Design for operability
A system is not finished when it ships. Observable workflows, safe failure modes, and straightforward recovery are part of the design.
Sydney, Australia · Backend & Cloud Engineering
Hi, I'm Ryan Zeng.
Senior Software Engineer building reliable backend platforms and cloud infrastructure with Go, Nodejs, Laravel, AWS, and Kubernetes.
RZ
About
I am a Sydney-based senior software engineer focused on backend platforms, cloud infrastructure, and distributed systems. My core expertise is in PHP (Laravel) and Go, supported by hands-on experience with AWS, Kubernetes (EKS), Terraform, and modern frontend frameworks. I enjoy turning complex engineering problems into pragmatic, maintainable solutions that create measurable business value. I care about reliable systems, clear communication, and helping teams deliver with confidence.
Engineering Principles
I design around clear domain boundaries, observable workflows, and operational simplicity.
Make boundaries explicit
Clear domain ownership and contracts let teams change software confidently without turning every release into a coordination exercise.
Optimise for evolution
I favour the simplest architecture that meets today's constraints while preserving practical paths for tomorrow's scale.
My Projects
Selected engineering work
A selection of systems and digital products I've designed and built, from concurrent backend services to polished customer experiences.
Built a concurrent real-time seat reservation system with a Go backend and React frontend. Implemented atomic seat holds using Redis SET NX with TTL-based expiry, ensuring race-condition-free bookings under concurrent load. Features a REST API for hold/confirm/release workflows, a live-updating seat grid with 2-second polling, and a pluggable storage interface supporting both Redis and in-memory backends.
Go
TypeScript
Redis
Vercel
Monarch Club is a high-end, bespoke concierge and lifestyle platform based in Sydney, catering to global elites. I was responsible for the end-to-end development of this multilingual digital presence, ensuring the web experience matched the brand's ultra-luxury identity.
WordPress
MySQL
SiteGround
Stripe Integration
Work Experience
Engineering Focus
The areas where I contribute most effectively, from system design through production operation.
Backend Systems
Reliable APIs, services, and distributed workflows.
GoNode.jsLaravelREST APIsDistributed systems
Cloud & Platform
Infrastructure and delivery systems built for safe operation.
AWSKubernetesECS / EKSDockerTerraformCI/CD
Data & Messaging
Durable data models and asynchronous processing.
PostgreSQLRedisSQSRabbitMQ
Architecture & Delivery
Pragmatic technical decisions that help teams move with confidence.
DDDEvent-driven architectureObservabilityTestingTechnical leadership
Writing
Practical notes on backend architecture, reliability, and delivery.
Building Race-condition-free Reservations with Go and Redis
A practical design for temporary seat holds, atomic ownership, expiry, and safe confirmation under concurrent demand.
Modular Monolith vs Microservices: Choosing for Change
A decision framework for choosing deployment boundaries without confusing architectural ambition with business value.
Graceful Shutdown for Queue Workers on ECS
How to drain asynchronous workers safely during deployments without losing work or creating avoidable duplicate effects.
Contact
Get in Touch
Interested in working together or discussing backend and cloud engineering? Send me an email and I'll get back to you soon.