The short version
I’m Daniel. I write every article on this blog, build every tool on the site, and handle every project that comes in through the contact form. CipherForces is a one-person shop by design — you talk to the person writing your code.
How I got here
I started teaching myself to code when I was 10, which was unusual in 2015 but common now. No CS degree, no bootcamp — just ten years of shipping real projects for real people who expected them to work. That teaches you what actually matters (performance, clarity, maintenance) versus what only matters in exams.
CipherForces started in 2021 as a service-and-tools shop for small businesses in greater LA. The pitch was simple: most small business websites are slow, template-heavy, and locked into subscriptions. I build fast custom sites that you own outright, priced honestly, plus free browser tools that replace the endless stack of $10–$30/mo SaaS subscriptions small business owners accumulate.
What I actually work on
Day-to-day, work splits three ways:
- Client web development— custom sites for small businesses across greater LA. Most builds are $2,500–$5,000 one-time, running on modern frameworks (Next.js, Astro) with proper SEO, mobile performance, and a CMS you can actually edit.
- The tools — 83+ single-purpose browser tools for PDF, image, business, and developer tasks. All run entirely in your browser — your files never upload. Free with a generous daily cap; Personal ($39) removes the cap for one device, Studio ($199) adds unlimited team members and commercial use.
- Print services + business automation — for small businesses that need both a website and business cards, or who want an internal tool built that replaces whatever SaaS they’re paying too much for.
What I’m expert in (and not)
What I actually do well:
- Modern frontend frameworks (Next.js, React, TypeScript, Tailwind)
- Making websites fast — Core Web Vitals, Lighthouse, real-device testing
- Client-side data processing (WebAssembly, pdf-lib, Tesseract.js, FFmpeg.wasm)
- SEO fundamentals — structured data, internal linking, technical audits
- Print production — specs, proofing, delivery logistics for small-batch local jobs
- Payment integration (Stripe, LemonSqueezy) and small-business checkout flows
What I don’t do:
- Enterprise architecture or 20-person team engagements — I’m solo
- Mobile native apps (iOS/Android) — out of scope
- Large-scale SaaS products with millions of users — different shop for that
- Anything that requires ongoing 24/7 uptime guarantees — I’m one person