Mikael Araya — Freelance Full-Stack Software Engineer | E-Commerce

About Me

Freelance full-stack software engineer based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with 8+ years of professional experience. I'm a core contributor to Unchained Engine — a high-performance headless Node.js e-commerce framework with 199+ stars on GitHub — and the product owner of the Unchained Admin UI, the Next.js-based control panel used to manage the entire platform.

My journey in software engineering began with a fascination for how lines of code can come together to create powerful applications. I've since built a robust foundation in both frontend and backend development, working on projects from Web2 e-commerce to Web3 marketplaces. With 93 repositories, ranked #42 top committer in Ethiopia, and contributions recognized by the Arctic Code Vault, I take every project on with a high sense of ownership and strive to deliver exceptional solutions.

Beyond the technical aspects, I deeply value ethical and inclusive software practices. I believe that technology should not only be functional but also respectful of diverse perspectives and accessible to all.

Name Mikael Araya Mengistu

Role Freelance Full-Stack Software Engineer

Location Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (GMT+3)

Email mikaelaraya12@gmail.com

Arctic Code Vault Contributor GitHub Developer Program Pull Shark x3

What I Do

E-Commerce Development

Full-Stack Development

Enterprise & ERP Solutions

Blockchain & DApps

Technical Consulting

Mentorship (160+ students)

Hire Me Download CV

Open Source

Core contributor and Admin UI Product Owner

Unchained Engine

High-Performance Headless Node.js E-Commerce Framework

I'm a core contributor to Unchained Engine and the owner of the Admin UI — a Next.js-based control panel featuring real-time analytics, inventory management with stock alerts, order processing with automated workflows, bulk product editing with multi-language support, rich media management, and dark mode.

199+Stars

6,400+Commits

30+Packages

24Forks

View on GitHub Visit unchained.shop

Admin UI (Product Owner)

Next.js control panel with real-time analytics, inventory alerts, automated order workflows, and dark mode.

Core Engine

Business logic, GraphQL API layer, modular architecture with 30+ packages in the monorepo.

Payment Plugins

Integrations for Stripe, PayPal, Datatrans, Cryptopay, Apple IAP, Braintree, and invoice-based payments.

Ticketing System

Event ticketing with PDF/wallet pass generation, Apple & Google Wallet, and QR-code validation.

GitHub Activity

Mikael Araya's GitHub Contribution Graph

Tech Stack

Core technologies I use to build production systems

Front-End

React

Next.js

TypeScript

Tailwind CSS

Angular

Back-End & Infrastructure

Node.js

GraphQL

MongoDB

PostgreSQL

Redis

Docker

C# / ASP.NET

Payments, Testing & Blockchain

Stripe

Cypress

Playwright

Ethereum / Solidity

AI & Developer Tools

Building intelligent tooling with modern AI frameworks

AI Agents

Building autonomous AI agents using the Claude Agent SDK for enterprise workflows — product data enrichment, customer support automation, and intelligent document processing.

Claude Agent SDK TypeScript

MCP Servers

Building Model Context Protocol servers that connect AI assistants to production systems — including an MCP server for the Unchained Engine that exposes e-commerce operations to AI agents, and a Solr MCP server for intelligent search across enterprise data.

MCP Unchained Engine Solr

AI Pipelines

Designing AI-powered data pipelines for automated product classification, medical device categorization, and content enrichment in e-commerce platforms.

AI/ML Pipeline ETL Node.js

Work Experience

Core Contributor & Product Owner (Admin UI)

Core contributor to Unchained Engine, a high-performance headless Node.js e-commerce framework (199+ stars, 6,400+ commits, 30+ packages). Product owner of the Admin UI control panel. Building and maintaining core modules, plugins, ETL data connectors, and client-facing storefronts for enterprise Swiss e-commerce clients.

Key contributions include: GraphQL API layer, payment integrations (Stripe, PayPal, Datatrans, Cryptopay), ERP data connectors (Microsoft Navision, Selectline, Crossbase PIM), AI-powered product classification pipelines, Keycloak SSO/OAuth2 authentication, OpenTelemetry observability, Cypress & Playwright E2E test suites, and Jenkins CI/CD pipelines with Docker-based deployments.

TypeScript Node.js React Next.js GraphQL MongoDB Playwright Cypress Docker Jenkins

Software Engineering Mentor

Mentored 160+ students through Springboard's Software Engineering bootcamp. Providing 1-on-1 guidance on full-stack development, code reviews, project architecture, and career development to help students transition into professional engineering roles.

Mentorship Code Review Software Engineering

Freelance Full-Stack Software Engineer — ERP Solutions

Designed and built modular ERP solutions for small to mid-size organizations. Modules include Inventory Management, CRM, Production Management (MRP), Procurement, and Accounting — all integrated into a full-fledged enterprise system.

Angular ASP.NET Core MySQL C#

Full-Stack Developer

Built enterprise applications including a COC Student Registration system for the Ethiopian government, a full Accounting ERP module with multi-level reporting (Balance Sheet, Income Statements, Trial Balances), and a hybrid mobile application for Ethiopian migrants using React Native.

Angular React Native PHP MySQL

Website Developer

Designed and developed the company website while attending CS classes at Unity University. Built product catalog, order placement system, and contact functionality.

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

Graduated with honors (GPA: 3.4)

View Degree

Blockchain Developer Certificate

Ethereum network fundamentals, smart contract development, security, and testing tools.

View Certificate

Featured Projects

Key projects delivered collaboratively with the Unchained Commerce team and independently

Publicare e-commerce platform screenshot

Switzerland's largest medical aids supplier. Built with the Unchained Commerce team: multi-service platform with recipe-based ordering, customer-specific pricing, Microsoft Navision & Crossbase PIM integration, AI product classification, Keycloak SSO, and Playwright E2E testing. 1,000+ req/min.

Next.jsGraphQLKeycloakPlaywrightAI Pipeline

Case Study → Visit Site →

Lorem GmbH B2B commerce platform screenshot

Swiss technical paper sales specialist. Collaborated with the Unchained Commerce team on a B2B portal with price tiering, bundle pricing with surcharges and mandatory accessories, consumables reordering, Selectline ERP connector, and Solr-powered search. 20,000+ articles.

Next.jsGraphQLApolloSolr

Case Study → Visit Site →

Zurich's largest gastronomy association (2,500+ members). Built with the Unchained Commerce team: member self-service portal with course registration, event ticketing with QR codes, Google Maps integration, CRM sync, and Playwright E2E testing.

Next.jsGraphQLApolloPlaywright

Case Study → Visit Site →

Culinary festival platform spanning ten months across the Zurich region. Built with the Unchained Commerce team: event browsing with registration, 20+ dynamic CMS content blocks, regional news with tag-based filtering, and full-text search. Delivered in 10 days with a 4-person team.

Next.js 14GraphQLCockpit CMSRedis

Case Study → Visit Site →

Next.js control panel for Unchained Engine. Real-time analytics, inventory management, automated order workflows, bulk product editing, multi-language support, Cypress E2E test suite with 20+ spec files, and dark mode. Used by all Unchained clients.

Next.jsApolloCypressRadix UI

View on GitHub →

Built with the Unchained Commerce team: on-demand NFT-minting platform for artists and galleries. Just-in-time minting on purchase, powered by Unchained Engine, Next.js storefront, and Alchemy-based smart contract monitoring. 55 stars.

TypeScriptNext.jsSolidityMongoDB

View on GitHub →

Theater im Hof event ticketing site screenshot

Built with the Unchained Commerce team: white-label ticket shop with Apple & Google Wallet integration, QR-code validation, label printer connection, and entry control. 0% transaction fees.

Unchained EngineReactNode.js

Case Study → Visit Site →

Weng Contemporary art e-commerce platform screenshot

Artwork selling e-commerce platform for well-known artists. Built with the Unchained Commerce team: React/Next.js frontend, Unchained Engine backend with GraphQL API, and Cockpit CMS.

ReactNext.jsCockpit CMS

Visit Site →

Built with the Unchained Commerce team: digital ordering and delivery solution with GPS-based delivery, pre-order scheduling, native Android tablet kiosk app, and custom Unchained Engine plugins.

React SPAAndroidUnchained Engine

Visit Site →

Ethereum-based decentralized event ticket buying & selling application built with Solidity smart contracts. 19 stars.

SolidityEthereumWeb3

View on GitHub →

Full accounting module with multi-level account management, ledger entries, and financial reports (Balance Sheet, Income Statements, Trial Balances). 10 stars.

AngularASP.NET CoreMySQL

View on GitHub →

Telegram bot delivering real-time COVID-19 statistics by country. Built during the pandemic to provide quick access to case counts, recoveries, and deaths via simple chat commands.

RubyTelegram APIBot

View on GitHub →

Property rental management application for tracking tenants, lease agreements, payments, and property portfolios. Angular frontend with a modular component architecture.

AngularTypeScript

View on GitHub →

Hybrid mobile application providing essential information and resources to Ethiopian migrants in the Middle East — safety guidelines, legal rights, embassy contacts, and emergency support. 4 stars.

React NativeHTMLMobile

View on GitHub →

View All 93 Repositories on GitHub

I'm Mikael Araya.

About Me

What I Do

Open Source

Unchained Engine

Admin UI (Product Owner)

Core Engine

Payment Plugins

Ticketing System

GitHub Activity

Tech Stack

Front-End

Back-End & Infrastructure

Payments, Testing & Blockchain

AI & Developer Tools

AI Agents

MCP Servers

AI Pipelines

Work Experience

Unchained Commerce

Core Contributor & Product Owner (Admin UI)

Springboard

Software Engineering Mentor

Bionic System Solutions

Freelance Full-Stack Software Engineer — ERP Solutions

AppDiv System Development

Full-Stack Developer

Idopz Trading PLC

Website Developer

Education

Unity University

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

ConsenSys Academy

Blockchain Developer Certificate

Featured Projects

Publicare

Lorem GmbH

Gastro Zurich

Genussregion Zurich

Unchained Admin UI

NFT Marketplace

Theater im Hof

Weng Contemporary

1-2-eat

Event Ticketing DApp

Accounting ERP Module

COVID Telegram Bot

Rent Manager

Safeway Hybrid App

Latest Articles

Building an MCP Server for a Multi-Service Monorepo

Multilingual Solr Search for E-Commerce with Node.js

Angular Runtime Optimization Using Caching

Component Visibility with Angular Structural Directives

Distributed Network with Hyperledger Fabric

Get In Touch

Location

Email

Telegram