Questions about me

I'm Nikola, 19 years old and studying software development. I mostly work on backend stuff with PHP, Laravel and MySQL.

Software development. I'm in my internship year right now and looking for a placement abroad.

Backend. I like the parts you don't see: databases, APIs, the logic that makes an app actually do something.

Laravel and PHP for the backend, MySQL for databases. I also know my way around Eloquent and I've built things with Filament.

It has good structure, solid documentation and covers most of what you need without having to piece together ten different packages. It also pushes you towards doing things properly.

I read the requirements first, think about the database, then plan the structure before writing any code. I've learned the hard way that jumping straight into coding creates more work later.

I start with an ERD, just mapping out what entities exist and how they relate. Then I think about data types, what needs indexing and what the common queries will look like.

I reproduce it first, then narrow down where it's happening. I use logs, dd() and Postman for API stuff. I try not to just guess.

I take care of my tasks and keep people in the loop. In a small team you notice pretty quickly when something isn't moving, so I make sure that's never because of me.

I follow whatever conventions are already there and communicate clearly. I ask before touching shared code.

Fine with it. I'd rather hear something now than find out later it was wrong. I listen, think about whether it makes sense and go from there.

I break the problem down, check the docs and try a few things. If I'm still stuck after a bit I ask for help, but I come with what I've already tried.

Working in another country teaches you things you just can't get from staying home. I want that experience while I still have the chance.

I chose Spain because I want to challenge myself in a new environment while gaining international work experience. I want to learn Spanish, experience Spanish work culture firsthand and see how software teams operate outside the Netherlands. I am going in without expectations, just want to show up and adapt.

Solid backend skills, a structured way of working and a genuine interest in doing the job well. I don't need a lot of hand-holding.

Yes, mostly for looking things up faster or generating boilerplate. I always read what it gives me though.

I read it, run it and make sure I understand what it does. I check for anything that looks off and whether it actually fits the codebase.

Yes. I give context about the project when I prompt it, then check the output against what's already there. Naming, structure, patterns, it all needs to match.