In progress
HeadBoard
Headless alternative to Canny. SDK-first feedback boards — React hooks, not iframes.
- Go
- Next.js
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Caddy
Limited availability
I build things that don’t fall down.
I’m Jan Smrčka, a full-stack engineer from Prague. I build software where bugs have consequences — from banking systems serving 100,000 people to scientific infrastructure at ELI Beamlines, where operators need the right data now, not after a refresh.
When I’m not coding, I’m usually climbing sandstone or racing enduro — both teach the same lesson: read the line before you commit to it.
Where I have been
2022 —
- Live monitoring for laser operators, tracking experimental data from measurement points as it happens.
- Spare-parts management system: full web app in Next.js and TypeScript, plus a React Native (Expo) mobile version.
- Set the architecture and the developer workflow, and led component-driven development.
- Mentored junior developers and interns.
2024 — 2025
2019 — 2022
2016 — 2018
2016
Bachelor's, Applied InformaticsUniversity of Management Informatics and Economics
I ♥
sandstone climbing, Adršpach, alpine routes, enduro, downhill, Neovim, tmux and terminal tooling.
What I reach for
- Frontend
- ReactNext.jsTypeScriptTailwind CSSReact Native
- State & Data
- ReduxReact QuerytRPCGraphQL
- Backend & DB
- Node.jsGoPostgreSQLNeo4jPrisma
- DevOps & Auth
- DockerGitHub ActionsOAuth2NextAuth
- Testing
- JestCypressPlaywright
- AI Tools
- Claude CodeGitHub Copilot
Selected work
All work- Shipped
ZŠ a MŠ Malenice
Next.js and Sanity behind a live school site with exactly one non-technical editor.
- Next.js
- Sanity
- TypeScript
- Vercel
- Shipped
differ
Terminal diff viewer with syntax highlighting, vim keys, and AI commit messages. Built with TDD in Go.
- Go
- Bubble Tea
- Chroma
Recent writing
All writingMy CLI-First AI Development Workflow
Tmux, git worktrees, and fuzzy search for parallel AI coding agents
5 min read
AI Isn’t an Equalizer. It’s a Lever.
Why AI amplifies existing skill gaps instead of closing them
5 min read
Context Engineering vs Vibe Coding
Why better context beats a bigger model in AI-assisted development
14 min read
Got something that has to work?
Full-time at ELI · taking select contracts. Send me the problem in a few lines. If I’m the wrong person for it, I’ll say so and point you at someone better.