Hi, I'm

Chris Allen

Software Architect & Platform Engineer

Engineering scalable systems
from backend to cloud.

I've been building software for more than 20 years—and I still love it.

My focus is on system design, backend development, and platform engineering. I thrive at the intersection of architecture and implementation: designing systems that are both technically sound and pragmatic to build. I've spent much of my career working with cloud infrastructure, crafting CI/CD pipelines, and embedding DevOps culture into engineering teams.

When I'm not at the keyboard, I'm with my wife, son, and our dogs. We travel whenever we get the chance, and I've turned cooking into a genuine hobby—there's something about the precision and creativity of a good recipe that appeals to the same part of my brain as writing good software.

System Design Backend Development Platform Engineering Cloud Infrastructure DevOps

What I Do

A broad foundation,
deep where it counts.

System Design

I architect systems that are built to last and built to scale. Whether it's a monolith, a microservice mesh, or something in between, I focus on pragmatic design that solves real problems without unnecessary complexity.

Backend Development

I build reliable APIs, services, and data pipelines across multiple languages: Go, Java, TypeScript/JavaScript, Python, Ruby, and C#. I care about clean interfaces, sound error handling, and code that the next engineer can understand.

Embedded Development

I've built embedded and IoT applications in C++ and Java, working with hardware constraints and real-time requirements. I'm also exploring Rust for embedded systems, drawn in by its memory safety guarantees without a runtime.

Frontend Development

Frontend is where I got my start in the industry. While not my primary focus today, I keep current with the modern ecosystem and bring that understanding to every API contract and backend decision that affects the UI.

DevOps Practices

CI/CD, Infrastructure as Code, and automation aren't afterthoughts for me—they're first-class design goals. If a process can be automated, it will be. I've built and maintained pipelines that ship safely, reliably, and at pace.

Cloud Infrastructure

I've worked deeply with AWS and GCP, designing cloud-native architectures that leverage managed services thoughtfully. Kubernetes, Docker, serverless, and hybrid patterns are all part of my toolkit.

Experience

Companies I've worked with.

I've had the opportunity to build software for great organizations across fintech, IoT, credit unions, and e-commerce—from early-stage startups to large enterprise.