Frequently asked questions
The questions companies ask me most often before we start working together.
- What does a freelance web developer do?
- A freelance web developer designs the technical side of a website or platform, builds it, and often hosts and maintains it. As an independent you work with one person from first call to launch, instead of a team handing work between roles.
- Which technologies do you build websites with?
- I pick the tool that fits the job: Next.js and Svelte for custom front ends, Laravel and Python for back ends, Directus or Supabase for content and data, and Webflow when your team needs to edit the site without a developer.
- Do you also host and maintain the website?
- Yes. I host on Vercel or on a self-hosted Dokploy setup on Digital Ocean, Google Cloud, OCI or AWS, with error tracking from day one, so problems are found by me before your visitors find them.
- Can you work with our existing design or team?
- Yes. I regularly build from existing Figma designs and have worked as part of larger teams, for example on the front end of Vrij Nederland.
- Will my website be found in Google?
- I build with technical SEO in mind: semantic HTML, fast loading, correct metadata, structured data, sitemaps and clean URLs. Rankings also depend on your content, but the technical foundation will not hold you back.
- What is a web application, and how is it different from a website?
- A website mainly shows information. A web application lets users do things: log in, book, pay, manage data, or collaborate. It has accounts, a database and business logic behind the screen.
- How long does it take to build a custom web application?
- A focused first version (an MVP) typically takes weeks to a few months, depending on scope. A clear scope, a short feedback loop and an early launch matter more for the timeline than the number of developers.
- Can you build an MVP for my startup or internal tool?
- Yes. I help you cut the idea down to what must exist on day one, build that well, and structure the code so it can grow instead of being rewritten.
- Who owns the code and the data?
- You do. The code lives in your repository, hosting runs in your accounts where possible, and I document how everything works so you are never locked in to me.
- What technologies do you use for web applications?
- Typically Next.js or Svelte on the front end, with Laravel, Python, Directus or Supabase on the back end, hosted on Vercel or a self-managed server. The choice follows your requirements and your team.
- What is the difference between a UX designer and a UI designer?
- UX design decides how a product works: structure, flows and what users can do. UI design decides how it looks and feels: layout, typography, colour and components. For most web projects you need both, and they are best done together.
- Do you design in Figma?
- Yes. I design in Figma and can also work in your existing Figma files and component libraries.
- Can you also build the design?
- Yes, and this is the main advantage. Because I design and develop, nothing gets lost in handoff: the interface is drawn with the real constraints of the code in mind, and then built as drawn.
- What is a design system and do I need one?
- A design system is a set of tokens, components and rules that keep a product consistent as it grows. If your product has more than a few screens or more than one person working on it, a lightweight design system saves time and avoids inconsistency.
- Can you improve an existing website or app without a full redesign?
- Yes. A focused review of key flows often finds the changes that matter most. I can fix those first and leave the rest of the interface alone.
Have a project in mind?
Tell me briefly what you need. You get an answer from me, not from a sales team.
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