My Background
I'm Francis Ashley, a Software Engineer at Subly, based in London, but originally from the South West of the UK. My coding journey started from an interest in film, photography, and outdoor pursuits, where i developed tools to support these hobbies. The tools multiplied over time eventually forming the bedrock of my career in web development. Outside of work, I pursue creative projects, learn about history, and enjoy thru-hiking. At Subly, I leverage a blend of technical expertise and creative problem-solving to innovate and refine our software solutions, contributing to a dynamic team environment.
My Education
I am a self-taught developer who started coding to build tools to support my hobbies. My journey began with personal projects and expanded into various areas, forming the foundation of my career in software development. This dedication to continuous learning has not only enhanced my technical skills but also fuelled my creativity and problem-solving abilities, allowing me to stay updated with the latest technologies and best practices in the industry.
My Experience
My journey into software development began with projects ranging from a mobile app for tracking hiking stats to a project management app, a notion-like editor, a Google Earth clone for planning thru-hikes, financial tracking apps, Chrome extensions to improve web UX, tools to parse and preview API responses, a timeline app, and various prototypes. Commercially, I built a splash page for formepartners.com before taking on superyachts.com, where I spent 3.5 years refurbishing the design and tech stack, ensuring GDPR compliance, and collaborating with team and third-party developers.
My Achievements
The complete rebuild of superyachts.com stands out as my most significant professional achievement. On a personal level, walking from Canterbury to Rome in 2015 stands out. Every new feature built and skill learnt is also an achievement in itself.
My Expertise
I specialize in JavaScript, TypeScript, Node.js, CSS (including TailwindCSS and SCSS), HTML5, and frontend frameworks like Vue.js/Nuxt.js and React. I have past experience with PHP/Laravel and am skilled in GDPR compliance, UX optimization, web and API development, Electron app development, Chrome extension development, CLI script development, and JS package development.
My Interests
My interests include history, traveling, thru-hiking, and building functional tools to help users achieve their goals faster. Thru-hiking is my way of unwinding and rejuvenating, and I love exploring new ideas and concepts through side projects and prototypes.
