Althaf Asard

From Building Apps
to Architecting Ecosystems

Solving complex performance problems at scale using AWS cloud infrastructure and high-performance C++ algorithms. Transitioning from 3 years of full-stack development to architecting scalable, cost-effective cloud solutions.

The Pivot

The Foundation

Full Stack Developer

Hotels Hippo • Dec 2022 - Present

Built and optimized high-traffic web applications serving the hospitality industry, handling complex inventory management and booking systems.

Frontend Excellence

React • Redux • TypeScript • Performance Optimization

Backend Mastery

Node.js • Express • C++ (Crow) • RESTful APIs

Database Engineering

PostgreSQL • MySQL • Neo4j • Query Optimization

Mentored interns and trainees, contributing to team growth and knowledge sharing

The Future

AWS Solutions Architecture

Current Focus • Cloud-Native Systems

Architecting scalable, cost-effective cloud solutions with a focus on performance, maintainability, and business requirements for growing startups.

Compute & Orchestration

EC2 • ECS • Lambda • Auto Scaling Groups

Data & Streaming

RDS • AWS DMS • Kinesis • CDC Pipelines

Network & Performance

ALB • ElastiCache • VPC • Security Groups

Real-World Impact:

Designed and implemented a CDC (Change Data Capture) pipeline for an OTA listing page, optimizing for cost, maintainability, and scalability aligned with startup growth trajectory.

Core Impact

Three technical achievements that define the transition from developer to architect

Database Evolution

PostgreSQL → Neo4j

Replaced PostgreSQL with Neo4j for inventory management, significantly reducing response times and enabling enhanced customization options for property owners.

Dramatic performance improvement

Neo4j • PostgreSQL • Graph Databases

Algorithmic Logic

High-Performance Engine

Developed an intelligent room suggestion algorithm in C++ that delivers lightning-fast recommendations on the listing page, transforming user experience.

Exceptional response times

C++ • Algorithm Design • API Integration

Performance Engineering

MySQL → PostgreSQL

Migrated and optimized the database from MySQL to PostgreSQL specifically for read-heavy operations, resulting in impressive performance gains.

Optimized for scale

PostgreSQL • MySQL • Query Optimization

The Stack

Frontend

React

Frontend

TypeScript

Frontend

Redux

State Management

Tailwind CSS

Styling

Backend

Node.js

Backend

Express

Backend

C++

Performance

Crow

Framework

Databases

PostgreSQL

Database

MySQL

Database

Neo4j

Graph DB

MongoDB

NoSQL

AWS Services

EC2

Compute

ECS

Containers

Lambda

Serverless

RDS

Database

AWS DMS

Migration

Kinesis

Streaming

ElastiCache

Caching

ALB

Load Balancing

Auto Scaling

Scalability

GitHub Projects

github.com/althafasard

chatapp-frontEnd

Real-time chat application with WebSocket integration, online status indicators, and typing notifications. Full-stack implementation using MERN stack.

React • Node.js • MongoDB • Socket.io

task-monitoring-website

Task management application with persistent storage and real-time progress tracking. Implements state management and authentication patterns.

React • Redux • Firebase

side-stacker-game

Multiplayer logic game with real-time synchronization. Features connection system and live player updates using WebSocket technology.

React • Express • Socket.io