James Coppard

I'm a Software Engineer at The Caretakers, working across the full stack on web applications, custom platforms and marketing sites that actually hold up in production.

I studied Software Engineering at the University of Auckland and got my start in quality assurance at Portainer while finishing my degree. Spending two years trying to break container management software leaves a mark. You quickly learn where systems tend to fray at the edges, and how much easier life is when you build them cleanly the first time.

Since joining the studio at the start of 2023, my days have been split between application work (Laravel backends, TypeScript calculation engines, portals and API integrations) and fast, modular web builds in Astro, Next.js and Statamic. I like software that feels quick, makes sense to the next developer who opens the repo, and doesn't require a manual for the client to update a page.

Outside of work, I'm usually out logging kilometres on Auckland roads or tinkering with a side project.

I'm based in Panmure, Auckland, working with the team in Howick and clients across New Zealand.