FAQ
Which Java versions do you use?
Currently (vHive): Java 21 + Spring Boot 3 + Spring Modulith. Earlier at PKO BP Finat I worked across Java 8, 11 and 17 on a portfolio of financial applications. I can drop to an older version if it is a legacy codebase.
Do you work with both monoliths and microservices?
Yes. At vHive I currently write microservices on AWS with OpenSearch, observability-first (metrics, tracing, structured logs from day one). Earlier at PKO BP Finat I maintained a portfolio of monolithic financial apps (Zencard, PKO TFI, PPK). Spring Modulith is my default when a project does not yet need full decomposition - it gives you module boundaries without paying for distributed infrastructure.
Do you work solo or as part of a team?
Both. At PKO BP Finat I led the backend team (4 people) - planning, code review, mentoring juniors and mid-developers, onboarding new joiners. I also deliver features end-to-end on my own - architecture, CI/CD, deployment.
What is the billing model?
B2B, monthly invoice with VAT. Hourly rate from 250 PLN/h net - final quote after a short call. Hours tracked in Toggl or your system - whichever you prefer.
Can you join my standup / Jira / Slack?
Yes. I have been working in Scrum for 3 years - daily, planning, retro, refinement are standard for me. Tickets in Jira, async on Slack, code review through GitLab/GitHub. EU timezone, no synchronization issues.
What if the project runs over?
Every estimate has a 15–20% buffer. If we are heading past it, we talk before it happens. No "oops, 2 more months" the week before deadline.
Do you work with Angular or React?
Both, with Angular as the first pick. 4+ years of commercial Angular (plus some AngularJS in older projects). React 18/19 - I write production code and can stand up an app from scratch; Algiz is Next.js + React + Polaris, built solo from scaffold to deploy. I have fewer commercial years on React than on Angular and I say so up front, so you know exactly what you're hiring. For greenfield I usually pitch Angular - TypeScript-strict, RxJS, signals and SSR are more cohesive out of the box, fewer decisions to make in the first week. Vue/Svelte - code review only.
How long does SSR migration from an existing SPA take?
Depends on the depth of platform-specific code (window, document, localStorage). For a mid-size app, 2–4 weeks plus a week of perf tuning. Quote follows a short code audit. The site you are reading this on is Angular SSR - same pattern I use for client work.
Do you help with the design system, or use an existing one?
Both. Most often I build a thin layer over Tailwind + design tokens. Angular Material / PrimeNG also fine if that is already the team decision.
Are tests included or extra?
Included. Unit + integration on critical paths is the standard. E2E (Cypress / Playwright) for the golden flows - yes, included. 100% coverage - no, that is waste.
What does handover look like after the project?
README + ADR (architecture decision records) + a 1–2h knowledge-transfer session for the team. Plus a 30-day bug warranty - if something drifts, I fix it without billing hours.
Do you design APIs from scratch or consume existing ones?
Both. Greenfield I start from OpenAPI spec → contract test → implementation. Existing APIs I start from Postman / curl + integration test before touching production code.
How do you debug distributed systems without prod access?
Observability-first. Metrics, distributed tracing and structured logs are the first thing I set up, not the last - if they are missing, I add them before hunting for the bug. Without that layer, a distributed system is blind work regardless of seniority. At vHive this is the daily model - microservices on AWS, OpenSearch as the search/analytics layer.
Which message brokers have you worked with?
RabbitMQ - 2 years in production (Apentis: Risk Quadrant + Investor Portal). Idempotency, retry, dead letter queues, queue monitoring. Kafka - I understand the concepts, but I have not run it in production, so I will not pitch myself as a Kafka expert.
Do you work with AWS and cloud?
Yes. At vHive I currently write microservices on AWS with OpenSearch for search and analytics, observability-first from day one. Before that (PKO BP) most systems were on-premise, so cloud-native is my last few years rather than the full 7 - and that is how I position it.
How long is the audit and what is the deliverable?
1–2 weeks depending on codebase size. Deliverable: PDF report (15–30 pages) with executive summary, technical findings prioritised P0/P1/P2, fix estimates, and a 1h Q&A session with your team.
Do you sign an NDA before code access?
Yes. NDA before repo access by default. I can use your template or mine (mutual NDA).
Do you implement fixes after the audit?
Yes, if scope/timeline fits. Some clients take fixes to their own team, others ask me to handle the most urgent P0/P1. Hourly rate applies in that case.
What is the scope of "security" in the audit?
OWASP Top 10 review (auth, injection, deserialization, secrets, CORS, headers), dependency scan (Snyk / OWASP DC), manual review of critical paths (login, payments, file upload). This is NOT a pentest - black-box testing is out of scope.
What if you find a critical security bug?
I escalate immediately (email / call) before the audit ends. I do not sit on a P0 until report time. If it is a public-facing CVE-level issue, we agree on a disclosure path before I write it down.