unipubs · 2022–2024 · case study
rebuilding the core at unipubs.
i joined to add features to an existing product. after working within the codebase, i proposed a rewrite to address the technical debt slowing development.
my role: architecture, leading a small team through the rewrite, backend and frontend development, and building the mobile app from scratch.
the decision
i first tried to deliver the planned features within the existing system. each addition was becoming more expensive, and i judged that the upcoming work would take longer on that foundation than rebuilding it.
the rewrite meant doing foundational work before returning to the feature backlog. i designed the new architecture and led the implementation with a small team.
the work
we rebuilt the core around a layered architecture and reusable packages. i wrote and published an authentication package with magic-link sign-in.
my responsibilities also included building the mobile app from scratch and implementing features across backend and frontend.
what changed
feature development became faster after the rewrite. some features could be delivered in a day.