Jordan Wages

I build software that I expect to actually get used.

Most of what I work on sits somewhere between practical tooling and things that are a little more experimental or creative. Sometimes it’s a small utility, sometimes it’s a larger system, sometimes it’s something that exists mostly because I thought it would be interesting to see if it could exist at all.

I care about whether something works, how it fits into a real workflow, and whether it holds up once you start leaning on it a bit.

What I Care About

Function over polish (most of the time)

I’m not especially interested in making software foolproof. Some friction is fine if it means the system stays flexible, understandable, or just more capable. I’d rather something be honest than over-sanitized.

Owning the stack

I tend to favor self-hosted and open systems. Partly for control, partly for longevity, partly because I don’t like being surprised by someone else’s roadmap.

Clarity over cleverness

There are a lot of valid ways to build the same thing. I usually lean toward whatever is easiest to reason about later, especially when I’m the one who has to come back to it.

Systems thinking

I spend a lot of time thinking about how pieces connect; not just technically, but how they behave when people actually use them.

What I Build

Personal infrastructure; self-hosted services, automation, glue between systems
Open-source libraries and utilities (usually C#)
Experimental and creative projects; games, media, interactive ideas
Systems that connect things in ways that feel obvious after they exist

A Bit About Me

I’m a software engineer by background, but I tend to approach problems as systems problems. I’m usually less interested in the individual component and more interested in how it behaves as part of a whole.

I’ve worked across backend systems, real-time setups, and creative/media projects. That mix tends to show up in what I build; things that are functional, but occasionally a little opinionated or unconventional.

I also spend a fair amount of time thinking and writing about software, AI, and how people interact with both.

Find Me

Current Focus

Personal infrastructure and self-hosted ecosystems
Local-first and privacy-respecting software
AI-assisted systems that fit into real workflows
Creative tooling and interactive systems

If something here is useful to you, feel free to use it.