Solve the real problem
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About / Ali Nawaz
About Ali Nawaz
Ali NawazLahore, PK
The short version
I'm most at home where product thinking meets hard engineering.
My job isn't just to write code. It's to understand what a business is trying to achieve, remove technical uncertainty, and build the clearest path forward.
Since 2017 I've built more than 30 custom WordPress themes, more than 100 custom plugins, and developed or customized more than 500 websites, from focused fixes to complete builds. That work taught me to listen carefully, solve for real constraints, and make technology usable for the people who depend on it.
Today, that foundation extends across the full stack—React interfaces, Node and Express backends, MongoDB and MySQL data systems, APIs, automation, and AI-powered product experiences. I stay hands-on from early thinking through production.
How I think
Principles over buzzwords.
Good engineering is a business advantage when it is clear, durable, and shaped around the right problem.
Make complexity feel simple
The best systems do difficult work without making users feel it.
Build for the next step
Keep today practical while leaving room for the product to grow.
Communicate with clarity
Direct conversations and visible progress create better work.
My story
From a PSD-to-WordPress theme to full-stack products.
I started my career in 2017 as a WordPress and PHP developer, the same year I completed my BS in Software Engineering at the Virtual University of Pakistan. Before that, I spent a year in web design and front-end work at a Lahore tech incubator, turning mockups into responsive pages alongside a team of more than fifteen developers.
It didn't take long to see that serious WordPress work happens below the page builder. If I wanted to succeed in this industry, I needed to know how themes and plugins are built, so I studied WordPress theme and plugin architecture until I could build both from scratch.
In early 2018 I opened a Fiverr gig offering custom WordPress theme and plugin development. Within a few days it was getting noticed, and my first project arrived: converting a PSD design into a custom WordPress theme. I haven't stopped since. Theme work led to plugins, plugins led to WooCommerce and Shopify, and that led to the React, Next.js, and Node.js applications I build today.
Why freelance
Why I keep choosing client work.
Freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork gave me more experience than any single job could. Many clients face similar problems, but every client brings a different version of them: a different theme, a different set of plugins, a different business with its own deadline. No two projects are solved the same way.
I like that. I enjoy hard problems, and I work on them until they're solved properly rather than patched. Over the years I've also worked remotely as a WordPress and web developer for digital agencies in the UK and the US, building alongside their designers, developers, and content teams. That is why agencies trust me with white-label work today: I know how their projects run.
Timeline
My journey since 2016.
The short version of how I got here, year by year.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2016–2017 | Web design and front-end work at a Lahore tech incubator, while completing a BS in Software Engineering |
| 2017 | Started my career as a WordPress and PHP developer |
| 2018 | Opened my Fiverr gig for custom WordPress themes and plugins; first project, a PSD converted into a custom WordPress theme |
| 2018–2019 | Remote WordPress developer for a UK digital agency: client websites, servers, DNS, and SSL |
| 2019–2024 | Senior WordPress developer for a US digital agency: custom themes and plugins, Shopify storefronts, React and Node.js, and CI/CD |
| 2021–2022 | Managed and optimized more than ten WordPress sites for a Pakistani news network |
| 2024 onward | Next.js, React, and Node.js applications, custom Shopify apps, CI/CD with GitHub Actions and Vercel, and SaaS and AI products |
| Today | Freelance WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify developer, registered Shopify Partner, and author of 14 free, open-source plugins |
By the numbers
What I've built so far.
More than 30 custom WordPress themes and more than 100 custom plugins built for clients, and more than 500 websites developed or customized. That last number covers everything from complete builds to single-page sites, landing pages, theme and plugin bug fixes, and smaller changes, because most of a developer's real work is making existing sites better.
Much of that client work was delivered under other businesses' names, so I don't show it here. What I can show is on this site: my free plugins with their source code, the case studies, and the reviews clients have left.
How I work
How I work with clients.
I work from Lahore, Pakistan (UTC+5), and plan my day around my clients: US Eastern mornings and UK afternoons overlap with my working hours, and calls are scheduled inside that overlap. You talk directly to me, the developer doing the work, in English, Urdu, or Punjabi.
Every project starts with a fixed quote in US dollars. Projects start at $500, paid 50% in advance and 50% on final delivery. Work is built on a staging site you can review, and every launch includes 15 days of free support. After that, I can maintain your site on a monthly plan or help per task. I'm happy to sign an NDA before you share details.
Elsewhere
Find me elsewhere.
Common questions
About Ali Nawaz: FAQs
Where are you based, and what hours do you work?+
I'm based in Lahore, Pakistan (UTC+5). My working day overlaps with US Eastern mornings and UK afternoons, and I reply to messages within 24 hours.
How long have you been a WordPress developer?+
Since 2017. I started as a WordPress and PHP developer, and in 2018 I began building custom themes and plugins for clients. I've since built more than 30 custom themes and more than 100 plugins.
Which platforms do you specialize in?+
WordPress, WooCommerce, Elementor, and Shopify, including custom plugins, custom Shopify apps, and migrations between WooCommerce and Shopify. I also build full-stack SaaS and AI applications with React, Next.js, and Node.js.
Are you a registered Shopify Partner?+
Yes. As a Shopify Partner, I can create development stores, request collaborator access to your store without needing your password, and build custom apps the way Shopify recommends.
Do you work with agencies?+
Yes. Agencies hire me as a white-label developer for WordPress, WooCommerce, and Shopify work, delivered under their brand and in their tools.
How do I start a project?+
Send the details through the form on this page: what you need, a link to your current site if you have one, and your deadline. I'll reply with questions or a fixed quote.
Start a conversation
Have a serious idea? Let’s make it real.
Tell me what you’re building, where you are in the process, and what success looks like. I’ll get back to you with a clear next step within 24 hours.
Projects start at $500. The final quote follows the project details.
bealinawaz@gmail.com