Come in from the cold

Ali Shahzad

Computer Engineering @ UWaterloo

I build software that holds up under pressure, and the tests that prove it.

GitHub✦ LinkedIn✦ contact@alishahzad.dev

By the fire, lately

Fraise

Browser workspace for training & testing language models

  • Launch training runs, compare checkpoints, and try models through streaming as-you-type autocomplete.
  • Validated forms, live loss charts and logs, and a graceful stop that saves a resumable checkpoint.
  • 127-test suite, zero skips: exact checkpoint replay, compiled-model correctness, evaluation behaviour.

Python · FastAPI · JavaScript · SSE

Shale

Local-first personal knowledge base

  • Captures notes, email, and browsing into searchable local storage with a plug-in system for new sources.
  • Chrome extension with an offline IndexedDB outbox and backoff retries that survive network loss and restarts.
  • Safe AI-agent edits: scoped views, transactional writes, idempotency keys, dry-run preview, audit log.

TypeScript · React · Bun · SQLite

Deal or No Deal

Tested simulation & analysis CLI

  • Found, documented, and fixed three bugs in the original simulator.
  • Added 8 Rust and 26 Python tests, linting, an end-to-end demo, and Windows checks to CI.
  • Packaged an installable Python CLI for reproducible runs, plots, and model verification.

Rust · Python · GitHub Actions

watworks-mcp

MCP server that lets an agent find the WaterlooWorks jobs that suit you best

TypeScript · MCP

lobot-lang

A toy language built on Brainfuck with real conveniences, running on a stack-based VM

Rust

uwhpc-onboarding

UW High Performance Computing onboarding challenge

C++

Seasons spent working

Beem Solutions

May – Aug 2025

Python · SQL · AWS

Software Engineering Intern (Forward-Deployed)

  • Adapted a B2B AI voice-agent platform to each client's workflow with Python integrations into their databases, CRMs, and scheduling tools.
  • Worked directly with client engineers and stakeholders to review codebases, gather requirements, and plan integrations.
  • Merged email, phone, and social interactions into unified customer profiles for the voice agents.

Punjab IT Board (PITB)

Jun – Aug 2024

React Native · Laravel

Mobile Development Intern

  • Halved app startup time by moving blocking initialization work to asynchronous operations.
  • Built and documented React Native screens with designers, wired to APIs, databases, and server components.
  • Wrote Laravel MVC backend code for apps handling national ID (CNIC) data; senior review found no security issues or bugs.

Schooling

University of Waterloo

BASc, Computer Engineering, 2026 – 2031

IB Diploma · SAT 1600/1600 · 100% Merit Scholarship

In the toolbox

Languages — TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, SQL, Rust

Applications — React, React Native, Laravel, FastAPI, Bun, SQLite, AWS, IndexedDB, Chrome extensions

Quality & Tools — Git, GitHub Actions, pytest, Cargo, Regression testing, CI, Root-cause analysis