Shuja Ur Rahman, home, Lead Software Developer

Manifest

The ideas I keep coming back to when I build, gathered from my own notes, posts and project write-ups. The first three are John Maeda's Laws of Simplicity, which inspired the design of this site.

  1. Reduce

    The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

    Laws of Simplicity, from this site's design notes

  2. Trust

    In simplicity we trust.

    Laws of Simplicity, from this site's design notes

  3. The One

    Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

    Laws of Simplicity, from this site's design notes

  4. Build what everyone depends on

    Most of what I build is the part of a business customers never see but everyone depends on.

    About

  5. Make it trustworthy

    The details I care about are the ones that make software trustworthy: invoice numbers without gaps, payment webhooks that are safe to receive twice, edits that can't silently overwrite each other, and access rules checked on every request.

    About

  6. Start from the problem

    I love building from scratch: taking a problem, dissecting it, and designing efficient, scalable solutions.

    The genesis of PixelKrafts, 2025

  7. Clarity over complexity

    Simplify communication, pricing and deliverables. No jargon. No fluff. Just clear goals and results.

    PixelKrafts core values, 2025

  8. Production is not hype

    Ship in practical cycles: scope, design, build and QA, launch and monitor, then iterate. Not build and hand over, but build, optimize and keep improving.

    Scaling PixelKrafts, 2026

  9. Keep learning

    I'm a firm believer in continuous learning and self-improvement, and in a healthy body for a sharp mind. Perseverance and adaptability are key: not every goal gets met, but each step teaches something.

    Hello, world (2024) and 2024 in review

  10. Give back

    Contribute to open source, embracing collaboration and giving back to the community.

    2024 in review

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