ABOUT
- Name: Alen Kolarić
- Email: alen@kolarix.com
- Location: Osijek, Croatia
- LinkedIn: alen-kolaric
With 7+ years of experience in front-end development, I have a solid background in delivering e-commerce solutions. My expertise in Magento, as well as other platforms, has allowed me to develop a strong skill set in this field. I am also adept at working remotely and stay current on industry trends and technical best practices.
My ability to adapt to diverse client needs, troubleshoot and problem-solve, work independently and as part of a team, has resulted in a track record of successful projects. I am confident in my ability to deliver high-quality work and meet the needs of any client.
Throughout my professional career, I have primarily focused on working with Magento, but I am also well-versed in WordPress. I have developed a solid understanding of both platforms and have experience in creating and maintaining various e-commerce websites and web-based projects on both. I am a big fan of both Magento and WordPress, and I am able to utilize my skills and expertise in both to deliver high-performing, visually appealing and user-friendly websites.
My interest in web development began in the early 2000s, when I was fascinated by the possibilities the internet offered and wanted to be a part of it. I started by inspecting the source code of web pages and learning as much as I could. As I progressed, I had the opportunity to experiment with a variety of different content management systems and applications, which allowed me to deepen my knowledge of HTML, CSS, and server and hosting-related technologies.
Throughout my early years, I owned and operated multiple forums and portals, primarily focused on gaming. Additionally, I built and maintained several small company websites, which served as an ideal training and improvement opportunity for my front-end skills. I am proficient in both Linux and MacOS operating systems and have experience in configuring and hosting web pages on cloud VPNs, including the one that this website is hosted on.
EXPERIENCE
Overview of my professional work experience, including a detailed list of my official employments and the responsibilities overview
2020
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2023
Frontend developer
REMOTEAs a Magento front-end developer at AAP Softwaredevelopment, company based in Zadar, I had the opportunity to work with a team of experienced developers and contribute to the company's growth...
AAP Softwaredevelopment is a subsidiary of Lehrerwelt, which is under the wing of the Klett corporation, a well-established education company based in Germany. My primary responsibilities included working on the company's flagship e-commerce store that served a large customer base in the DACH region, as well as working on Magento 2 migrations and corporate WordPress websites. The position was fully remote with occasional travels to Zadar, where the company is based, and Hamburg for team meetings and working sessions. The culture at AAP Softwaredevelopment was highly corporate. This experience allowed me to gain a deep understanding of the intricacies of working on large-scale Magento projects and to develop a deep understanding of technical best practices and trends in the industry.2019
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2019
Frontend developer
REMOTEI had the opportunity to work as a Magento front-end developer at Vashi, a luxury jewelry e-commerce company based in the United Kingdom, in a fully remote capacity...
The team was composed of members from around the world, which provided a unique and diverse perspective. I was brought on as a contractor to work on the main web shop which was running on Magento 1. Additionally, I did research and preparatory work for the company's upcoming migration to Magento 2. The team at Vashi was highly professional, and I appreciated the opportunity to work with such skilled and experienced individuals. The company's unique rings configurator was a nice bonus, and I was impressed by the attention to detail that went into its development. My time at Vashi was an incredibly valuable experience. The opportunity to work on the company's e-commerce store, which sells high-end jewelry, gave me a unique insight into the world of high-end e-commerce and the specific requirements of such businesses. Additionally, the research I conducted on Magento 2 migration, further enhanced my knowledge and skills in the field. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such a reputable company and for the skills and knowledge that I gained during my time there.2019
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Frontend developer, CEO
REMOTEWith experience from working for a couple of companies under my belt, I decided to utilize the chance and start my own company, Cipher...
After a couple of projects however, an opportunity arose for me to join an internal development team, while still continuing to work on smaller projects with Cipher in my free time.2018
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2019
Frontend developer
REMOTEWhile working at Impaddo, a development agency based in Zadar, I gained valuable experience working remotely on a variety of projects and different tech stacks...
In partnership with a German company, my team and I had the opportunity to work with some of the largest e-commerce companies in Germany. As a Magento front-end developer, I was responsible for developing and maintaining the front-end of the websites using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Magento's front-end development framework. In addition to my responsibilities as a Magento developer, I also had the opportunity to improve my Wordpress skills, which I had not used in some time. Using Wordpress to its full potential to create a large corporate website was a great challenge, as well as a relaxing and enjoyable experience. At this position, I also had the opportunity to travel abroad for in-house consulting and work and also had the chance to attend the My Smart City conference in 2018 in Zadar.2016
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2018
Frontend developer
OSIJEKAt Gauss, a software development agency based in Osijek, I officially began my frontend journey and gained valuable experience and skills in website development...
The agency's relaxed and friendly atmosphere provided a great opportunity for me to learn, grow, and connect with my colleagues. I quickly demonstrated a strong ability to learn new skills and was given the opportunity to work on dozens of Magento projects, ranging from building new websites from scratch to maintaining and updating existing ones. I had the opportunity to work on projects for clients from various countries such as Croatia, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. I was also responsible for traveling and attending meetings with clients to discuss, plan, and consult on projects. Through my experience at Gauss, I developed a strong proficiency in both Magento 1 and Magento 2 and even had the opportunity to attend the Meet Magento conference in 2017 in Osijek.PROJECTS
A list of my most relevant projects and brief summary
lehrerwelt.de
aap-lehrerwelt.de
aap-softwaredevelopment.hr
elkverlag.ch
vashi.com
kroschke.de
jebsen-jessen.de
fraktura.hr
bebenova.eu
shop.nk-osijek.hr
lehrerwelt.de
AAP SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENTAs a front-end developer for the flagship Magento 2 e-commerce store of AAP Softwaredevelopment, I had the opportunity to work on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities over the course of three years. These included everything from front-end optimization and improvements, to planning and discussing new features and updates, to working on major redesigns of different parts of the store. One of my key responsibilities was finding and delivering the best solutions for the store's stakeholders, which required a deep understanding of their needs and the e-commerce landscape. Additionally, I was constantly working to improve the store's legacy code and integrate third-party features, as well as regularly troubleshoot bugs, implement new features, and perform testing and deployment tasks. Overall, my time working on this flagship store allowed me to gain a wealth of experience in Magento 2 and e-commerce development, and helped me to become an expert in delivering high-quality solutions for clients in the industry.
aap-lehrerwelt.de
AAP SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENTAs a front-end developer at AAP Softwaredevelopment, I had the opportunity to work on the development of the parent company's corporate website, built using WordPress. This project was a great opportunity for me to utilize my expertise in WordPress development and implement new and modern design elements. I was responsible for the entire project, from the initial design phase to the final deployment. Working with the popular _s or underscores theme, I was able to create a sleek and modern website that met the needs of the stakeholders. I also had the opportunity to work with the latest CSS features and the Gutenberg editor, creating custom blocks and implementing new features as per requirements. Overall, this project was a great experience that allowed me to further develop my skills in WordPress development and improve my abilities as a front-end developer.
aap-softwaredevelopment.hr
AAP SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENTAs the lead developer for the AAP Softwaredevelopment corporate website, I was responsible for the entire project from start to finish. The website was built using WordPress, leveraging the Sage starter theme for a custom development flow. Utilizing the Blade template engine provided a familiar and efficient development experience. The website featured a modern design and incorporated various new technologies, such as custom blocks, to enhance the user experience. I also played a key role in updating and implementing new stakeholder requirements for the site. This project provided me with a valuable opportunity to expand my skills in WordPress development and work with a different technology stack.
elkverlag.ch
AAP SOFTWAREDEVELOPMENTThe Elk Verlag project was a challenging and rewarding experience for me as a Magento front-end developer at AAP Softwaredevelopment. I was heavily involved in the project from the design phase all the way through to deployment and ongoing maintenance. My responsibilities included building the Magento theme, implementing the design, and ensuring adherence to Magento standards and best practices. Collaborating with the backend developer, we were able to bring the entire project to fruition and deliver a successful migration to Magento 2. I also had the opportunity to handle any stakeholder requests and make any necessary updates to ensure the project's success. This project gave me valuable experience in working with Magento 2, as well as perfecting my skills in theme development and project management.
vashi.com
VASHI - CIPHERAt Vashi, I had the opportunity to work on their e-commerce platform which was built on Magento 1 at the time. My responsibilities included preparatory research for the upcoming migration to Magento 2, as well as regular maintenance and enhancements of the existing web. The robust system provided a unique insight into the capabilities of Magento and was a valuable learning opportunity for me. One of the key features was the unique ring configurator, which allowed customers to fully customize their ring purchase. I was able to gain a great deal of knowledge and experience in a relatively short period of time, thanks to the challenging and diverse tasks I was given. Additionally, Vashi had a well-established development process in place which made it easy for me to work with the team and deliver on tasks efficiently.
kroschke.de
IMPADDOAs a developer on the Kroschke e-commerce project, I had the opportunity to work on their Magento 2 webshop that specializes in online vehicle registration. My responsibilities included bugfixes and implementing new features, as well as working with a team of developers to improve and optimize the webshop. One of the key segments I worked on was the company's license plate configurator, which required a great deal of attention to detail and technical expertise. Additionally, I was able to collaborate with the team to ensure that the webshop was user-friendly and provided a seamless experience for customers. Overall, it was a challenging and rewarding project that allowed me to further develop my skills in Magento 2 development and e-commerce optimization.
jebsen-jessen.de
IMPADDOAs a frontend developer on the Jebsen & Jessen project, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an experienced backend developer to successfully plan, develop, and deploy a corporate website of the highest quality. Built on WordPress using the Sage starter theme, the development workflow was efficient and able to meet all client needs and specifications. The website was robust, featuring a variety of third-party features and a well-designed user interface. Utilizing fullpage.js for a seamless user experience, as well as incorporating animations, great attention to detail was paid to ensure the best possible outcome for the client. It was a challenging and rewarding experience working on this project, and I was able to further develop my skills in WordPress development and user interface design.
fraktura.hr
GAUSS DEVELOPMENTAs a front-end developer on the Fraktura e-commerce project, I had the opportunity to work on a ground-up build of their Magento 2 webshop. Collaborating with an experienced backend developer, we were able to successfully plan, develop and deploy the webshop to meet all of the client's needs and specifications. My involvement from the design phase allowed for a seamless development process and made it an enjoyable project to work on. With custom features and client requirements, this project provided an opportunity for me to further improve my Magento 2 skills and gain valuable experience in client relations, communication, and project workflow. The project also allowed me to gain valuable experience in utilizing custom features and implementing client requirements to create a unique and tailored e-commerce experience.
bebenova.eu
GAUSS DEVELOPMENTAs a front-end developer on the Bebenova e-commerce project, I had the opportunity to work on developing a theme and implementing the design for their online platform specializing in baby equipment. Despite not being an overly complex project, it provided a great opportunity for me to improve my skills in Magento 2 development. The clever and simple, yet detailed design of the project allowed me to focus on improving my project organization and overall code quality. In addition to developing the theme, my responsibilities also included implementing new features and addressing any general bugfixes to ensure a smooth user experience for customers.
shop.nk-osijek.hr
GAUSS DEVELOPMENTAs a developer on the NK Osijek e-commerce project, I had the opportunity to work on a Magento 1 webshop for a local football club. The design of the webshop closely followed the club's rebranding style, which presented a challenging and exciting opportunity for my first official agency project. My responsibilities included developing the theme, implementing the design with a high level of attention to detail and pixel-perfection, as well as integrating various third-party features to enhance the functionality of the webshop. Despite its relatively simple nature, this project provided me with valuable experience and insight into the Magento 1 platform and its development workflow. I was able to successfully deliver the project on time and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders involved. Additionally, this project allowed me to further develop my skills in design implementation, theme development, and integration of third-party features, which has been a valuable asset in my work on other projects.
other
otherAs a developer on the NK Osijek e-commerce project, I had the opportunity to work on a Magento 1 webshop for a local football club. The design of the webshop closely followed the club's rebranding style, which presented a challenging and exciting opportunity for my first official agency project. My responsibilities included developing the theme, implementing the design with a high level of attention to detail and pixel-perfection, as well as integrating various third-party features to enhance the functionality of the webshop. Despite its relatively simple nature, this project provided me with valuable experience and insight into the Magento 1 platform and its development workflow. I was able to successfully deliver the project on time and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders involved. Additionally, this project allowed me to further develop my skills in design implementation, theme development, and integration of third-party features, which has been a valuable asset in my work on other projects.
SKILLS
In terms of non-technical skills, I am an effective communicator and collaborator, able to work well with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. I am well-versed in project management, able to plan and execute projects efficiently and effectively. I am also a problem solver, able to think critically and creatively to find the best solutions to complex problems. Additionally, I have experience with client relations, able to understand and meet the needs of clients, and have a great attention to detail and quality in my work.
By utilizing both skill sets on a daily basis, I am able to effectively manage my responsibilities:
- Developing and maintaining the front-end of the website using HTML, CSS, JavaScript (and Magento's front-end development framework).
- Creating responsive design and ensuring that the website looks and functions correctly on different devices and screen sizes.
- Building custom Magento modules and integrating third-party extensions to enhance the functionality of the website.
- Collaborating with the back-end developers and designers to ensure that the website meets the project's requirements and goals.
- Optimizing the website's performance and page speed.
- Troubleshoot and fix any front-end related issues.
- Ensuring cross-browser compatibility and that the website looks and functions as expected on all modern browsers.
- Writing clean, organized and maintainable code.
- Creating and maintaining documentation for the front-end development process.
- Staying up-to-date with the latest front-end development best practices and technologies.