Khurram Shahzad Technical Lead / Web, SaaS & AI
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Technical Lead / Web, SaaS & AI
DevelopmentFull-stack

Custom web application development services built to last.

Custom web application development services cover everything between an idea and a system your team relies on every day: architecture, backend, interface, integrations, deployment and the support after launch. I'm Khurram Shahzad, a technical lead with 100+ Laravel projects behind me, from SaaS platforms to AI-connected systems. You work with the person who designs the system and writes the code, so decisions don't get lost between a salesperson, a project manager and a developer.

$ init project --type "custom web application"
> clarify the business model, the users and the constraints
✓ architecture and data model agreed
✓ API contracts and integrations scoped
✓ secure authentication and roles in place
$ build --iterate --test
✓ working releases you can click through
$ deploy --monitor --support
✓ live, monitored and maintained
Backend

PHP, Laravel and Node.js

REST APIs, queues, integrations and data layers on MySQL and PostgreSQL.

Frontend

React, Vue and Next.js

Fast, responsive interfaces built with performance and SEO in mind.

Infrastructure

Docker, Linux and cloud

VPS, AWS and DigitalOcean deployments with Cloudflare, caching and Git-based releases.

LaravelPHPNode.jsReactNext.jsVueWordPressREST APIsSaaS platformsAdmin panelsAI integrationsDockerMySQLPostgreSQL
ScopeWhat I build

What custom web application development includes

Eight kinds of work I take on, from a first prototype to a platform that has to scale.

01

SaaS platforms and multi-tenant apps

Subscription products where every customer gets their own workspace, data and settings. I design the tenancy model, billing hooks, roles and onboarding so the platform can grow without a rewrite.

02

Admin panels and dashboards

Internal tools that replace spreadsheets and email threads: reporting, approvals, role-based access and audit trails, built around how your team actually works.

03

APIs and integrations

REST APIs, webhooks and connections to payment gateways, CRMs, ERPs and third-party services, with clear contracts, retries and monitoring so integrations keep working.

04

Customer and partner portals

Secure logins where customers, vendors or partners track orders, documents and requests, with the permissions and notifications each role needs.

05

CMS and custom WordPress or Shopify builds

When a content platform or a store is the right answer, I build custom themes, plugins and modules that fit your workflow instead of fighting it.

06

AI integrations and automation

Assistants, summaries, content drafting and workflow automation connected to your own data, with permissions that stop an AI tool from touching what it should not.

07

Legacy modernization and upgrades

Old PHP code, outdated frameworks and fragile releases brought up to date step by step. I have migrated a live platform from Laravel 9 to Laravel 13 in production.

08

Performance, security and scaling

Queues, caching, database tuning and hardening against the OWASP Top 10, so the application stays fast and safe as traffic and data grow.

DecisionBuild or buy

Custom application or off-the-shelf software?

The honest answer is sometimes neither. Pick the path that matches how unique your process really is.

When it pays off

Your process is your advantage.

If your workflows are unique, you need deep integrations or software is the product itself, a custom build avoids bending your business around someone else's limits.

Unique workflows

Approvals, pricing rules and reporting that no template supports.

Deep integrations

Your systems talk to each other through APIs you control.

Ownership and growth

You decide the roadmap, the data model and the pace of change.

LaravelPHPNode.jsREST APIsPostgreSQL

Process: How a custom web application build runs

01 / Discovery and scope

We map the problem, the users and the constraints. You leave with a written scope, a prioritized feature list and the first risks named, before any code is written.

02 / Architecture and design

I choose the stack, design the data model and API contracts and sketch the key screens, so the build starts from decisions instead of guesses.

03 / Build in iterations

Work ships in short cycles. You see running software every week or two, test it with real data and steer the next cycle.

04 / Test and secure

Automated tests, code review and a security pass against the OWASP Top 10 run before every release, not just at the end.

05 / Launch and deploy

Deployment is scripted and repeatable on your server or cloud, with backups, monitoring and a rollback plan ready on day one.

06 / Support and iterate

After launch I fix bugs, upgrade dependencies and ship the next features, so the application keeps earning its place.

Case studyLaravel and AI
StackDay to day

The stack I build with

I pick tools for the project, not the other way around. These are the ones I use most.

PHP, Laravel, Node.js

Backends that stay readable as they grow.

I have shipped 100+ Laravel projects, plus Node.js services where they fit better. I structure code in modules, keep business rules out of controllers and document the API contracts.

APIs and services

REST APIs with versioning, rate limits and clear error responses.

Queues and jobs

Background work for emails, imports and heavy tasks, supervised and monitored.

Auth and permissions

Role-based access, single sign-on and OAuth where the project needs them.

LaravelPHPNode.jsREST APIsOAuth 2.1
TrustAfter the build

Security, handover and support after launch

A custom application is a long-term asset, so the work does not end when it goes live.

01

Security from the first commit

I design against the OWASP Top 10 from the start: validated input, hashed credentials, role-based access, rate limiting and audit logs wherever the data is sensitive.

02

A clean handover

Your code lives in a repository you can access, with setup notes and documentation, so your team or another developer can continue the work.

03

Support that keeps it healthy

Monitoring, bug fixes, dependency upgrades and new features after launch, on a plan that matches how quickly your product changes.

FitWho I work with

Who this is for

I work best with teams that have a real product or process to build, not just a brochure site. Bring me in before the build, and the data model, API and hosting get decided once instead of reworked later.

01

SaaS and product teams

A product that needs a solid foundation: multi-tenant data, an API and a release process.

02

Businesses outgrowing plugins

A WordPress or no-code setup that has hit its limits and now needs custom logic or integrations.

03

Teams with internal tools

Dashboards, portals and workflows that still live in spreadsheets and email.

04

Teams with an older codebase

A PHP or Laravel app that needs cleanup, an upgrade or a clear handover.

Go deeperGuides and standards

Guides and standards I work from

Want to see how I think before we talk? These are the guides I wrote and the official documentation I follow.

Guide

Laravel vs WordPress

Performance, security, SEO and scalability compared, so you can pick the right platform.

Read the comparison

Guide

Laravel AI SDK guide

How to add AI features to a Laravel application, from setup to security.

Read the guide

Guide

PostgreSQL vs MySQL for SaaS

Multi-tenancy, JSON, migrations and hosting choices for a Laravel SaaS.

Read the guide

Standard

Laravel documentation

The framework reference I build and review against.

Read the docs

Standard

OWASP Top 10

The security risks every web application should be tested against.

See the risks

ResumeFor this service

The CV behind this service

Prefer the details in one document? Open the CV I keep for this kind of work, or download it as a PDF.

Online CV

Read my Full Stack Developer CV

Roles, results and skills behind custom web application development, in one page you can share with your team.

View the CV

PDF

Download the CV

The same CV as a PDF, ready to attach to a proposal or send to a colleague.

Download PDF

PricingScoped quotes

How custom development pricing works

I don't publish a price list, because a one-screen internal tool and a multi-tenant SaaS platform are very different projects. Scope, integrations, security needs and timeline decide the cost far more than the technology does. Tell me what you're building, and I'll reply with a scoped quote and a suggested way to phase the work, so you know what you're paying for before any code is written.

Request a quote

Tell me what you are building.

Send email instead

Ways to work

Pick the shape that fits.

A defined feature set with an agreed scope, built and delivered in phases you can review.

A steady stream of features and improvements for a product that keeps evolving, planned in short cycles.

Monitoring, fixes, security updates and small improvements for software that is already live.

FAQ

Custom web application development FAQs

Custom web application development means designing and building a web-based system around your specific workflows, users and data, instead of adapting a generic product. Typical examples are SaaS platforms, customer portals, admin dashboards and systems that connect several tools into one.

It depends on scope, the number of integrations, security and compliance needs, design effort and how fast you need it. A simple internal tool and a multi-tenant SaaS platform sit far apart, so I don't publish one price. Share what you're building and I'll reply with a scoped quote, often split into phases so you can start small.

Many first releases take roughly two to four months, and larger platforms ship in phases over a longer period. A clear scope, fast feedback and a deliberately small first version are the biggest factors in keeping the timeline short.

Choose custom when your process is a competitive advantage, you need deep integrations or the software is your product. Choose off-the-shelf when a mature tool already covers most of your needs. I'll tell you honestly when buying beats building.

It depends on the project, but Laravel with MySQL or PostgreSQL covers most business applications and SaaS products well, with React, Vue or Next.js on the front end when the interface demands it. I choose for maintainability and long-term cost, not for trends.

Security is designed in from the start: validated input, hashed passwords, role-based access, protection against CSRF and XSS, encrypted connections and regular dependency updates, checked against the OWASP Top 10. If your industry has formal compliance rules, we scope those into the plan.

I offer monitoring, bug fixes, security and framework updates and new features after launch. You can pick a retainer for steady work or call on me as needed, and the code stays documented so a handover is always possible.

Yes. I can audit an existing codebase, stabilize it and add features, and I connect new applications to CRMs, ERPs, payment gateways and other tools through APIs.