Backend
Available for senior roles & freelance projects
Mohamed Youssef
Senior Backend Engineer 9+ years building, modernizing, and optimizing reliable backend systems with PHP, Symfony, AWS, and System Architecture.
9+
Years
100+
Projects
5.0
Star Rating
AWS
Cloud Ready
I build systems
that scale.
Senior Backend Engineer specializing in building, modernizing, and optimizing reliable backend systems using PHP, Symfony, AWS, Docker, PostgreSQL/MySQL, Redis, and REST APIs.
My focus goes beyond writing features—I work on system architecture, performance, scalability, legacy modernization, cloud migration, integrations, and production reliability. I approach projects from both the engineering and architectural perspectives.
I have deep expertise in modernizing legacy PHP/OpenCart applications without unnecessary rewrites, optimizing complex database queries, and implementing robust caching, queues, and background processing. Recently, I've also expanded into integrating AI/LLM capabilities (Ollama, vLLM) into backend infrastructure.
Whether you need a senior engineer to build an application from the ground up, a consultant to diagnose performance bottlenecks, or an architect to migrate your infrastructure to AWS—I'm ready.
Languages spoken
Arabic (Native)
English (Full Professional)
French (Basic)
Tools & systems
I engineer with.
Cloud & DevOps
Infrastructure
Data & Performance
Databases & Caching
Systems
Legacy & Integrations
AI Infrastructure
AI / LLM Integration
Practices
Engineering Standards
Certifications & Education
Harmonious Development with Symfony 6
Online Training · Active
Build a Full Website using WordPress
Online Training · Active
HTML Essential Training
Online Training · Active
Create Your Own Web Page
Online Training · Active
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) — History
Cairo University · 2007–2011
Backend solutions
for growing systems.
Architecture
System Design & Builds
Infrastructure
Cloud & Legacy Modernization
Performance
Optimization & Scaling
Systems I've
architected & shipped.
Scalable SaaS Subscription
Platform — Symfony 6
Designed and implemented a scalable backend architecture for a SaaS subscription system using Symfony 6. Handled recurring billing, invoicing, and customer lifecycle management. Built a robust REST API consumed by web and mobile clients. Implemented background processing and caching via Redis to handle high throughput.
5K+
Subscribers
99.5%
Uptime
120ms
Avg API Latency
- Symfony 6
- PHP 8
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- REST API
- Stripe
High-Concurrency
Payment Gateway System
Engineered a robust payment processing system handling multiple regional and international gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Paymob). Implemented webhook handling, idempotency keys, and queue-based transaction processing to ensure zero data loss during high-traffic peaks.
3
Payment Gateways
10K/min
Peak TPS
0%
Data Loss
- PHP
- Laravel
- MySQL
- Redis Queues
- Webhooks
Legacy OpenCart
B2B Platform Modernization
Modernized a heavily customized legacy OpenCart B2B platform without a full rewrite. Refactored core modules into a modular monolith, optimized slow MySQL queries, and implemented tiered caching. Resulted in a 60% reduction in page load times and drastically improved maintainability.
60%
Faster Load Times
500+
B2B Clients
0
Downtime Migrations
- PHP
- OpenCart
- MySQL
- Redis
- Refactoring
AWS Cloud Migration
& CI/CD Pipeline Setup
Migrated a monolithic on-premise application to a containerized AWS environment. Set up Docker containers, configured Nginx load balancers, and implemented a full CI/CD pipeline for automated zero-downtime deployments. Improved production reliability and disaster recovery capabilities.
100%
Containerized
Zero
Downtime Deploys
99.9%
SLA Achieved
- AWS
- Docker
- Linux
- CI/CD
- Nginx
100+ Backend Projects on
Mostaql & Upwork
Delivered 100+ freelance projects focusing on backend architecture, API development, database optimization, and legacy refactoring. Consistently rated 5 stars for code quality, system reliability, and on-time delivery. Clients from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France, and the USA.
100+
Projects
5.0★
Avg Rating
95%
Repeat Clients
- PHP
- Symfony
- Laravel
- PostgreSQL
- AWS
- REST APIs
Where I've
engineered.
—
5+ years
Senior Backend Engineer
Upwork · Remote / Cairo, Egypt
- Architected and built scalable backend systems using PHP, Symfony, and Laravel for international clients.
- Specialized in legacy modernization, refactoring monolithic apps into modular architectures.
- Implemented robust caching (Redis), optimized PostgreSQL/MySQL databases, and set up background processing.
- Integrated payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, Paymob) and third-party APIs with high reliability.
—
6 months
Senior Backend Engineer
Arabhardware · Al Jizah, Egypt
- Backend development and system optimization for a leading Arabic tech hardware platform.
- Diagnosed and resolved performance bottlenecks, improving page load times and concurrency handling.
- Built data synchronization pipelines and integrated external APIs.
—
1 yr 3 mos
Backend Engineer
MetaLinks · Egypt
- Developed web applications and REST APIs using Laravel and Symfony.
- Integrated multiple third-party services, authentication systems, and webhooks.
- Collaborated on system architecture, database design, and implementation of SOLID principles.
—
7 yrs 10 mos
Senior PHP Developer
Mostaql.com · Egypt (Freelance)
- Top-rated freelancer delivering 100+ projects across e-commerce, SaaS, and custom web apps.
- Specialized in OpenCart and legacy PHP modernization without unnecessary rewrites.
- Built a strong reputation for backend reliability, code quality, and post-delivery support.
—
8 months
Backend Developer
VV WEB BUSINESS · France (Remote)
- Remote backend development for a French web agency.
- Handled server-side deployment, Linux server management, and database administration.
- Optimized application performance and ensured high production reliability.
Books I've
reviewed.
Continuous learning is part of the engineering craft. A curated selection of technical books I've read and reviewed — covering PHP, Symfony, architecture, and clean code practices. These are the books I recommend to every backend developer I mentor.
Mastering Test-Driven Development with PHP 8
Written for PHP developers from beginners with basic syntax knowledge to intermediate developers seeking to adopt TDD and improve their application architecture. Practical, grounded, and immediately applicable.
Symfony 6: The Fast Track
The definitive guide for mastering modern Symfony. Sharpened my understanding of the framework's internals — from the HTTP kernel to attribute-based routing. A must-read for backend engineers.
PHP 8 Objects, Patterns, and Practice
The most thorough treatment of OOP and design patterns in PHP. Covers match expressions, named arguments, enums, and fibers. I reference this book weekly when architecting services.
Domain-Driven Design in PHP
A code-first approach to DDD demonstrating hexagonal architecture, CQRS, and event sourcing with Symfony and Laravel examples. Transformed how I structure complex e-commerce domains.
Clean Code
Timeless principles that translate directly from Java to PHP. I enforce these standards in every codebase I touch — from Laravel services to Symfony modules. Re-read annually.
Let's build
something scalable.
Open to senior backend engineering roles, freelance projects, and system architecture consulting — full-time, part-time, or contract. Whether you need a Symfony/Laravel backend, an AWS cloud migration, or a legacy system modernized — I'd love to hear about your project.
Response time under 24 hours