Niklas Debbrecht

Software Developer · Accessibility · Backend

I build the web — and make sure everyone can use it.

About me

As a blind software developer, I know first-hand how important it is to make digital products accessible to all people. What is a theoretical requirement for many is my lived reality — every day.

For over seven years, I have been developing backend solutions, primarily with PHP, Symfony, and Laravel. Starting in e-commerce, I now work at RSU GmbH on backend services for vehicle, product, and appraisal data.

Accessibility is not an add-on for me, but the foundation of good development. I actively bring this perspective into teams and projects.

Alongside backend development, I have been working with machine learning and artificial intelligence for years — the foundation was laid by my bachelor's thesis on anomaly detection in industrial streaming data. Today I work productively with current AI tools on a daily basis and exchange ideas in my employer's internal AI guild.

Professional Experience

  1. present

    Software Developer

    RSU GmbH – Vehicle / Product / Appraisal Data

    Joined as part of a team takeover following the insolvency of TriStyle Customerce GmbH. Development of backend services for vehicle, product, and appraisal data with event-driven communication via Apache Kafka. Member of the internal AI guild with regular exchange on AI tools in development. Stack: Laravel, PHP, MongoDB, MySQL, Apache Kafka, Docker.

  2. Full Stack Developer

    TriStyle Customerce GmbH

    Development of a microservice-based webshop for Peter Hahn (Domain Platform, Order & Manage). Implementation of complex checkout requirements, performance improvements through asynchronous processing via message systems and REST APIs. Stack: Symfony, PHP, ReactJS, Next.js, Docker, PostgreSQL.

  3. Software Developer (Symfony)

    basecom GmbH & Co. KG (Part of the GROW Digital Group)

    Business Unit Symfony. Development of customer projects and webshops, contribution to the SaaS product desk.ly, performance optimizations, and migrations of legacy applications (Symfony 1 to 6). Stack: Symfony, PHP, VueJS, Docker, Traefik, GitLab CI/CD, PostgreSQL, MySQL.

  4. Bachelor Internship & Thesis

    GMH Systems GmbH

    Design and implementation of a hybrid machine-learning system for anomaly detection on a cylindrical grinding machine in final production at Georgsmarienhütte GmbH. Edge inference on Harting MICA Box with MQTT-based streaming data processing; model training on OEDIV cluster using K-Nearest Neighbor and HNSW. Stack: Python (NumPy, pandas, scikit-learn, hnswlib), ClickHouse, Docker, MQTT.

  5. Working Student IT

    Coffee-Bike GmbH

    PHP/Symfony development and integration of the Salesforce REST API as a working student alongside my studies.

Skills

Backend

  • PHP
  • Symfony
  • Laravel
  • Python

Frontend

  • JavaScript
  • TypeScript
  • React
  • Next.js
  • Vue

Databases

  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • ClickHouse

Messaging

  • REST
  • MQTT
  • Apache Kafka

AI / ML

  • scikit-learn
  • hnswlib
  • Anthropic API
  • OpenAI API
  • Mistral API
  • Claude Code
  • Codex
  • Ollama

DevOps & Tools

  • Docker
  • Linux
  • CI/CD
  • Git
  • PhpStorm

Accessibility

  • WCAG
  • ARIA
  • Screenreader Testing
  • Accessible Web Development

Methodology

  • Agile/Scrum
  • Code Review
  • Microservices

Languages

  • German (Native)
  • English (Fluent)
  • Spanish (A2)

Projects

KnowDown — Cross-platform quiz arena for iOS, Android, and web with an ELO rating system. Symfony backend with passwordless magic-link authentication, mobile client built with Expo/React Native. Live at knowdown.de, on the App Store and on Google Play. Stack: Symfony, PHP, PostgreSQL, Expo, React Native, TypeScript.

Education

  1. B.Sc. Media Informatics

    Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences

    Germany Scholarship 2016 and 2017.

  2. Abitur

    Gymnasium Oesde

Volunteering

Junge Retina Niedersachsen — Spokesperson of the youth working group of PRO RETINA Deutschland e. V. for people aged 18 to 35 with retinal diseases.

Kolping Georgsmarienhütte — Active member for years. Support for used clothing collections, carnival activities, and production of posters and films.

Contact

Want to get in touch? The easiest way to reach me is via LinkedIn or email.