In 2005, I began my journey into web coding when a friend built a static site for me. Initially, it was a simple HTML page listing class times and fees. Intrigued by how the site worked, I wanted to manage updates myself. Back then, this involved directly editing the code, which often led to layout issues and page crashes.

I encountered challenges such as losing work due to not saving documents or having backups. Despite these setbacks, my determination to learn and improve grew. I joined various web forums and was impressed by the community’s helpfulness. By following the best-practice advice shared by forum members, I implemented several improvements, including SEO strategies, HTML semantics, page load optimisation, content refinement, image optimisation, and security measures.

These efforts led to a well-performing website that adhered to W3C web standards. The site effectively served my needs, helping people find my classes and make bookings. It also caught the attention of a local design consultant, leading to my first paid web development projects. This website became an experimental project that laid the foundation for my web development career.

Soon after, I introduced PHP into my projects, expanding my knowledge of server-side environments, routing, and page templating. I learned how to create reusable code and efficiently include code across multiple parts of the site, reducing duplication.

Setting up a local LAMP stack environment on my PC proved invaluable for development work. It allowed me to run projects on virtual hosts locally, facilitating a more efficient and controlled development process.

As web development evolved, the need for content management systems (CMS) became apparent. To advance my career, I sought private tuition and attended evening classes at City Lit, focusing on JavaScript, PHP, object-oriented PHP, and MySQL. This formal education deepened my understanding and skills in web development.

A custom responsive WordPress theme was developed for a Poetry festival featuring well-known and celebrate poets, organised by Michael Horovitz, a visual artist and translator influential in the UK's Beat Poetry scene.

The theme emphasises fine typography any attention to layout design to showcase the festival's artistic nature. A custom navigation system with elegant page signposting was implemented using CSS and JavaScript.

A bespoke CMS and database system for a new cycle delivery web shopping platform.

The scheme aims to strengthen the local economy. This platform includes integrated delivery, SMS, and email notifications, providing updates on the progress of each delivery.

The system utilizes the CycleStreets RESTful API to gather delivery stats, such as CO2 savings, calories burned, distance, and time to deliver. Traders have their own front page and admin interface for managing orders, invoices, product inventory, and setting opening times and available delivery slots.

Customers benefit from features like multi-shop single checkout, delivery slot selection, and the ability to view order history and reorder previous purchases. They can search by trader, category, or brand and sort products alphabetically or by price. The delivery admin interface offers tools for managing orders, tracking order history, and updating the system at each stage of the delivery process.

As a Progressive Web App (PWA), Streetrunner can be installed on devices and accessed without the need for a browser or app store. This all-in-one solution offers significant benefits to the platform owner.