About the author
Rachid Al Maach
CTO, hands-on architect, and the person behind Architecture First.
For over 20 years, I have worked as a full-stack architect and technical lead, building complex systems for fintech, mobility, and healthcare. I have always believed that technology only works when it bridges the gap between code and human needs.
But recently, the bottleneck shifted.
I discovered that by combining rigorous architecture (Domain-Driven Design, type safety, event-driven systems) with modern AI, we can achieve massive productivity compression. I did not just theorize this. I proved it across multiple production systems in fintech, healthcare and e-commerce.
Those experiences became Architecture First: a free course that documents the specific patterns that turn AI from "fancy autocomplete" into a genuine multiplier. Not theory. Field notes from real systems.
The methodology
Documentation as shared memory
Turning implicit tribal knowledge into executable context. Five files, 90 minutes, and your AI stops guessing.
Architectural guardrails
Using row-level security, strict typing, and domain boundaries to let AI build fast without breaking things.
Systems design over firefighting
Shifting the developer role from fixing what AI broke to designing systems where AI gets it right the first time.
Career
2025 - present
CTO
aēyes
Building a compliant Electronic Patient Record system for ophthalmology. Applying the Architecture First methodology to ship production software.
2025
Founding Engineer
PocketCFO
Built the financial orchestration engine from zero. FastAPI, React, PostgreSQL.
2020 - 2024
Full-stack Developer
Reisbalans
Continued building on a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platform. TypeScript, React, Ruby on Rails, GraphQL. Implemented SAML and OIDC authentication. Helped transition to a new internal team.
2018 - 2025
Fractional CTO (part-time)
Ruggengraat
Led technical strategy for a platform originally built on Ruby on Rails, migrated to FastAPI in 2025. Next.js, React Native, PostgreSQL. Domain-Driven Design and event-driven architecture from day one.
2014 - 2019
Lead Developer
Bottomline B.V.
Led development on Ruby on Rails and Ember.js. Built and scaled financial software over 5 years.
2014 - 2015
Software Engineer
bol.com
Engineering at the largest e-commerce platform in the Netherlands and Belgium.
2011 - 2024
Freelance Tech Lead
Independent
13 years of independent consulting across fintech, mobility, healthcare, and e-commerce. Hands-on architecture and technical leadership.
What I work with
Connect
Based in Utrecht, Netherlands. Dutch native, English professional working proficiency.
"I build systems for people, not just for code. Now, I'm teaching AI to help us build them faster."
Rachid Al Maach
Read the free course