Since
2007
Serving businesses
About CodebyRay
Small by design. Direct by default.
I’m RJ—an independent developer in Menifee, California, building practical websites, business applications, print work, and long-term client relationships.
Independent by design
One relationship from the first idea through launch and support.
Based in
Menifee, CA
Working beyond locally
Your contact
RJ
No account-manager relay
The focus
Useful work
Built for real operations
The goal has stayed consistent: understand the work, communicate clearly, and build something genuinely useful.
How I work
Your project does not move through a chain of account managers.
You work with me from the first conversation through planning, implementation, launch, and support. That direct context makes decisions faster and reduces details lost between teams.
I started coding more than twenty years ago and still enjoy the mix of problem solving, craftsmanship, and practical business impact. The work ranges from focused marketing sites to substantial applications, integrations, client portals, billing systems, and print production.
I primarily build modern PHP applications with the TALL stack, but the stack is a tool rather than the service. The real job is understanding what needs to work, selecting the right approach, and making it maintainable.
The practical difference
The person hearing the problem is also the person making the decisions and building the solution.
Capabilities
A broader toolkit for the whole job.
Good projects cross boundaries. Development, interface decisions, data, deployment, support, and production details all have to work together.
01
01
Application development
Business logic, integrations, and dependable workflows
PHP
Laravel
Livewire
REST APIs
Queues & automation
Stripe & PayPal integrations
02
02
Frontend & interface
Clear, responsive experiences built for real users
HTML
CSS
Tailwind CSS
Alpine.js
JavaScript
Responsive UI
Accessibility
03
03
Data & infrastructure
The systems underneath that keep the work reliable
MySQL
Data modeling
Imports & migrations
Git & GitHub
Linux hosting
DNS & deployments
04
04
Design & production
A consistent brand from screen to printed piece
UI/UX design
Photoshop
Marketing graphics
Business cards
Banners & signs
Print production
What you can expect
Good work, without the agency maze
Direct ownership
Questions, decisions, and feedback stay with the person responsible for the finished work.
Business first
Technology choices follow the problem and the people using the result—not the other way around.
Built to last
Maintainability, clear handoff, and support matter just as much as getting through launch day.
Let’s work together
Need someone who can see the whole project, not just one ticket?
Tell me what you are trying to build, improve, or untangle. I’ll help turn it into a practical next step.