Lucas Ralph

Software Engineer, Front End Developer

About Me

Heyo! My name is Lucas Ralph, and I'm a full-stack software engineer specializing in front end development. I'm based out of Mound, Minnesota (surrounded by the purified waters of Lake Minnetonka). I'm a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota, and a lover of the 4 seasons (hence why I never left!). In my free time, I enjoy weight lifting, playing video games, making little Arduino / Raspberry Pi projects, and - as of late - gardening and learning about plants!

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My Skills

JavaScript Animation Libraries

GSAP / Framer / Swiper Animations

Expert in creating performant, seamless animations with GSAP, Framer Motion, Swiper, and other modern js animation libraries. From scroll-triggered effects, to complex timeline sequencing, I've got a solid foundation in creating visually pleasing, interactive animations.

Modern Front End Frameworks

Next.js / React / Vue

I'm skilled in building fast, dynamic applications in a variety of modern FE frameworks. In my current agency role at One North, I get a broad mix of experience across all of them. This keeps me on top of best practices, allowing me to develop scalable interfaces with clean component logic and state management.

Web Fundamentals

HTML5 Semantics

I prioritize writing clean, accessible, and semantic HTML5 markup. My approach focuses on performance, SEO readiness, and cross-browser compatibility from the ground up. It's important to make sure to structure your markup correctly, as it can have a huge impact on how your site may be indexed and crawled.

Inclusive Development

Web Accessibility (A11Y)

Build accessible experiences with WCAG and ARIA best practices. Things important to look out for may involve keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and contrast to meet AA/AAA standards.

PageSpeed Insights

Lighthouse & PSI

Regularly audit and optimize for Lighthouse scores: performance, SEO, accessibility, and best practices. Comfortable reading and resolving PSI reports efficiently. Things like robot.txt, sitemap.xml, and image optimization are all things I look for when auditing a site.

Design System Collaboration

Figma & UX

At One North (partnered with Figma), I work closely with designers and UX'rs in Figma on a daily basis. I've had the opprotunity to work on and expand on their Simple Design System, and expanded it into a monorepo DS leveraging Figma Code Connect and web componentry. Suffice to say, I know my way around Figma.

Type Safety, Interfaces, Tooling

TypeScript

Today, I primarily write in TypeScript. It's great for creating strongly typed JS that improves code quality, clarity, and early on bug catching across large-scale apps that I help create and maintain. Confident using interfaces, generics, and utility types to enable better editor tooling and refactoring.

Core Web Language

JavaScript

While these days I mostly write in TypeScript, I have no problem working on and reviewing legacy projects in JavaScript across both browser and Node.js. I prioritize readability, reusability, and performance. If you can master true JS fundamentals, you can master any framework / animation / task at hand.

Raspberry Pi, GPIO, Python

Embedded Systems

Build small-scale systems with Raspberry Pi and microcontrollers ~ at times hosting web apps to interface with devices on. Familiar with GPIO pin logic, Python scripting, and basic hardware integration. My next project is to automate my home via open source Home Assistant software.

SCSS, BEM, Responsive Design

CSS & Styling

Proficient in writing scalable, maintainable CSS. Have used / am proficient in SCSS modules, BEM naming, and utility classes and mixins. Focus on creating responsive, accessible designs with pixel precision and strong layout control. I also find it fun to explore complex css animations and sequences.

Headless CMS solutions

WordPress

Experienced in building headless WordPress applications using GraphQL, MongoDB, and Express. Customize admin interfaces with ACF, integrate with modern frameworks like Next.js, and manage content workflows efficiently. I've written custom plugins and themes from scratch, and understand what's under the hood.

Multi-Container Environments

Docker

I use Docker almost daily to run containerized, full-stack applications across local and cloud environments. Manage complex builds involving multiple services (e.g., Node, MongoDB, FE, WP, ...) running in isolated containers.

Experience

Work History

My Photo Gallery

Although I work remote, I do get the chance to travel to Chicago every so often, and - when I do - I capitalize on that opportunity! I love walking around the city, and I always make time to stop for some of that amazing pizza. The last time I went, I visited the Museum of Science and Industry and explored Navy Pier. I’m already looking forward to my next trip to the Windy City!

This picture captures a couple of my favorite hobbies: staying active, and building things. I’ve been passionate about staying active ever since I was a kid, and weightlifting has been a big part of my life since high school. Recently, I converted my backyard shed into a home gym, so now everything I need is just a few steps away. This project also ties into my love for building things, from websites and microcontrollers, to a full-on gym. I enjoy seeing ideas through from start to finish, and learning everything I can along the way!

My cat Milo! I've had milo for about 5 years now, and he's my little developer buddy. He likes to hang out with me in my office while I work, and generally is pretty skilled at making sleep look so good ...

The state fair! I love going to the state fair every year, and this year was no exception. I tried all the classic foods, from cheese curds and corn on the cob, to a paddle flight of castle danger. However my favorite / most intriguing find from this past year would have to be the Mini Donut beer from Lift Bridge. If you haven't been to the MN state fair before, I highly recommend it!

The newest addition to my family, Lou!

A fun embedded systems project! I worked with a Raspberry Pi leveraging GPIO pins I/O to create a microcontroller for a bar in the Minneapolis up town area. The device would play a specified song on button input, and self hosted a website that allowed users on the same network to upload their own audio files to change out which sound clip each button would play.

In my free time, I love to travel! One of the prettiest places I've ever visited was Ireland ~ another place I highly recommend visiting.

I was a winner of a hackathon! 🏆 Best Data Visualization – HackUIowa ‘23, had a great time, was able to meet a lot of great people and work on an exciting project: over a 36 hour straight hackathon! We built 'Gotta Go Green', a full-stack site that helps users visualize how lifestyle changes impact their carbon footprint. Developed with Flask, Chart.js, and MongoDB, our tool empowers better environmental decisions through clear, interactive graphs.

A fun fact about me is that I'm half English! I was born in the U.S., but my dad is from England, which is where that entire half of my family still lives (Grandmother and Grandfather in the pic above). It's hard living so far away from people I love so much, but it does make for a good excuse to have another trip back across the pond to check up on them, and visit England once more ~ which is always welcomed! :)

Contact Me

Let's Get in Touch

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