Hibernate Experts

Maturing their API practices on both a business and technology level. My role covers strategy, architecture, developer advocacy as well as hands-on software engineering, enabling both technical teams and business leadership to adopt and act on API-centric principles effectively. Coincidentally, we also establish GitOps, DX and platform best practices with this project.

Highlights:

• Aligning executives with the initiative by clarifying strategy, replacing misconceptions and myths with facts, clarifying the value of existing assets and enabling informed decision-making
• Formulating a way forward for API Lifecycle Management at OTTO
• Driving platform progress and fostering developer engagement by hands-on engineering work towards strategic goals

API Lifecycle Management, Team Topologies, Organizational Evolution, Regulatory, Platform Advocate, Developer Platform, Communities of Practice, Terraform, Kotlin, Kafka, Kong, WSO2, Apigee, Gravitee, Backstage, AsyncAPI, OpenAPI, API Design, AWS, React, Node.js, TypeScript, Redocly, reactive programming, CDC, Golang, Gin, GitOps, DX (developer experience), stakeholder management, roadmaps, workshops, discovery.

• Planned and developed a CPU monitoring application for monitoring system performance and resource utilization.
• Designed and implemented a Spring Boot backend providing a REST API for processing and exposing monitoring data.
• Developed the React frontend for presenting monitoring information in a clear and user-friendly interface.
• Integrated PostgreSQL for persistent storage and management of application data.
• Containerized the application and its services using Docker Compose.
• Automated infrastructure provisioning and deployment using Terraform on AWS.
• Structured the application as a modern, maintainable system using REST-based communication between frontend and backend.
• Designed and developed a secure, scalable CPU monitoring architecture (cpu-watcher) with a dedicated collector application that streams monitoring data to the backend, reducing direct exposure of system resources.
• Designed a secure cloud infrastructure with the database isolated within a private network and OIDC-based authentication.
• Implemented Infrastructure as Code with Terraform and integrated version-controlled CI/CD pipelines to automate testing, infrastructure changes, and application deployments.
• Designed and implemented the frontend delivery architecture using AWS CloudFront.

Stack: Spring Boot · React · PostgreSQL · REST API · Docker Compose · Terraform · AWS

• Analysis, documentation, and alignment of requirements. Conducting stakeholder analyses, interviews, and workshops for requirements gathering and validation. Carrying out requirements reviews and working closely with business units and development teams.

Techniques & tools: requirements engineering, stakeholder management, workshop facilitation, system context modeling, requirements reviews, quality scenarios, Miro, Jira, Confluence

• Recurring problem in my own AI-supported projects: requirements analysis, use cases, and architecture decisions can be created quickly with AI support, but they remain hard to trace and are scattered across markdown files – knowledge is lost as soon as it is no longer in the context window. arknet turns requirements engineering and architecture knowledge into structured, testable data instead of plain text: requirements, use cases, and architecture decisions as a consistently linked knowledge graph, traceable from the requirement to the architecture decision – queryable for humans and AI agents alike. Built technically on RDF/OWL and its own MCP server.

• Result: MCP daemon running, Docker image automatically published on GHCR, nine hexagonal modules, eleven ADRs (including an open-core license model). Requirements engineering and ubiquitous language hexagon active. Publicly available as a Community Edition under Apache-2.0 since 07/2026 (github.com/kogn-io/arknet), together with the Claude Code plugin and the GHCR image; open-core model.

• Label: Java, Maven, RDF, RDF4J, OWL, SPARQL, Model Context Protocol, Spring AI, Docker, GitHub, Git, Claude Code, Obsidian, DDD, Hexagonal Architecture, ArchUnit, JUnit, AssertJ, interface development, Software Architecture, Continuous Integration, Knowledge Management

• Modernization of a large-scale Java enterprise application*

The project is modernizing a complex enterprise application that has grown over many years. The existing Spring-based legacy system runs on Java 8, OSGi, and Eclipse RCP and is being gradually migrated to a modern, maintainable architecture with Java 25 and Quarkus.

Marcus works on analysis, architecture, refactoring, and implementation. One focus is on untangling historically grown structures and dependencies and on building a clean, sustainable Java and Quarkus technology stack.

Tools & technologies: Java 8, Java 25, Quarkus, Hibernate ORM with Panache, EclipseLink, OSGi, Eclipse RCP, Maven, JUnit, Mockito, REST, JSON, Git, Eclipse IDE, IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate, Jira, Confluence

• Further development of the existing e-commerce platform based on SAP Commerce (Hybris) to meet the growing demands of digital commerce.
• Ensuring the scalability and performance of the backend, so the platform remained stable and efficient even under heavy user load.
• Development and integration of new OCC REST APIs and services for modular extensions and flexible adjustments, to implement new features quickly.
• Optimization of data flows and interfaces, which significantly improved platform efficiency and system performance.
• Ensuring a maintainable and scalable code base by using Clean Code principles, proven design patterns, and a future-proof architecture.
• Reduction of errors through extensive testing with JUnit, Mockito, and load tests with Gatling, supported by the introduction of automated test processes.
• Improved system performance through targeted refactoring measures and efficient database queries, especially to handle peak loads.
• Use of modern cloud and monitoring tools such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Grafana to ensure a stable and monitored infrastructure.
• Clear improvement in efficiency, scalability, and reliability of the platform, which now meets the demands of a dynamic and growing e-commerce market.

• Optimizing and accelera­tion of our Gitlab CI pipeline

• Conceptual work for the PoC of the Zero Trust system

• Extension of the policy-engine backend in Go

• Extension of the policy-testing mechanism in Python

• Architectural design of the PEP component of Zero Trust

• Documentation of the product

• Technologies: Zero Trust, Go, Python, Gitlab CI, Docker, JWT, Domain-Driven Design

With project PRIZMA, DB will modernize its infrastructure on the one hand, and develop a fail-safe IT landscape on the other hand, which can be restored quickly and securely in case of a disaster.

• Capture current architectures of existing systems as well as methodical consulting and development of target architectures
• Deepen and maintain the building plan / target IT landscape
• Implement technical architecture concepts & architecture descriptions
• Implement migration concepts for updating and further developing the platform and information systems
• Assess submitted improvement suggestions as part of the project
• Capability management: identify capability gaps, develop target visions, and support transformation planning within the enterprise architecture.
• Create a compatibility matrix of the components in use and compare dependencies of specific versions
• Create an IT concept for extending the platform with the following topics: hardware and software requirements, security, licensing, high availability, load balancing, backup & recovery, update strategy, monitoring integration, etc.
• Coordinate with business architects as well as technical architects from the cross-functional architecture area of the PRISMA program for the topics (backup, Active Directory, monitoring, Citrix, and business applications ...)
• Status meetings and alignment of project planning with the Release Train Engineer / Project Manager
• Advise the Release Train Engineer / Project Manager in identifying project risks
• Advise the System Architect Engineers in steering the implementation of the concept
• Implement the IT concept
• Document the infrastructure

Label: MS Project, LINUX, Windows, ORACLE, Java, REST, SharePoint, Microsoft Exchange, UML, Enterprise Architect, BPMN, AZURE, AWS, V-MODEL, Micro Service, VisualStudio, SAP S/4HANA, SCRUM(SAFE), ESB (TIBCO), Python, Innovator, LeanIX (TOGAF), Ansible, Ansible Tower, Ansible Automation, ROBOT, SpringBoot

• Building a data integration platform for high, medium, and low voltage assets for contextual analysis of time series with master data from the SCADA control system (IEC 60870 104), INIS, and SAP.
• Responsibility for the architecture and implementation of the solution, as well as sparring partner for the Product Owner.
• Use of Kotlin, Spring Boot, Maven, TimescaleDB, PostgreSQL, liquibase, Elements IoT, Docker, Kubernetes, Grafana, Python, jupyter, and various API gateways.

• Developed cloud-native enterprise applications on SAP Business Technology Platform using Node.js, SAP UI5, and RESTful APIs, delivering solutions across training management, procurement, employee information, and logistics domains
• Served as the primary developer for the maintenance, enhancement, and production support of three enterprise applications, delivering new features, resolving production issues, and coordinating releases with business stakeholders
• Experienced in leveraging AI-assisted development tools such as Microsoft Copilot to accelerate feature development, generate code, prototype solutions, and support application migration and modernization
• Designed backend services, domain models, and SAP Fiori/UI5 interfaces, implementing business workflows, role-based access control, validations, scheduling, reporting, and data import/export capabilities
• Designed and integrated enterprise services with SAP SuccessFactors, SailPoint, ERP systems, and external Learning Management APIs, including automated synchronization for 11,000+ user data
• Designed and implemented AMQP-based event-driven services processing up to 500 RFID parcel scan events per day for a logistics application
• Managed deployments and application operations using CI/CD pipelines, SAP Solution Manager, SAP BTP Cockpit, Kibana, and cloud monitoring tools, performing root-cause analysis and resolving production incidents
• Managed application dependencies by resolving npm package version conflicts and remediating critical and high-severity security vulnerabilities, ensuring production compliance and application stability
• Collaborated with architects, business users, SAP governance teams, and distributed Agile teams throughout technical design, code reviews, sprint planning, documentation, and software delivery

• Ride-sharing and bus platform, live and fully functional. Backend Spring Boot 4.1 on Java 21, PostgreSQL with Flyway, Testcontainers integration tests. Operation in my own AWS account (ECS Fargate, ALB, ECR, IAM least privilege) with CI/CD via GitHub Actions and OIDC federation without static credentials. Development throughout AI-assisted with Claude Code, including my own skills and project-specific memory. Spring Boot · Java 21 · PostgreSQL · Flyway · Docker · AWS ECS/ALB/ECR · CI/CD · GitHub Actions · Claude Code

• Focus: system architecture, cloud-native platforms, microservices, API design
• Product: Pflege-Pfad is a digital matchmaking platform that connects relatives of people in need of care directly with verified care services and caregivers - without an agency and without ongoing fees.
• Business analysis & process design:
• Analysis of the German care market and identification of the key pain points of both target groups.
• Modeling of the core business processes: registration, verification, care request, application, placement, and rating.
• Definition of the business model as a freemium/premium model with optional contact unlocking.
• Creation of user stories and requirements documentation for relatives, care services, and administrators.
• Design of trust and quality assurance mechanisms with document upload, admin review process, and rating system.
• Coordination with stakeholders and validation of product decisions with potential users.
• Technical implementation:
• Design and implementation of the entire platform architecture as a solo developer.
• Design and implementation of a REST API with Spring Boot and Kotlin, including JWT-based authentication.
• Development of the frontend as a single-page application with Angular 17.
• Implementation of the AWS infrastructure with EC2, RDS PostgreSQL, S3, CloudFront, and IAM.
• Document upload with AWS S3 via presigned URLs for verification of care services.
• Email notifications via Resend API.
• AI-supported care service search via OpenAI API.
• Implementation of complete user flows such as registration, login, password reset, and placement process.
• Building an admin panel for user and care service management as well as analytics.
• CI/CD with GitHub Actions and containerized deployments with Docker.
• End-to-end tests with Playwright.

Technologies: Kotlin, Spring Boot 3, Spring Security, JWT, JPA/Hibernate, PostgreSQL, Angular 17, TypeScript, RxJS, AWS (EC2, ECS, S3, CloudFront CDN, RDS PostgreSQL, IAM), nginx, GitHub Actions, Playwright, Maven, Git, OpenAI API, Resend API, Docker, Scrum, i18n (DE/EN/TR), Kiro, feature-flag architecture.

• Designed, built, and launched an internal event planning web application used by over 100 department leads for a large event, despite having no dedicated testing phase.

• Ensured smooth, failure-free operation during first production use, leading to the tool being adopted for future events.

• Automated catering calculations and related workflows, significantly reducing email communication and manual computation effort for meal planning.

• Managed deployment and hosting on a Linux server using Coolify, including application setup and runtime operations.

• Hired and guided a communication designer on UX while independently owning all technical decisions and implementation.

• Creation, maintenance and hardening of Kubernetes clusters employing Ansible and ArgoCD
• Keywords: Ansible, AWX, Kubernetes, NetApp, Prometheus, CI/CD ArgoCD, SSO, Fluent-bit, HAProxy, Calico, Keycloak, oauth2-proxy, SealedSecrets, kubeseal, Aqua kube-bench, CIS-Benchmarks, Aqua Trivy operator