Freelance Java architect & developer

I help organizations ship and modernize mission‑critical Java backend systems — quickly and safely — through Java, sound architecture, and responsible AI‑assisted engineering.

Freelance / remote-first (based near Århus/Aarhus, Denmark)
25+ years of software development and architecture experience — primarily Java and backend systems
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering (M.Sc.E.E.)
Strong focus on integration, security, performance, reliability, and operability
Broad domain experience in e.g. finance, telecom, healthcare, defence and maritime

What I do

Architecture and delivery of Java backend services (greenfield + modernization)
Integration and API delivery (REST/OpenAPI, messaging)
Cloud/container deployment (OpenShift/Kubernetes, Docker)
Security and performance engineering for backend systems
Technical leadership: teaching, mentoring, review, sparring

How I work

I use GitHub Copilot and Claude Code as productivity multipliers across design, implementation, refactoring, and reviews. My relationship with machine learning predates the current wave — my master’s thesis explored constrained Markov networks — so I understand the technology behind the tools, not just the tools themselves. Combined with 25+ years of Java experience, this lets me use AI critically: validate assumptions, catch edge cases, and keep designs operable. All work is reviewed and tested.

Open source projects

I am the inventor and maintainer of:

Both projects have commercial users and are related to decoding safety‑ and navigation‑related digital messages from ships. The source code is available on GitHub and the binaries are in Maven Central.

Clients

Selected clients I have worked for:

Projects

Read my portfolio of featured freelance projects.

Getting in touch

Recommendations

Read recommendations given to me on LinkedIn.

Availability

Recruiters, enterprises and agencies: contact me for current availability and a quick discussion of scope, timeline, and collaboration model.

Technical keywords

Java & frameworks: Java SE, Java EE, JPMS (Java modules), MicroProfile, Quarkus, Spring Boot, Hibernate, JPA, CDI, JTA
APIs & integration: REST, OpenAPI, messaging, Apache Camel, NATS, ActiveMQ, AMQP, Keycloak, OIDC, JWT tokens
Cloud & ops: OpenShift, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Istio, AWS, Jaeger (distributed tracing)
Data: PostgreSQL, Oracle, MS SQL Server, Cassandra, PostGIS
Build & testing: Maven, Gradle, Jenkins
AI‑accelerated engineering: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, IDE‑based AI plugins, AI‑assisted refactoring/testing/reviews (human‑in‑the‑loop)

Thomas Borg Salling

Senior freelance Java architect & developer
AI‑accelerated delivery for mission‑critical Java backend systems