3 min read
Do You Actually Need Backstage?
Backstage can make life easier for developers, but only when it solves a real problem. Here is when it fits, when it does not, and how to decide.
Senior Full-Stack Engineer
Ali Bayramli
I build developer platforms and internal tools that remove repetitive work.
8+ years building internal platforms and web applications at XM.com, Morgan Stanley, and ExxonMobil.
Open to remote senior full-time or contract roles
Impact
~3,000
Estimated hours saved/month
XM.com - automated provisioning, configuration, and permissions
~15
Applications modernized
Morgan Stanley - desktop workflows moved to the web
~$100K
Annual cost avoided
ExxonMobil - replaced third-party email tooling
Experience
XM.com
CurrentSenior Full-Stack Developer
Oct 2023 - Present
Remote
Build and maintain Backstage templates, plugins, and catalog workflows for an engineering organization of 1,000+ developers.
Estimated ~3,000 engineering hours saved each month through automated provisioning, configuration, and permissions.
Tools: Backstage.io, TypeScript, React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, Azure AI SDK
More details
- Lead golden paths, scorecards, and catalog workflows across the internal developer platform.
- Build custom Backstage plugins with the Azure AI SDK to validate catalog metadata.
- Mentor newer team members and contribute to GitLab CI/CD, Terraform, EKS, and Helm delivery work.
Other tools: AWS, EKS, Helm, Terraform, GitLab CI/CD
Morgan Stanley
Front-End Developer
Sep 2021 - Sep 2023
Budapest, Hungary
Modernized broker-facing desktop applications as internally maintained Angular web tools.
~15 applications migrated, removing per-desktop deployment and update work.
Tools: Angular, RxJS, SCSS, AG Grid, Jest, Karma
More details
- Built data grids and real-time workflows with Angular, RxJS, and AG Grid.
Other tools: Jenkins
ExxonMobil
Full-Stack Developer
May 2018 - Aug 2021
Budapest, Hungary
Built internal web tools for enterprise publishing and automated email generation.
Approximately $100K in annual vendor costs avoided by replacing third-party email tooling.
Tools: SharePoint APIs, Vue.js, Vuex, Vuetify, Node.js, MongoDB
More details
Other tools: AWS S3
Selected projects
Portfolio & Blog Platform
Built this Astro and React site with Markdown publishing, RSS, SEO metadata, and generated resume assets.
A portfolio platform that brings together my projects, skills, experience, and technical blog posts in one place.
Built with: Astro, React, TypeScript, Markdown
Implementation details
- Built the portfolio with Astro static routes, a React homepage, and Markdown-based blog pages generated at build time.
- Added Markdown publishing with typed content collections, tags, syntax-highlighted code, RSS, sitemap generation, canonical metadata, social previews, and draft controls.
- Centralized profile, experience, and project data so the website, social card, and one-page resume can be regenerated from consistent source content.
FX Notifier
A Python service that validates FX rates and posts scheduled weekday updates to Telegram.
Automates a manual reporting routine with retry logic, tests, and GitHub Actions.
Built with: Python, Requests, python-telegram-bot, Pytest
Implementation details
- Built an FX service layer with config validation and retry and backoff for network resilience.
- Implemented deterministic AZN derivation via EUR to USD and a configurable USD to AZN peg.
- Set up weekday GitHub Actions runs with shared local and CI checks before Telegram delivery.
Core skills
- Frontend
- React, Angular, TypeScript
- Backend and APIs
- Node.js, Python, PostgreSQL, REST APIs, AI SDKs
- Platform Engineering
- Backstage.io, Developer Portals, Service Catalogs, Golden Paths
- Cloud and Delivery
- AWS, Terraform, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD
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Contact
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Open to remote senior full-time or contract roles in full-stack and platform engineering.
Baku, Azerbaijan / Remote