A React storefront and Spring Boot API with role-based access, Stripe checkout, and server-side order validation.
MSc Student · University College Dublin
Hi, I'm Derek (Yang) Liu.
I'm an MSc student at University College Dublin interested in backend and full-stack software development.
I enjoy building practical applications, exploring how modern systems work, and continuously learning new technologies — currently with a growing focus on AI.
What I work with
Skills
Java
Spring Boot
React
Node.js / Express
Python
Flask
PostgreSQL
MySQL
Next.js
JavaScript
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
Docker
Selected work
Projects
A team-built dining reservation platform. I led the Express API and database work for bookings, offers, campaigns, and ETA checks.
A team-built Flask app for bike station availability, weather, and occupancy predictions. I focused on the backend and contributed to prediction work.
Short reads
Blogs
Understanding Asynchronous Messaging with RabbitMQ→
Distributed Systems
Sep 2026
Proxy vs Reverse Proxy: A Simple Mental Model→
Computer Networks
Nov 2025
Why Information Security Is More Than Passwords→
Information Security
Sep 2026
Notes
Longer learning records where I work through topics in more detail.
View notes →