# Derick Zihalirwa

> Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience building scalable products across fintech, payments, and AI.

Currently building conversational AI infrastructure as Frontend Lead at Pindo. Previously CTO and technical co-founder at Shwary, a cross-border fintech platform.

## Experience
- **Software Engineer (Frontend Lead) at Pindo** (Jul 2024 – Present): Architected Pindo's core conversation engine and visual conversation builder for AI-powered customer interactions across voice and messaging channels.
- **CTO (Technical Co-Founder) at Shwary** (Jul 2024 – Jan 2026): Led end-to-end technical vision and development of a cross-platform (Android & iOS) fintech app enabling low-cost peer-to-peer transfers and stablecoin payments across Africa.
- **Frontend Engineer at Justice Chatbot** (Jun 2022 – Dec 2023): Led frontend architecture of a website-builder engine from scratch to production, with multi-domain deployments, custom templates, and advanced SEO/i18n.
- **Frontend Developer at OnGama web3 Marketplace** (Dec 2021 – Jun 2022): Built a wallet-based authentication system supporting multiple providers, with reusable auth and session flows for decentralized identity.
- **Frontend Developer at Esika** (Jan 2019 – Dec 2021): Led UI/UX design and implementation from the ground up, including a design system for a consistent UI language across the product.

## Skills
TypeScript, JavaScript, Golang, React, React Native, Next.js, Webpack, ESBuild, ViteJS, Kamal, AWS, Jest, Cypress, Testing Library, RestAPI, NodeJS, TailwindCSS

## Posts
- [Pragmatic advice to start learning to code](https://derickzr.com/posts/advice-to-start-learing-to-code): Your mindset is the most import aspect in your journey to become a programmer
- [Blockchain Explained](https://derickzr.com/posts/blockchain-explained): An overview of blockchain technology, its workings, use cases, and challenges, providing a clear guide for understanding this revolutionary technology.
- [Can Developers Really Correct AI? A Story From My Own Experience](https://derickzr.com/posts/can-developers-really-correct-ai): A real-world story about why AI still needs developers — told through a Next.js deployment lesson
- [Centralized Authentication: One Door, Many Rooms](https://derickzr.com/posts/centralized-auth): How to build authentication once and share it across multiple applications — without rebuilding login logic in every service.
- [Client State vs URL State vs LocalStorage: The Complete Guide](https://derickzr.com/posts/client-state-vs-url-state-vs-localstorage-the-complete-guide): Understanding when to use React state, URL parameters, or localStorage with interactive examples that show the real differences.
- [Data Management vs State Management in React and Why Mixing Them Hurts](https://derickzr.com/posts/data-management-vs-state-management-in-react-and-why-mixing-them-hurts): An overview of how I chose my stack, the resources that were helpful, and my design and content decisions.
- [Asymmetric Encryption & Decryption in Python](https://derickzr.com/posts/encryption-and-decryption): Cryptography is an information security tactic used to protect enterprise information and communication from cyber threats through the use of codes.
- [Faster Links in React](https://derickzr.com/posts/faster-links-in-react): How to make links faster in React
- [How I built my personal website](https://derickzr.com/posts/how-i-built-my-personal-website): My personal corner of the web where I am in complete control.
- [Stop Lying to Users: Building Progress Bars That Tell the Truth](https://derickzr.com/posts/the-campfire-poll): How I turned fake progress bars into honest polling that actually reflects what's happening on the server—and fixed the bugs I found along the way.

## Projects
- [Trustiffy](https://trustify-webapp-kappa.vercel.app/): Frelancer Platform
- [TimesMo](https://www.timesor.com/): FinTech
- [Onduka](https://store.onduka.com/BobDesigns-113/utgs): E-commerce
- [Saniget](https://saniget.com): Photography
- [Zoe Academic](https://zoeacademic.com): Education
- [Laxaza](https://laxaza.com): E shop
- [HCSE Sarl](https://hcesinvestment.com): Enterprise Portfolio
- [Aming](https://amingco.com/): Multimedia
- [Onduka Grocery Theme](https://store.onduka.com/Onsoko-132/awnr): Different look and feel...
- [A L'aise Shop](http://beyondart-online-shop.vercel.app/): Personalized any item
- [Beyond art Website](https://beyondartoffice.com): Everything Art related
- [Kinda Typing](https://kindatyping.vercel.app/): Practice your typing skill
- [OnGama MarketPlace](https://ongama.vercel.app/): Sell and Buy NTFs
- [Congo Developer Community](https://cdevcommunity.netlify.app/): Developer across the country can share their story, projects
- [Esika Real-Estate](https://esika-81b8b.web.app/): Broker Online,
- [EduSystem ](https://edusysdemo.vercel.app/): EduSystem offer a revolutionary school management system
- [Architect Portfolio](https://admiring-hugle-a710fa.netlify.app): Services offer by the architect
- [Innovation Squad website](https://isquad.vercel.app/): Services offer by IS
- [Weather Progressive Web Application ](https://isquad.vercel.app/): basic PWA project

## Writing elsewhere
- [How to Implement Custom File Validation in React Dropzone](https://dev.to/derick1530/how-to-implement-custom-file-validation-in-react-dropzone-33le)
- [How to Internationalize your NextJS App with Next-Translate](https://dev.to/derick1530/translate-website-content-using-nextjs-internationalization-and-next-i18next-1ghe)
- [Connect your Nextjs e-commerce app to Sanity.io (Typescript)](https://dev.to/derick1530/connect-your-nextjs-e-commerce-app-to-sanityio-typescript-5cc1)
- [Monkeytype clone with reactJS and tailwindCSS](https://dev.to/derick1530/monkeytype-clone-with-reactjs-and-tailwindcss-1gj7)
- [Introduction to JSON Server (Beginner) part I](https://dev.to/derick1530/introduction-to-json-server-beginner-part-i-4l2g)
- [Introduction to JSON Server (part II)](https://dev.to/derick1530/introduction-to-json-server-part-ii-m6k)
- [[React] Real time updates data using Apexcharts - JSON API](https://dev.to/derick1530/chart-real-time-data-using-apexcharts-json-api-12id)
- [ React:Suspense for data fetching (part 2)](https://dev.to/derick1530/reactsuspense-for-data-fetching-part-2-19ep)
- [React:Suspense for data fetching (part 1)](https://dev.to/derick1530/reactsuspense-for-data-fetching-part-1-4a0h)
- [ How to hide scrollbar on your element in Tailwind](https://dev.to/derick1530/how-to-create-scrollable-element-in-tailwind-without-a-scrollbar-4mbd)

## Elsewhere
- [GitHub](https://github.com/Derick1530)
- [LinkedIn](https://linkedin.com/in/derick)
- [Twitter/X](https://twitter.com/ossderick)