James Donnelly / Manchester
Freelance
developer in Manchester
for teams that
actually ship.
Over a decade of production code, from startups to FTSE 100 clients. Vue, Nuxt, React, Next.js, Laravel, TypeScript. I write the code, talk to your team, and own the outcome. No agencies, no PMs, no surprises.
- Vue · Nuxt
- React · Next.js
- Laravel · PHP
- TypeScript
Looking for a freelance developer in Manchester ? Start here, or explore web development services , Vue and Nuxt development , and React and Next.js work . Working remotely? I take on freelance development across the UK .
Services / 09
What I do
01 / Featured
Web Application Development
Vue · Nuxt · React · Next.js · Laravel
Modern, performant web applications. SPAs, server-rendered apps, full-stack builds. Whatever the brief calls for.
02
Vue & Nuxt
Composition API · Pinia
Vue 3 + Nuxt 3 applications your team can maintain.
03
React & Next.js
App Router · RSC
Production React for dashboards, e-commerce and data-heavy apps.
04
Performance & technical debt
Core Web Vitals
Refactors, CI/CD upgrades, lighthouse rescues.
05
Infrastructure & DevOps
AWS · GCP · Docker
Hosting setup, migrations, automation.
06
Laravel & PHP
Backend · APIs
Backend support, modernisation, inherited PHP systems.
07
API development
REST · GraphQL · Auth
The backend contracts that keep products working.
08
WordPress optimisation
Headless · Speed
Performance, security, plugin updates, headless CMS.
Trust / Past work
I've shipped code for
55 Redefined
Next.js & Storybook, over-55s platform
Cinch
AWS serverless, finance microservices
TransPerfect
Vue & React SPA performance
Open Health
Vue & Nuxt NHS dashboards
Your Parking Space
Mapbox booking flows at scale
— …and many more teams across startups, agencies and enterprise.
Stack / Tools
Tech stack
Experience
10+
Years building software
Reply time
<24
Hours, every working day
Frontend
- Vue.js
- Nuxt
- React
- Next.js
- TypeScript
- Vite
- Vitest
- AG-Grid
- Zustand
Backend
- Node.js
- Laravel
- PHP
- Bun
- Express
- PostgreSQL
- MongoDB
- GraphQL
Infrastructure
- AWS
- GCP
- Cloudflare
- Docker
- Vercel
- GitHub
Manchester / remote-first
Experience
Over a decade of shipping things that need to keep working.
Most of my work is direct: contract engagements with agencies and product teams who need senior delivery without the hiring lag.
- 10+ years building software, from startups to FTSE 100 clients
- Full-stack: frontend, backend, databases, infrastructure
- Contract work for agencies and direct clients
- Remote-first: UK, Europe and US teams
How I work
Remote-first. Async by default.
Inspired by Remote and the way Basecamp ran a distributed team without burning anyone out. Meetings are expensive, writing is cheap, and momentum belongs to whoever can make a decision without a calendar invite.
01 / Specs
Specs before code
A short written spec covering problem, scope, and acceptance before anything gets built. Cuts rework, makes review easier, and means we never argue about what was agreed.
02 / Workstreams
Workstreams over standups
Active work lives in tickets and PRs with running notes. Async updates instead of daily standups, so deep work is the default and meetings only happen when they earn it.
03 / Loom > Zoom
Loom over meetings
Most reviews and walkthroughs go out as a 5-minute Loom you can watch at 2× when convenient. We jump on Meet / Zoom / Teams when the topic actually needs a conversation.
Channels / Tools
Slack
Async, threaded, no expectation of instant reply
Loom
PR walkthroughs, demos, design reviews
Google Meet / Zoom / Teams
Booked when conversation > writing
Linear / Jira / GitHub
Source of truth for the work
Notion / Docs
Specs, decision records, retros
Writing / Recent
Latest from the blog
- workflow
- remote
How I work async and remote-first: specs, workstreams, Loom over Zoom
How I run remote client engagements as a freelance developer. Written specs, workstreams, Loom over meetings, and the Rework and Remote (Basecamp) influence behind it.
— 29 May 2026
— ai
My AI dev workflow timeline — from cancelling Cursor to multi-model routing
16 May 2026
— ai
PR-level AI agents: Copilot, Claude, and Gemini in your GitHub workflow
Extending my AI coding workflow with GitHub PR agents. When to use @copilot vs @claude vs @gemini, and how they fit into a multi-layer development stack.
19 Feb 2026
— ai
Editor-level AI: completions, agents, and the Zed setup I actually use
The middle layer of AI coding tools. Inline completions, agent panels, and external agents like Claude Code running inside your editor.
19 Feb 2026
The pitch
I write the code, talk to your team, and ship what we agreed. No agencies. No PMs. No surprises.
James Donnelly
Freelance developer · Manchester