Senior Software Developer

25 Years
Building Reliable
Software Systems

I help businesses design, build, modernize, and maintain web applications, APIs, and backend systems using proven engineering practices and modern technologies.

Let's Talk → View My Work
developer.profile.ts 
// Walter Palladino — Senior Developer
const developer = {
  name: "Walter Palladino",
  experience: 25, // years
  location: "Florida, US",

  expertise: [
    "Java", "Spring Boot",
    "Node.js", "React",
    "PostgreSQL", "MongoDB",
    "Docker", "AWS"
  ],

  focus: "Building systems that last",

  values: {
    simplicity: true,
    maintainability: true,
    pragmatism: true,
    reliability: true
  },

  available: true // open to projects
};
25+
Years Experience
100+
Projects Delivered
Java
Core Specialty
Full
Stack Capable
Walter Palladino
// Available for projects
// ABOUT ME

Engineer First,
Everything Else Second

I've been writing software professionally for over 25 years. In that time I've worked across industries — healthcare, finance, logistics, e-commerce — helping companies build systems that actually hold up under pressure.

My work lives on the backend: Java, Spring Boot, Node.js, and the databases and infrastructure that connect them. I'm also comfortable on the frontend when the project needs it — React, TypeScript, the full stack.

What I care about most is code that doesn't need to be explained. Software that the next engineer can maintain, that won't break at 2am, and that solves the actual business problem — not an approximation of it.

I work with small teams and independent businesses who need senior-level thinking without the overhead of a large agency.

// SERVICES

How I Can Help

Practical engineering services for businesses that need reliable software — not agency fluff.

⚙
Custom Web Applications

Business software built to your exact requirements. If the off-the-shelf tools don't fit, I build the one that does.

⬡
Backend & API Development

Robust APIs, third-party integrations, and scalable architectures that can grow without falling apart.

↑
Legacy Modernization

Updating aging systems to modern standards without stopping the business. Gradual, careful, reversible.

◈
Technical Consulting

Architecture reviews, technology choices, and strategic guidance when you need a seasoned outside perspective.

▲
Performance Optimization

Finding the real bottlenecks and fixing them. Faster queries, better caching, smarter architecture.

◻
System Design & Review

Helping teams think through complex problems before writing a line of code. Save months of rework upstream.

// TECHNOLOGY STACK

Tools I Work With

Chosen for reliability and fit — not hype.

BACKEND
Java
Spring Boot
Node.js
Fastify
FRONTEND
React
Next.js
TypeScript
JavaScript
DATABASES
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
MySQL
INFRASTRUCTURE
Docker
Linux
AWS
// MY APPROACH

How I Think About Software

Principles shaped by 25 years of building things that had to actually work.

Simplicity beats cleverness

The simplest solution that solves the problem is almost always the right one. Clever code is a liability six months from now.

Code is read more than written

Clarity is a feature. If the next engineer can't understand it quickly, it isn't done yet.

Business context matters

Technology choices exist to serve the business — not the other way around. I always understand the problem before reaching for a solution.

Pragmatic over perfect

Shipped software that works beats ideal architecture still in design. I balance long-term thinking with real delivery timelines.

Tests are documentation

A well-tested system communicates intent. Tests that pass today are the guarantee that changes tomorrow don't break what works.

Reliability is non-negotiable

I design for failure. Systems go down; good systems recover predictably and leave behind enough information to understand why.

// SELECTED WORK

Things I've Built

Problems solved, systems shipped, businesses moved forward.

POST /api/bookings
→ 200 OK { id, confirmation }
// 2,000 req/min · zero downtime
Fastify MongoDB Node.js Zod
Professional Booking System

A production-grade booking API for scheduling across multiple professionals. Layered architecture, full test coverage with Vitest, Docker-ready, OpenAPI documented.

Webhook received: payment_intent.succeeded
→ Order confirmed · Email sent
// Stripe integration · 9 events
Stripe Node.js PostgreSQL
Stripe Payments Backend

Full Stripe integration covering checkout sessions, webhook processing for 9 event types, and a standalone deployment guide for shared hosting environments.

SELECT query_time: 4200ms → 38ms
Index: idx_orders_customer_date
// 99th percentile improved 110x
PostgreSQL Java Spring Boot
Legacy API Performance Overhaul

Diagnosed and resolved cascading performance issues in a decade-old Spring Boot API. Query optimization, connection pool tuning, and caching layer — 100x improvement on critical paths.

// WordPress Gutenberg Block
registerBlockType('cfp/contact-form')
REST API · Admin inbox · Bulk actions
WordPress PHP REST API ES5
WordPress Contact Form Plugin

Production-ready Gutenberg block plugin — no build tools, plain ES5. Full REST API backend with admin inbox, filtering, search, and bulk actions.

// WRITING & NOTES

Recent Articles

Notes on software architecture, Java, Node.js, and lessons from the field. View all →

2026-06-07
Stripe Backend: Production-Ready Payments on Hostinger with Node.js

A minimal Node.js backend for Stripe Checkout — SQLite via node:sqlite, 9 webhook events handled, full test suite, and a step-by-step Hostinger deployment guide.
2026-05-15
Legacy Code Isn't the Enemy — Ignorance Is

The problem with most modernization projects is that teams rush to rewrite before they fully understand what the old system was actually doing.
2026-06-07
WordPress Auto-Poster: Automating Content Creation with Node.js

A Node.js tool that auto-generates content and publishes posts or pages to WordPress via the REST API — with batch support, CLI flags, and featured image uploads.
More... →
// CONTACT

Let's Build Something Useful

Whether you need a new application, help modernizing an existing system, or technical guidance on a challenging project — I'd be happy to discuss it. No sales process, just a conversation.

in
linkedin.com/in/walter-palladino
gh
github.com/walterpalladino
Code on a dark terminal screen
// open to new projects