Hey there, I'm Amirul!
I'm a fullstack developer, educator, and creator based in Sidoarjo, East Java. My journey started in 2014 at a software house called Firzil Tech, where I wrote my first production Laravel app — and I've been hooked ever since.
Since then, I've led engineering teams at startups in Malaysia, rebuilt an entire school platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, freelanced across Southeast Asia, and spent nearly 6 years teaching fullstack development at Hacktiv8 and mentoring high schoolers at SMK Telkom. I also run Kawan Koding — a platform where I create courses and content to help developers level up.
But if you ask me what I'm most proud of? It's the education part. I genuinely believe code shouldn't be gatekept behind academic jargon. My goal is to take advanced concepts — Laravel internals, API design, system architecture — and break them into friendly, visual guides that actually make sense.
Work Experience 💼
12+ years across startups, agencies, and bootcamps — from writing my first line of code to leading engineering teams.
Founder
Kawan Koding
Building an educational platform that helps developers write better code and grow their careers. Creating courses, tutorials, and written content to make programming accessible for everyone — because better developers make a better world, InsyaAllah.
Digital Talent Program Mentor
SMK Telkom Sidoarjo
Mentored 25+ high school students per year in a long-running vocational programming program. Taught web development fundamentals — HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP — through hands-on projects and real-world problem solving.
Instructor
Hacktiv8 Indonesia
Taught fullstack JavaScript bootcamps covering frontend, backend, databases, and deployment. Guided students from zero coding experience to job-ready developers through intensive project-based learning and code reviews.
Software Engineer
Swipe
Contributed to a fintech product as a backend engineer. Built and maintained API services, optimized database queries, and collaborated with a distributed team across Southeast Asia.
Senior Software Engineer → Team Lead
RaudhahPay
Started as a Senior Engineer building payment APIs and backend services for a financial platform. Promoted to Team Lead, managing a squad of engineers, setting technical direction, and ensuring on-time delivery of features.
Web Development Team Lead
PT Onklas Prima Indonesia
Led a remote team of 5 developers to rebuild an entire school management platform during the COVID-19 pandemic. Redesigned the database, wrote API endpoints, managed the team's workflow, and reviewed code — all while shipping the new system in the first month.
Developer Manager
Firzil Tech
Managed the development team, liaised with project managers on progress and technical requirements, and made sure projects shipped on time. Mentored junior developers and established coding standards across the team.
Freelance Web Developer
Alpha Code Sdn. Bhd.
Built custom CMS solutions as a freelance backend developer. Collaborated remotely with an international team to deliver client projects on schedule.
Freelance API Developer
PT Kapoocino Media Tech
Rebuilt an aging API from the ground up — optimizing database queries, restructuring endpoints, and developing new features. Dramatically improved API response times and reliability.
Web Developer
Firzil Tech
Started my professional career as a backend developer at a software house. Built content management systems for multiple clients and developed REST APIs powering companion mobile apps. This is where I fell in love with Laravel.
Things I've Built
Platforms, tools, and apps I've created to help developers learn, build, and grow.
Kawan Koding 🏫
An online learning platform making coding accessible for Indonesian developers. Offers video courses on Laravel, Livewire, and Filament, plus written tutorials — all in Bahasa Indonesia, no jargon headaches.
Kelas Laravel
A comprehensive Laravel course taking you from zero to production-ready. 120+ lessons, 40+ hours of project-based learning — build a POS system, e-commerce API, and SaaS dashboard with real-world best practices.
Konco Kuliner
A culinary marketing platform helping F&B brands grow through honest food reviews, paid promotions, and affiliate marketing. Reaching 100K+ followers with 5M+ monthly views across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Gear & Setup ⚙️
Curious about what I use to code, write, and record? Here is my current physical and digital workspace.
Desk Hardware
- ◆ GMKTec K8 Plus (32GB)
- ◆ Keychron K2 V2 Mechanical Keyboard
- ◆ BenQ Coding Monitor 27" FHD Monitor
Recording Setup
- ◆ Rode Procaster
- ◆ Hollyland Lyra Webcam
- ◆ Godox ES45
Coding Software
- ◆ ZED & VS Code
- ◆ Android Studio & Xcode Emulators
- ◆ Warp Terminal