James Allman / JA Technology Solutions LLC
Custom applications for the workflows that matter most
Some business problems cannot be solved by packaged software. When your organization needs an application tailored to how it actually operates, I design and build it — across IBM i, Java, .NET, web, and mobile platforms.
When Custom Development Makes Sense
Custom applications are the right choice when the business process is unique enough that no off-the-shelf product fits, when an existing system needs to be extended with capabilities the vendor does not offer, or when a spreadsheet-based workflow has grown beyond what a spreadsheet can reliably support.
I work directly with the people who use the system to understand the workflow, the edge cases, and the operational reality — not just the requirements document. The result is software that fits how the business works, not software that forces the business to change.
What Custom Development May Include
- Workflow-specific tools and utilities
- Applications that extend or complement existing enterprise systems
- Spreadsheet-to-database conversions for business-critical workbooks
- Web applications connected to existing business logic and data
- Mobile applications for field operations, remote access, and ruggedized handheld devices — including programmable barcode scanners and mobile data terminals
- Reporting applications with interactive data visualization
- Automation of manual processes — data entry, file processing, reconciliation
- Cross-platform applications that work across IBM i, Linux, Windows, and web
Development Approach
I build applications that are maintainable, well-structured, and designed to last. The technology choice depends on the environment: RPG and SQL on IBM i, Java and Spring Boot for cross-platform services, C# and .NET for Windows, React and TypeScript for web interfaces. The architecture fits the problem, not the other way around.
See it in action for an example of a modern web application built with the same tools and approach I use for client work.
Free Developer Tools
Developers building or extending custom applications can use these free browser-based tools for the everyday utilities that come up during development — pattern testing, auth inspection, ID generation, and query formatting.
- Regex Tester & Builder — test and build regular expressions with live matches
- SQL Formatter — clean up queries into consistently indented SQL
- Connection String Builder — assemble JDBC, ODBC, OLEDB, and ADO.NET connection strings
- JWT Explorer — inspect JSON Web Tokens including header, payload, and signature
- UUID Generator — generate v1, v4, and v7 UUIDs
- Cron Expression Builder — build and explain cron schedules
- Hash Generator — MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 for strings and files
- Base64 Encode/Decode — encode and decode text and binary data
Related Capabilities
Custom applications often connect with system integration, database development, modernization, and custom reporting.
Further Reading
When Your Spreadsheet Should Have Been a Database — the most common trigger for custom application development.
Microsoft Access, Excel, and VBA — when these tools need to become professional applications.
See it in action for an example of a custom web application built with the same tools and approach I use for client work.