About me

Introduction

My name is Alfons Zelicko, a software developer focused mainly on front-end and user oriented applications. I am open for freelance or consultancy projects, start-up help or web development. If the project would be really interesting, long term, and with chance to meet colleagues in person, I am also not afraid of full time job.

Work

I focus on front-end and web technologies, building interfaces that are as robust as they are responsive. My approach is rooted in direct collaboration—I don’t just take requirements; I work with clients to uncover their actual needs.

I’m a big believer in pragmatic engineering: knowing exactly when to optimize for immediate performance and when to build a clean, flexible foundation that’s ready for future scaling. To see how I’m currently pushing my boundaries, check out my learning page.

The greatest satisfaction for me comes when users enjoy working with the software, finding it intuitive and effortless to use.

Career

Computers were always a natural part of my life, and when the boom of web technologies arrived, it felt like a very natural next step. The web and front-end development matched my idea of how modern software should work — accessible, interactive, and built around users. Since then, I have been mainly focused on building websites and web applications using modern tools, architectures, and approaches.

Education

My technical background started early, with my first small programs and Excel macros during elementary school. In high school I focused on computer systems and later studied graphic design as a distance program. At university, my studies continued in applied informatics and economics & management. Over time, these areas naturally blended into a single skill set, which I keep developing and extending with new technologies and ways of thinking.

I believe a programmer must keep running just to stay in the same place, and a front-end developer needs a motorcycle to keep up with the speed of change.

School can teach you syntax and algorithms, but real programming teaches you how to think pragmatically and solve problems in the real world.

Leisure

In last years I mostly listen audiobooks, mainly sci-fi, philosophy and history. I really enjoy discussions and debates, and I even competed in them in the past. Among authors I like most are people such as Yuval Noah Harari or Noam Chomsky.

I sometimes joke that I would love to see an event where Noam Chomsky sits on a simple wooden chair with a glass of water, while someone like Niall Ferguson sits opposite in a leather armchair with a cup of Earl Grey, and they argue about whether the West is good or bad…

I also like playing TTRPG games, some video games, and I do climbing – indoor walls, rocks and via ferratas. Hiking and cycling are also big part of my free time.

Website

I decided to build this website ideally without JavaScript and with very minimalistic graphics. It is inspired by times when the web was simpler, when EDGE was still considered top tier of internet browsing - and not just poor browser, and by the iconic series of websites like The Best Motherfucking Website, which celebrate straightforward, no-frills design and content-first approach.

A little disclaimer

Often, halfway through a movie, I realize I forgot to turn on subtitles. I don’t really need them to understand, but when it comes to writing creative or nuanced English - not just “technical documentation”-I still feel the friction.

Every idea here is either my own or curated from the world of books and web. I only use AI to polish the phrasing so my ‘Slavic English’ doesn’t disrupt the flow of the message. :-)