Manuel Díaz
Full Stack Engineer
Full-stack developer with a backend specialization, experienced in designing, building, and deploying web applications using Phoenix, PostgreSQL, and modern tech stacks.
$Who am I?
Welcome to my live portfolio! Here, you'll find a collection of my projects and learn a bit about me.
I'm a software developer from Mexico, passionate about technology and constantly seeking new knowledge. My journey began when I was just 8 years old, driven by a deep curiosity about how video games and operating systems worked, which led me to start learning programming.
As I grew, I began building websites using backend frameworks like Phoenix LiveView, Django, and Rails, complemented by frontend technologies such as React, Angular, Next.js, and Svelte. My interest extended to mobile development, creating applications for Android with Kotlin and for iOS/macOS using Swift.
I teach Java programming courses with a focus on robotics and love mentoring students who are just starting their programming journey. I'm also very passionate about fintech topics and love experimenting with AI and data science. Currently, I'm pursuing my Software Engineering degree while diving into complex software architectures and aspiring to become a software architect.
When I'm not coding, you'll find me exploring new technologies, contributing to open-source projects, or sharing knowledge with the developer community through my non-profit organization.
$Skills
Programming Languages & Techs
Languages
- Spanish: Native
- English: Advanced (C1)
Summary
I've been coding in Java for over 8 years, working with stuff like Spring, WPILib, LWJGL, and Android development. I've also dabbled in Kotlin.
As for TypeScript, I actually started with JavaScript over 10 years ago. I switched to TypeScript because it helps smooth out some of JavaScript's rough edges. I've used it with frameworks like React, Next.js, Svelte, Angular, Express.js, and lots of other JS tools.
Then there's Elixir. I've been using it professionally for about 2 years now with Phoenix. I really enjoy the way it works and I'm always eager to learn more about the Actor model and fault tolerance.
I've also worked with other languages like Python, Ruby, C/C++, C#, Swift, and Go.
On the database side, I'm familiar with relational databases like PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, and SQLite, as well as NoSQL ones like MongoDB and Redis.
Cloud-wise, I've got experience with AWS and various deployment tools. I work with Docker, Kubernetes (RKE2), GitHub Actions, and ArgoCD for containerization and CI/CD. Since I use Linux daily, I'm comfortable managing Linux servers too.
I enjoy designing software architecture, especially using approaches like Domain-Driven Design, Hexagonal Architecture, and Test-Driven Development (TDD). Designing microservices with proper messaging using tools like RabbitMQ is also something I've done.
I've worked with monitoring tools like Grafana and Prometheus to keep an eye on system performance and health.
I am used to working with agile methodologies such as Scrum and Extreme Programming (XP).
Right now, I'm digging into Rust and Clojure, and I'm curious about Zig too.
$Education
Tecmilenio University
Metepec, MXB.E. in Software Engineering
Aug 2022 - Expected June 2026Currently studying software engineering with a focus on modern development practices, software architecture, and system design.
$Projects
Featured Projects
nix-config
A flake-based, modular configuration system that unifies OS and user environments across Linux and macOS, targeting ARM and x86_64 hosts. Provides pinned, reproducible builds with per-host hardware layering and user-level dotfiles through Home Manager.
nvim.lua
A curated Neovim setup built around lazy.nvim that delivers LSP-driven editing, AI-assisted completion with Copilot, integrated test running via neotest, fuzzy navigation with Telescope and Harpoon, and enhanced diagnostics and command UI via Trouble and Noice.
Want to see more of my work?
View All Projects on GitHub$Work Experience
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Junior Software Engineer - Vordutec
Dec 2023 - Present
Currently building and maintaining backend services (Elixir/Phoenix) for insurance products, handling thousands of quotations monthly. Leading a small backend team in feature development and database schema design for Oracle databases. Integrated insurance APIs and created policy quoting calculators, significantly reducing client processing time. Also optimized queries with Redis caching and deployed apps using Docker and Kubernetes for high uptime.
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Robotics Instructor - IDR
Jan 2024 - Dec 2024
Teaching high schoolers Java and C++ for FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and Arduino projects. Planned comprehensive lessons covering core programming concepts and robotics. Mentored student teams that advanced to regional competitions, including international championships. Love explaining complex programming concepts to students with no prior experience.
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Founder - Learn Robotics
March 2022 - Present
Founded Learning FIRST Robotics (a.k.a. Learn Robotics), a non-profit organization and community focused on teaching STEM knowledge for FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Robotics Competition online, primarily for students in Latam. Grew the community to include thousands of students globally.
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Web & Mobile Developer - Freelance
2021 - Present
Been freelancing since 2021, whipping up websites and mobile apps for small businesses. Also tackled e-commerce projects using Shopify and WooCommerce.
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Junior Software Engineer - Kogni Studio
Apr 2023 - Nov 2023
Helped build their corporate website using Phoenix (Elixir) for the backend and Sveltekit/Tailwind for the frontend. Integrated OpenAI and Meta APIs in Elixir to create AI-powered chatbots, significantly improving user engagement. Built key user-facing features for client portals and worked with cloud services like AWS and Fly.io. Also handled Stripe and Shopify API integrations.
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Web Developer Intern - Hola Cash
May 2022 - Feb 2023
Built multiple e-commerce platforms end-to-end with Next.js, TailwindCSS, and Firebase, helping clients grow their revenue significantly. Implemented internal APIs using Python to optimize development processes. Maintained the corporate website using Next.js, Firebase and AWS Amplify, attracting thousands of clients monthly. Also collaborated on deployments and infrastructure management.
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Minecraft Mod Developer - Freelance
2020 - 2021
This is where it all started professionally! I dove into freelancing on Fiverr, creating custom Minecraft mods, server plugins, and clients.
$Contact
Get In Touch
I'm always interested in new opportunities, collaborations, or just having a chat about technology. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to work together or discuss any projects!