Backend
Core expertise- PHP
- Laravel
- Symfony
- Node.js
- NestJS
- REST & GraphQL
Available for freelance & remote projects
Senior Full Stack Developer
Building scalable web applications, APIs & e‑commerce platforms.
I’m Rabia Rafique — a full stack developer with 9+ years of experience. I architect backends in Laravel, Symfony and NestJS, build frontends in React and Next.js, and deliver WordPress & WooCommerce solutions, from data model to deployment.
- 9+ Years of professional experience
- 50+ Projects delivered
- End-to-end Architecture → deployment
LaravelNestJSReact
Core stack
- Laravel
- Symfony
- Node.js
- NestJS
- React
- Next.js
- WordPress
- WooCommerce
01About
Backend depth, full stack reach.
I design and build the systems behind websites and web applications — and the interfaces that sit on top of them.
For more than nine years I’ve worked on the backend of the web: architecting Laravel and Symfony systems, building REST and GraphQL APIs, and keeping databases and infrastructure running the way they should.
That foundation expanded into React, Next.js, Node.js and NestJS, so I can take a product from data model to finished interface without handing it off halfway — whether it’s a custom web application, a headless CMS build, or a WordPress and WooCommerce store.
Alongside agency work, I’ve delivered 50+ freelance projects for international clients in fintech, real estate and tourism — turning business requirements into working software. AI tools like Cursor and Claude are part of my workflow: not to replace judgement, but to move faster through routine work and spend more time on architecture and code quality.
- Based in
- Karachi, Pakistan
- Experience
- 9+ years, since 2015
- Core stack
- PHP · Laravel · Symfony · Node.js · NestJS
- Also building with
- React · Next.js · WordPress · WooCommerce · Strapi
- Education
- B.E. Computer Software Engineering, MUET
- Working style
- Remote, async-friendly
- Workflow
- AI-assisted — Cursor & Claude
02Services
How I can help
From a new web application to a WooCommerce store that needs to do more — engagements usually fall into one of these.
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Full Stack Web Development
Custom web applications and business platforms, from data model and backend to the interface your users work in.
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Backend Development
Maintainable server-side systems in PHP, Laravel, Symfony, Node.js and NestJS, structured to grow with the product.
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API Development
REST and GraphQL APIs, third-party integrations and backend services for web and mobile clients.
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WordPress Development
Custom WordPress websites, themes, plugins and integrations — including headless WordPress setups.
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WooCommerce Development
Custom WooCommerce stores and functionality: catalogues, carts, customer accounts and multilingual shops.
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E-commerce Development
E-commerce beyond templates — custom bundles, discount logic and fulfilment integrations on Laravel, WooCommerce or Magento.
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Maintenance & Optimisation
Ongoing maintenance for live sites: performance improvements, bug fixing, updates and long-term support.
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Not sure what you need?
Describe the problem and I’ll suggest a practical approach and stack.
Start a conversation
03Skills
A focused, production-tested stack
Grouped by where it sits in a product. Backend is the core; everything else is used to ship complete products.
Frontend
7- JavaScript
- TypeScript
- React
- Next.js
- HTML
- CSS
- Tailwind CSS
CMS & E-commerce
4- WordPress
- WooCommerce
- Magento
- Strapi
Databases
4- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- MongoDB
- Prisma / TypeORM
Tools & Infrastructure
5- Git
- GitHub
- Docker
- AWS
- Vercel
04Selected work
Projects across fintech, e-commerce, healthcare & real estate
A selection of platforms and websites I’ve built or worked on. The featured projects below include short case studies.
Featured projects
Buna — Cross-border Payments Platform
Backend and admin tooling for an international cross-border payments platform, built to manage transaction workflows reliably at scale.
- Scope
- Backend & admin tooling
- Stack
KitchenAid IE
Feature-rich e-commerce platform for KitchenAid built on Aimeos (Laravel), with custom bundles, discount logic and Aramex-integrated order fulfilment.
- Scope
- E-commerce development · team project with Digital Gravity
- Stack
Roche Academy
Learning and training platform for Roche, built with Symfony and Sonata Admin, including REST APIs powering a companion mobile app.
- Scope
- Platform backend, admin & mobile REST APIs
- Stack
Acube Developments
Corporate platform for a Dubai-based real estate developer, showcasing its vision, developments and community-living philosophy — Next.js/React frontend with a NestJS/Node.js backend.
- Scope
- Full stack — Next.js frontend & NestJS backend
- Stack
Almadallah
Healthcare membership platform with a Next.js frontend and a Strapi headless CMS serving member and provider content.
- Scope
- Next.js frontend & Strapi headless CMS
- Stack
Knead Bakery & Patisserie
E-commerce site for an Abu Dhabi artisanal bakery, with a WooCommerce-powered shop, cart, favourites and account system, plus WPML multilingual support.
- Scope
- WooCommerce store & multilingual setup
- Stack
More projects (22)
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Fintech
Buna Developer Portal
Secure developer sign-in portal for Buna’s cross-border payments network, giving partner institutions access for integrating with the payment infrastructure.
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Real estate portal
Betterhomes Qatar
Large-scale real estate portal for Doha’s Betterhomes, with multi-criteria property search across hundreds of areas, market insights and buyer, seller and tenant guides.
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High-traffic news
Judicial Watch
Development and maintenance of a high-traffic WordPress news and advocacy site with complex content types, media feeds and lead-capture forms.
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Campaign microsite
Sephora Squad — Middle East
Creator-application microsite for Sephora Middle East, with dynamic multi-step application forms powered by a Next.js API layer.
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Investor relations
Dubai Investments
Corporate website for Dubai Investments, a publicly listed investment holding company, built with Laravel.
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Enterprise IT
GBM
Corporate website for GBM, a regional enterprise IT solutions and services provider, built with Laravel.
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Real estate
Scope Properties
Real estate platform with property listings, search and filtering, built for a responsive browsing experience.
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Real estate
Dubai Rapid Properties
Palm Jumeirah real estate agency site with advanced multi-criteria property search, holiday homes, an owner portal and WhatsApp-based agent lead capture.
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Commercial real estate · US
DLC Management
Website for a US commercial real estate firm managing open-air shopping centres for national tenants, with property search, case studies and a podcast library.
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Property investment
RC Investments
Site for a Dubai-based land and property investment firm, featuring land listings, a diamond investment programme and agent / user portals.
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Product catalogue
Dumont Paris
Website for a perfume trading brand with an extensive fragrance catalogue across multiple product lines, an Instagram feed integration and a B2B private-label section.
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Multi-sector group
Andalusia Group
Corporate site for a diversified UAE group spanning real estate, healthcare, retail and fit-out, with a multi-brand structure and a project portfolio across the UAE, KSA, Turkey and Spain.
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Luxury real estate
Ohana Development
Site for a private luxury real estate developer in the UAE and Lebanon, showcasing flagship branded residences.
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B2B technology
Intertech Vision ME
Corporate site for a control-room technology provider, covering a multi-product catalogue, partner ecosystem and industry use-case pages across the MENA region.
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Construction
Fibrex Construction Group
Corporate site for a Tier 1 Abu Dhabi construction contractor, structuring its turnkey, specialist contracting and specialist divisions across sectors.
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Investment group
Lakhraim Group
Corporate site for a Dubai-based MENA investment group spanning hospitality, private investment, property development, commercial construction and healthcare.
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Finance · Oman
Jabal Asset Management
Corporate website for an Oman-based asset management and brokerage firm regulated by the Financial Services Authority of Oman.
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Recruitment & HR
Synergi MENA
Website for a Dubai-based executive recruitment and HR consulting firm, covering recruitment, leadership coaching, HR consulting and salary surveys.
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Conglomerate
Mahgoub Sons Group
Bilingual corporate site for a Sudanese agribusiness conglomerate with subsidiaries across agriculture, food, engineering, media and logistics.
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Real estate
GJ Properties
Property developer website for GJ Properties in the UAE, showcasing featured residential towers and project listings.
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Media & events
Media Land Group
Corporate website for a Dubai-based media and events group, built with Laravel to showcase live events and experiential productions.
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Tourism & bookings
Al Sadeem Astronomy
Stargazing and observatory experience site with service listings and an inquiry / booking flow.
05Experience
Career timeline
Agency engineering and independent client work, running in parallel since 2016.
-
— Present
CurrentSenior Full Stack Developer
Digital Gravity
Building and maintaining production systems across backend, frontend, CMS and cloud infrastructure.
- Backend architecture — built and maintained scalable systems in Laravel, PHP, Symfony, Node.js and NestJS, alongside Next.js and React on the frontend.
- APIs & CMS — designed GraphQL and REST APIs, and headless setups with WordPress and Strapi.
- Data & cloud — managed MySQL, PostgreSQL and MongoDB with Prisma / TypeORM, deployed on AWS and Vercel.
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— Present
CurrentFreelance Software Engineer
Upwork
Working directly with international clients, from initial scope through to deployment.
- 50+ projects delivered — for clients across fintech, real estate and tourism, from initial scope through to deployment.
- Direct client ownership — worked with international founders to turn business requirements into working software.
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—
PHP Web Developer
Hidaya Institute of Science & Technology
- Built dynamic sites with PHP, MySQL and jQuery, and trained on Laravel 5, CodeIgniter and WordPress.
Recognition & education
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Commitment to Excellence Award
Digital Gravity
Recognised for consistent dedication, reliability and high-quality work delivered across projects.
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1st Position — Advanced PHP
Hidaya Institute of Science & Technology
Top position in Advanced PHP during training.
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MUET Merit Scholarship
Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
Merit-based scholarship for academic excellence during B.E. Computer Software Engineering.
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B.E. Computer Software Engineering
Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
Plus PHP Basic & Advanced coursework at Hidaya Institute of Science & Technology.
06Why work with me
Senior experience, focused on your business.
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9+ years in production
Professional web development since 2015 — agency delivery and direct freelance work with international clients.
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Genuinely full stack
Backend, frontend, APIs and databases. One person can own the feature from schema to screen.
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Scalable architecture
Clean, maintainable structure in Laravel, Symfony and NestJS that the next developer can work with.
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Business-first thinking
Used to turning founders’ business requirements into working software, not just closing tickets.
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E-commerce experience
WooCommerce, Aimeos (Laravel) and Magento — catalogues, bundles, discounts and fulfilment integrations.
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End-to-end delivery
From initial scope through development, integrations and deployment on AWS or Vercel, to maintenance.
07Contact
Let’s Build Something Together
Tell me what you’re building — whether it’s a new product, an e-commerce store or an existing system that needs a senior hand — and I’ll reply with next steps.
- Emailitsrabiadev@gmail.com
- WhatsApp+92 332 3292312 (opens in a new tab)
- LinkedIn/in/itsrabiadev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHubgithub.com/itsrabiadev (opens in a new tab)
- LocationKarachi, Pakistan · Remote