Software Development

Custom software for problems WordPress can't solve alone.

Sometimes a CMS is not enough. You need a custom application: a property search tool backed by a map API, a headless commerce platform serving multiple buyer types, a block library synchronised to a Figma design system. I build those.

I’ve spent over 25 years working across the full stack — from database architecture and REST APIs to React frontends and automated deployment pipelines. I bring the same rigour to bespoke software that I bring to WordPress: clean architecture, documented code, and solutions that your team can maintain after I’m done.

What I build

Developer building a React front-end application in a code editor

React and Vue.js Applications

Front-end applications that live inside or alongside WordPress — or completely independently. Interactive map-based search tools built with React and MapBox, storefronts and dashboards built with Vue.js — single-page applications that stay fast and maintainable under real-world data loads.

Headless WordPress and REST APIs

WordPress is an excellent content API. I architect headless setups where a decoupled front end consumes WordPress’s REST API — giving content teams the editorial interface they know while unlocking modern front-end performance and flexibility.

Multiple devices on a desk consuming the same content through a decoupled front end
Server racks with structured cabling representing wired-together services

Integrations

Stripe for payments. MapBox for geospatial features. AWS for hosting, queues, and object storage. Mailgun for transactional and bulk email. I wire these together cleanly, without the integration debt that accumulates when you stack third-party plugins.

DevOps and CI/CD

I implement static-publishing CI workflows that take WordPress out of the production request path entirely — resulting in a site that is secure, fast, and nearly indestructible. I set up CI/CD pipelines with GitHub Actions, automated testing, and environment-parity deployments.

Close-up of a circuit board representing automated infrastructure and pipelines
Retail checkout with a card reader representing e-commerce transactions

B2B2C Commerce

Greenfield e-commerce MVPs: a WooCommerce REST API backend, a modern JavaScript storefront, and a cloud-backed CI/CD pipeline — delivered while mentoring in-house developers so they inherit a codebase they understand and can extend.

Data Modelling and Database Architecture

Good software starts with a clean data model. I design schemas that support the features you need today without backing you into a corner for the features you’ll need in three years.

Rows of card catalog drawers representing a structured data schema

How a headless build fits together

When a decoupled front end makes sense, WordPress stays the editing tool your team already knows while a separate application renders the pages. Content flows out of WordPress as JSON over its REST API, a React or Vue front end consumes it, and the result is served from a CDN — with third-party services wired in where they’re needed. Here’s the shape of that architecture:

WordPress content API through REST JSON to a React or Vue front end served via CDN, with Stripe, MapBox, AWS and Mailgun integrations
Headless: WordPress as the content API, a modern front end for your users

What the deployment pipeline looks like

A static-publishing workflow means the live site is just pre-built files — WordPress never handles a visitor request. Every commit runs through automated tests and a build, the output is published as a versioned artifact, and only then does it reach production. This is what makes the result fast and hard to break:

Pipeline: commit to GitHub Actions test and build, static publish, production - WordPress out of the request path
Static-publishing CI: WordPress out of the production request path

What clients say

“His expertise exceeded expectations. He consistently delivered on time and within budget, demonstrating remarkable foresight.”

Andy Ford, Website Redesign Project Manager, Riverwood Properties

“He clearly showed the difference between a junior developer and a developer of his caliber.”

Abdou Sadiakhou, Jr. Dev, Kwely

“Terrance has been instrumental in supporting the development of the Inspire Enterprise Action Tracker and website. His skills as a designer and developer along with his passion to create the best solution possible is very highly valued at Inspire.”

Paul Edney, CEO, Inspire Enterprise

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your typical project size?

I work on projects ranging from a few weeks (an integration, a feature build) to multi-year ongoing engagements. The Seattle Public Schools multisite has been in active development since 2021.

Do you do fixed-price or time-and-materials projects?

Both, depending on the scope. Well-defined projects suit fixed pricing. Exploratory or evolving projects work better on a retainer or T&M basis. I’ll recommend the right model when we talk.

Can you work with an existing codebase?

Yes. Most of my engagements involve inheriting code, not starting from scratch. I do a codebase audit first so I know what I’m working with.

Do you handle hosting and deployment?

Yes. I set up CI/CD pipelines, configure server environments, and offer managed WordPress hosting. See the Hosting page for managed plans.

What stacks do you work in?

PHP/WordPress on the backend; React and Vue.js on the front end; MySQL/MariaDB for databases; AWS, SiteGround, and custom VPS hosting; GitHub Actions for CI/CD; Stripe, MapBox, Mailgun for integrations.

Do you write tests?

Yes, and I insist on it for anything beyond a trivial change. Automated test coverage is the difference between a codebase you can maintain and one you’re afraid to touch.

Related Case Studies

25 +
Years full-stack
104
Sites on one multisite network
3
Service practices
100 %
Direct with the engineer

Ready to build something that lasts?

I offer a free initial consultation. Tell me what you’re building — or what’s broken.

Book a Consultation

Earthman Media acknowledges that I live and work in Edmonton, Alberta — Treaty 6 territory and the Métis homeland — a traditional gathering place and travelling route for the Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, Dene and Nakota Sioux. I acknowledge the many First Nations, Métis, and Inuit whose footsteps have marked these lands for centuries.