matthew.lin v1.0 loaded
software engineer // systems thinker // builder
Matthew Lin
I build systems that serve people — and somewhere along the way, engineering, storytelling, and curiosity became the same pursuit.
Core Principles
overarching directives
01
Design
to understand
people
$ cat philosophy.md
Software engineer with 3+ years building scalable full-stack and internal tooling systems. The interface is where empathy meets architecture.
Software engineer with 3+ years building scalable full-stack and internal tooling systems. The interface is where empathy meets architecture.
The best systems I've built started with understanding people — their frustrations, their workflows, their unspoken needs.
02
Build
to understand
systems
$ echo $METHODOLOGY
Every deployment is a feedback loop. Architecture decisions are hypotheses; production is the experiment.
Every deployment is a feedback loop. Architecture decisions are hypotheses; production is the experiment.
Code is just the language I use to respond. Building teaches me how things connect — how complexity emerges from simple rules.
03
Live
to understand
the world
Every system I build — technical or personal — is an attempt to better understand how people grow, connect, and create meaning over time.
principle::design The best software disappears into usefulness. Design principle
module::systems
What I've built
registry/systems.log — active deployments
active
Framework
Dec 2025 — Present
Semi-autonomous agentic development platform. Specialized agent teams handle the entire lifecycle — from requirements through deployment — using deliberation-based consensus.
live
Intentionally
Aug 2025
A time tracking app designed around intentional attention. Built to help people understand where their time goes and make deliberate choices about it.
in dev
Starly
2025 — Present · Launching April 2026
AI-powered mock interview platform helping students prepare for their interviews. Realistic practice sessions with intelligent feedback to build confidence and sharpen skills.
principle::build The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. Pablo Picasso
module::history
The arc of a system
logs/career.log — build history
Every career is a story told in fragments — commit messages and late nights, refactors and revelations.
September 2023 — Present (2y 6mo)
Software Development Engineer
$ org --name "Amazon"
Designing AI workflows, building memory-bank review systems, shipping notification systems to 500K+ customers. Leading internal tooling used by 20+ teams.
September 2025 — Present (7mo)
Product Manager (Tech)
$ org --name "Hack4Impact Cal Poly"
Leading two nonprofit engineering teams — building food distribution logistics tooling for 50+ partner orgs and an online STEM learning platform targeting 1,000+ underserved students per year.
January 2025 — December 2025 (1y)
iOS Software Engineer
$ org --name "PurpleTie"
Built a new iOS app in Swift and overhauled routing logistics with an OR-Tools based integration.
March 2023 — March 2026 (3y 1mo)
Co-Founder & President
$ org --name "Cal Poly Taiwanese Culture Org"
Grew a community from 3 people to 100+ regularly returning members. Led a board of 18 directors, coordinated cultural events, and produced video content.
July 2021 — September 2022 (1y 2mo)
Software Engineer (Full Stack)
$ org --name "Brevy (YC S20)"
Built OAuth integrations, onboarding flows, and analytics instrumentation. First experience with the pace and ambiguity of early-stage startups.
June 2020 — February 2021 (9mo)
Full Stack Software Engineer
$ org --name "Programination"
Built React Native products for clients, designed backend infrastructure with AWS Amplify and GraphQL, and shipped a custom social media app from the ground up.
November 2020 — December 2021 (1y 1mo)
Educational Content Creator
$ org --name "YouTube"
Created 100+ educational videos, built an audience of 300+ subscribers. Learned that teaching is a form of engineering — structuring knowledge for consumption.
2018
System Initialized
$ event --type "origin"
First line of code. The beginning of a long conversation with machines.
module::capabilities
The tools I reach for
config/capabilities.json — runtime skills
React /
TypeScript /
Next.js
for building interfaces that feel alive.
Node.js /
Java /
Python
for systems that think clearly.
AWS /
ECS /
Lambda /
Docker
for infrastructure that scales.
DynamoDB /
MongoDB /
PostgreSQL
for data at rest and in motion.
Agentic AI /
System Design /
Spec Engineering
for the systems of tomorrow.
React Native /
Swift
when the platform changes shape.
Express /
NestJS
for the architecture underneath.
principle::live The same curiosity that debugs a system can decode a life. Personal reflection
personal modules available
There's more to a person than their deployments. Below is the quiet room inside the same architecture — writing, curiosity, and the things that don't fit in a résumé.
Explore the Human Layer ↓
loading personal modules...
human layer
Beyond the terminal
I build systems to solve real problems, but the work that matters most to me is understanding the people those systems serve.
signal::creative
Things I make
Writing & Poetry
Reflective poetry exploring connection, memory, and transitions. Using storytelling to understand human experience. Creating visual poetry and narrative experiments.
Read on Substack →
Photography & Video
Cinematic storytelling and visual composition. Documenting environments, journeys, and creative processes. Exploring how visuals communicate emotion and meaning.
Watch on YouTube →
Interactive Projects
Small experimental games and creative tools. Playful interfaces that teach or inspire curiosity. Blending engineering with artistic experimentation.
Explore on Linktree →
signal::builder
What I build outside work
The best engineers treat their own life like a system — iterating, testing, refactoring — always in service of something better.
$ ls ~/projects/personal
Personal knowledge systems, AI-native productivity workflows, experimental applications. Exploring emerging engineering patterns and building side projects primarily for learning and curiosity.
Personal knowledge systems, AI-native productivity workflows, experimental applications. Exploring emerging engineering patterns and building side projects primarily for learning and curiosity.
There's something honest about building things nobody asked for. Side projects are where I learn to think differently — where the stakes are just curiosity and craft.
signal::growth
How I grow
Early mornings and long walks to clear the head.
Journaling and reflection for the mind.
Structured daily routines for the trajectory.
Taiwanese heritage and language learning for perspective.
Indie, R&B, and Asian pop for the mood.
Fiction and narrative-driven books for new worlds.
signal::curiosity
Currently exploring
active
AI-native software development workflows
active
Organizational psychology and human systems
active
Systems thinking and decision frameworks
active
Storytelling as a tool for understanding people
active
Language learning and cross-cultural communication
Every system I build — technical or personal — is an attempt to better understand how people grow, connect, and create meaning over time. Matthew Lin