ArgoCD.
⇄
Scalable System Design
Architecture that survives heavy load: queues, caching, async processing and graceful failure — so one slow part never takes everything down.
☁
AWS Cloud Infrastructure
Production AWS setups — EC2, load balancers, Elastic Beanstalk, S3, Lambda — with private networking so your servers and databases aren't exposed.
✉
SMS & WhatsApp Messaging
GSM/SMS gateway platforms, bulk & promotional campaigns, OTP flows, and WhatsApp Business (Meta) API integrations — battle-tested with banks.
▤
Database Design & Tuning
Schema design, query and stored-procedure optimization, and choosing the right database for each kind of data — SQL or NoSQL.
02 / how i think
An engineer who knows where every byte goes.
I started coding before AI assistants existed. My problems were solved the hard way — reading official documentation end to end, digging through Stack Overflow threads at 2 a.m., and debugging until I understood why something broke, not just how to make the error go away.
That habit stuck. Today I use modern tools to move faster, but I don't hand over the thinking. I know every block of the systems I build — what data enters, where it's stored, how it moves, and what happens when a piece fails. That's what lets me fix production issues quickly and design systems that don't need fixing as often.
// my rule
if (you_cant_explain_it) { you_dont_own_it(); }
if (you_cant_explain_it) { you_dont_own_it(); }
01
Design for failure
Retries, queues, timeouts and redundancy are planned from day one — not added after the first outage.
02
Right database for the data
One database doesn't fit every part of a system. Transactions get relational; flexible or high-volume data may not. I pick what fits.
03
Scale without drama
Stateless services, caching and async processing keep things smooth when traffic spikes and data grows.
04
Easy to manage
Readable code, clear deployments and documentation — so your system is maintainable long after launch.
03 / selected work
Real systems, in production
Most of my work lives in private company repositories — here's what it involved.
banking · messagingproduction
SMS Gateway Services for Major Banks
Worked on .NET-based GSM/SMS gateway services and REST APIs used by HBL, UBL, Bank Alfalah and Standard Chartered — stored procedures, database-level fixes and reliability improvements on systems where every message matters.
real-time · crmrebuilt
TelloCast CRM — Real-time Engine
Rebuilt a sluggish CRM's real-time engine with Socket.IO into a fast, scalable platform. Delivered the agent portal, client SDK, ticketing and a robust notification service on a microservice architecture.
cloud · devopsaws
Secure AWS Platform — Beleef (Australia)
Designed and managed production AWS infrastructure, built Redis-backed async microservices, and used VPC peering with private access controls to remove all public exposure of servers and databases.
campaigns · brandshigh-traffic
Promotional Campaign Engines
Built SMS and WhatsApp campaign flows for brands like Shell and Chevron — code verification, winner selection and counters that stay accurate under burst traffic.
sdk · messagingteam lead
Messaging Pipeline & Chat SDK
Lead the SDK team and stay hands-on across the messaging pipeline — from chatbot integration to live-agent handover — running on Kubernetes with GitOps deployments.
ai · iot · webvarious
Facial-Recognition Attendance & More
Backend for automated attendance with facial recognition and real-time admin insights, plus lab-test management, product catalogs, crowdfunding and job-portal platforms.
04 / toolbox
Tech I work with
languages
JavaScriptTypeScriptJavaC#SQL
backend
Node.jsNestJSExpressSpring BootSocket.IORESTWebhooks
messaging
KafkaRedisSMS / GSMWhatsApp Business API
databases
SQL ServerPostgreSQLMySQLMongoDBRedis
orms
TypeORMSequelizeMongooseHibernate
devops
DockerKubernetesArgoCDLinuxAWSNginx
05 / experience
Where I've worked
-
Feb 2023 — Present
Backend Developer · Tilism Technologies
Karachi · Full-time
CPaaS platform integrating messaging channels into one portal. Rebuilt the real-time CRM engine, lead the SDK team, support bank SMS services, and build brand campaign flows.
-
Dec 2025 — Apr 2026
DevOps & Backend Engineer · Beleef
Sydney, Australia · Remote contract
Production AWS infrastructure, Redis-based microservices and secure private cloud networking.
-
Oct 2021 — Oct 2023
Backend Developer · ChaynzTech
Karachi · Full-time, then part-time
Built backends for lab management, product catalogs, facial-recognition attendance, crowdfunding and finance job portals; handled continued support and team handover.
-
Education
BS Computer Science · University of Karachi
Certifications: Career Essentials in Generative AI (Microsoft & LinkedIn) · Internet of Things (PIAIC)
06 / working together
I'm here for the long run, not the quick gig.
I'd rather be the engineer you call for years than a name you forget after one delivery. That changes how I work:
Clear communication
Regular updates, honest timelines, and I tell you early if something is off.
Ownership
I treat your system like my own — I think about what happens after launch, not just the deadline.
Clean handover
Documented code and deployments, so you're never locked in or left guessing.
Support after delivery
Bugs, scaling, new features — I stay available as your product grows.
07 / contact
Have a system to build — or one that keeps falling over?
Tell me what you're working on. I'll reply with honest questions and a clear plan.