What makes software development truly successful? For Daniel Laera, Senior Software Developer at PrimeIT Switzerland, part of the same group as Prime Engineering Poland, it goes far beyond delivering working code.

Real success, he says, is when technology delivers value that lasts, combining simplicity, sustainability and clarity. In this conversation, Daniel shares his perspective on full-stack development, the importance of clean architecture, and how adaptability and curiosity shape the future of his work.

A Day Structured By Focus

Every day for Daniel begins with organisation and focus. He starts by checking ongoing tasks on platforms such as Jira, reviewing pull requests and catching up with team updates. Each morning is dedicated to what he calls “deep development work”, while afternoons are often reserved for code reviews, pair programming and meetings.

“I sometimes use a pomodoro timer to structure my focus,” he explains. “It helps me work in blocks, stay productive and avoid distractions.” Depending on the project, his day can involve designing APIs, testing endpoints, refactoring modules or refining interface components.

Yet, for him, collaboration remains as important as coding itself: “I like to dedicate time to improving my skills, learning from other experts, and communicating with the team. Coding is never just about writing code.”

Bridging Back-End and Front-End

Daniel describes himself as a developer who moves comfortably between layers. He spends most of his time on the back-end, but his ability to bridge both sides of a project gives him what he calls “a full-control view” of how a product behaves.

“I enjoy working across front-end and back-end stacks because I can see how data flows and transforms,” he says. “The back-end structures and delivers information, while the front-end translates it into a clean and efficient user experience.”

Balancing the two areas requires careful time management and adaptability. “Switching contexts between both sides is challenging, but it makes me a better problem-solver,” he explains. “You learn to see the entire system, not just a part of it.”

Building Scalable Systems

At PrimeIT Switzerland, Daniel focuses on developing scalable and maintainable web applications that serve both internal and client-facing use cases. He mainly works with Java, Spring, Angular, TypeScript, Docker, CI/CD and GitLab, technologies that form the backbone of many Swiss enterprise systems. His team’s projects often support key industries such as public services, healthcare and banking.

“The goal is always to build something solid and extensible that stands the test of time,” he says. “Scalability is not just about handling more users; it is also about designing a system flexible enough to grow and evolve without losing its coherence.”

Facing Challenges Head-On

Even for experienced developers, technical challenges are part of the landscape. Daniel recalls a recent bottleneck caused by inefficient database queries under high load. The team solved the issue through caching strategies and query optimisation, supported by monitoring tools such as Grafana.

“It was about finding where time and resources were being wasted,” he notes. “Once we optimised the queries, we saw measurable performance improvements. It reminded me that problem-solving begins with observation and data.”

Clean Architecture as a Principle

When asked how he ensures his code remains maintainable and scalable, Daniel answers without hesitation: through discipline and structure. He applies well-known design principles such as SOLID, DRY and Test-Driven Development.

“I always prioritise clean architecture and readability,” he explains. “It is not about writing less code, but about writing meaningful and modular code. Clean code saves time in the long term because it reduces friction for everyone who touches it.”

He believes in building systems that are easy to understand and modify. “Good code is self-explanatory,” Daniel says. “It should communicate the intention of the developer clearly, even to someone who is reading it for the first time.”

Defining Real Success

For Daniel, a successful software project is one that combines functionality with value. “Delivering fast is good, but delivering something that’s easy to maintain and evolve is definitely better,” he says.

That mindset extends to communication and documentation. “Technology is never isolated. Every piece of code exists within a team, a product and a business context. Open communication between technical and business teams is key to long-term success.”

Looking Ahead: The Evolution of Software

Daniel believes the software industry is defined by collaboration with intelligent systems. “AI-assisted development, edge computing and cloud-native architecture will keep shaping the software landscape,” he notes.

He also foresees a transformation in how developers work. “Beyond technology itself, the focus is shifting towards developer experience,” he says. “Better tools, better workflows and more thoughtful processes will have the biggest impact on productivity and creativity.”

On the front-end, he expects continuous evolution in how teams manage state and design user experience. On the back-end, he sees event-driven and serverless architectures as steps towards greater efficiency and reliability. In both cases, he emphasises simplicity. “The best systems,” he stresses, “are the ones that stay powerful yet understandable.”

The Prime Spirit of Innovation

Daniel’s work at PrimeIT Switzerland reflects the group’s wider mission: to drive progress through technology and human connection. With Prime Engineering and PrimeIT teams spread across Europe, each consultant contributes to a shared ambition that blends innovation with excellence.

For Daniel, that synergy between expertise, teamwork and adaptability is what defines success in software engineering and beyond. It is what turns lines of code into meaningful solutions, and consistent effort into continuous progress.