Expert Custom Software Architecture & Development.
Hi, I'm Alastair. I'm a seasoned freelance software engineer partnering with businesses, agencies, and startups to build high-performance, scalable applications under my company, Luna IT. I blend two decades of experience with modern, AI-enhanced workflows.
Why Work With Me?.
Whether you need to build a complex SaaS platform from scratch, rescue a legacy codebase, speed up your development or simply get a second opinion on your project. I deliver the technical depth and reliability you need to succeed on time and within budget.
By leveraging AI development tools, I am able to dramatically speed up development. I pass these efficiencies onto you by shipping features faster and more cost-effectively. Most importantly, I treat AI as a powerful assistant, every line of AI-generated code is rigorously reviewed and refined by my 20+ years of expertise.
How I Can Help You.
Portfolio.
Here's some of the recent projects I was responsible for.
MVP Launch: Scalable Peer-to-Peer Fashion Marketplace
I partnered with an early-stage startup to architect and launch a high-performance second-hand fashion marketplace. My solution focused on building a secure, scalable mobile ecosystem from the ground up, integrating complex financial workflows and real-time social features to ensure a seamless user experience for both buyers and sellers.
Custom E-Commerce Engine: Dynamic Visual Quote & Manufacturing Suite
I transformed a complex manual ordering process into a seamless, end-to-end digital platform for the Australian sun-protection market. My solution featured a custom-built interactive tool that generates real-time, in-proportion diagrams based on user dimensions, fully integrated with a custom manufacturing and logistics backend.
Patented Real-Time Video Personalisation: Mass-Scale Enterprise Engine
I engineered a groundbreaking, patented on-demand video rendering solution that eliminates server-side wait times by performing personalisation directly in the user's browser. I architected the high-availability infrastructure required to deploy personalised video campaigns to millions of users simultaneously for major national brands and charities.
SaaS Founder & Lead Architect: Luna Screens Digital Signage
I founded and built Luna Screens, a comprehensive Digital Signage SaaS that enables businesses to manage content across global screen networks remotely. Beyond the technical build, this project involved end-to-end product strategy, from initial architectural design to marketing and achieving a consistent revenue-generating subscriber base.
High-Conversion Men’s Health Platform: Pixel-Perfect Lead Generation
I engineered a high-performance sales and lead-generation platform for a men’s health brand, focusing on extreme speed and precise design fidelity. My solution unified a headless CMS with a suite of enterprise-level marketing tools, advanced event tracking, and a custom edge-computing layer for regional content delivery.
Tech Rescue & Performance Optimisation: Custom QR Suite
I was hired to rescue a stalled QR code platform originally managed by a team of six developers. I performed a comprehensive security audit, established a modern CI/CD deployment flow, and refactored a high-debt codebase to resume feature delivery. Additionally, I built a zero-framework, lightning-fast web companion for instant QR generation.
Aerospace UI Engineering: Aircraft Movement Logic
I assisted a US-based aircraft technology startup in solving a complex UI challenge involving aircraft manoeuvring. I developed a custom JavaScript implementation that allowed users to drag aircraft by their nose while maintaining realistic movement physics. Following this, I expanded my role to architect a bespoke aircraft parking algorithm and integrate various UI components.
Government E-Scooter Data Visualisation
The City of Hobart approached me to come up with a solution to get visualisation on their new E-Scooter initiative around Hobart, Tasmania.
Cross Platform Ethical Puppy Marketplace
We built a cross platform app for a responsible breeder marketplace. This was a large project that boasted key features such as 1 to 1 chat, handling payments, manage profiles and many more. We used Expo to target all three platforms, iOS, Android and web while maintaining only one code base. This allowed us to deliver the marketplace quickly and cost effectively. We worked directly with the start up, outpaced the competition and captured that section of the market. The project generated lots of press and was featured in many Australian newspapers.
My Preferred Tech Stack.
Here is my preferred stack for performance and scale. Have an existing setup? I’ve worked across most technologies and adapt quickly.
Frontend: Native JavaScript and Web technologies for low level control. And React for rapidly building interfaces.
Backend: Node.js, it's ubiquitous, easy to work with and you'll have no trouble finding developers to support it in 10 years.
Database: DynamoDB for scale and low running costs. And sometimes Firebase to build complex real time apps faster.
Infrastructure: AWS with an emphasis on cost effective Serverless scaling, e.g. Lambda, API Gateway, CloudFront, CloudFormation. And Github actions for CI/CD.
Other: Stripe for payments, Expo for app development (halve costs by building for both iOS and Android with one codebase)
FAQ.
How do I keep costs low?
Why would you choose me over a large app development team?
Can we chat over a video call?
Do you offer fractional CTO services?
Can you rescue my project?
Can you audit my app?
Is it cheaper to higher offshore instead?
Do you work on fixed-price contracts or charge hourly?
What happens if we want to change the scope of the project halfway through?
What happens if you get sick or are unavailable?
Do you write all the code yourself, or do you outsource to subcontractors?
How do you ensure you meet deadlines on complex projects?
How can I be confident you have the technical skills to deliver my specific idea?
Who owns the source code and Intellectual Property (IP) once the project is finished?
How will I be kept in the loop on progress during the build?
I already have an internal team; can you integrate with them alongside the build?
If we build an app what happens after it's launched? Do you offer ongoing maintenance?
Will my internal team be able to easily understand and manage the code after you hand it over?
If working on a project how do you handle bugs or defects found after the final delivery?
Do you have an ABN?
Is AI generated code any good?
Do you support the Australian R&D tax incentive program?
Let's connect.
Drop your email and a quick note about the technical challenge you're facing. I’ll get back to you with my thoughts and how I can help. I look forward to hearing from you!