01
Started with curiosity
I began studying Computer Science in 2021 at IUTAR in Cagua, Venezuela. I was not chasing the obvious path. I wanted to understand how software actually works under the hood.
About Orlando Ascanio
Software engineer building Chrome extensions, web apps, and practical tools — with a preference for keeping user data where it belongs.
I'm a software engineer from Venezuela. I graduated in Computer Science in 2025, built a platform used by 400+ students and staff as my final project, and have been building my own products since.
6+
Products shipped
400+
Users served
through a school operations platform
2
Chrome extensions
8
Languages supported
Building in public
Chrome extensions, small products, and honest engineering — built mostly alone, mostly from scratch.The story
02
Learned under real constraints
Before graduating, I worked as the sole engineer at a local technical school and built a management platform for 400+ users. That project taught me more than a clean tutorial ever could: deadlines, messy requirements, deployment reliability, and the difference between code that runs and software people can use.
03
Chose privacy-first products
After graduating in 2025, I started building tools with a constraint: the user's data should not need to leave their machine unless there is a real reason. That led to ResistGate, Amethyst, noted., and other browser-first experiments.
04
What I'm building toward
I'm interested in practical software: AI workflows, Chrome extensions, local-first products, and tools that make people more focused, capable, or clear.
What I believe
- Useful beats impressive.
- Privacy should be a design constraint, not a marketing line.
- Small tools can change behavior.
- What you build reveals what you value.
- Real users teach faster than perfect plans.
Path & Milestones
Started university
Enrolled in BS Computer Science at IUTAR, Cagua, Venezuela.
First engineering role
Sole engineer at a local technical school — shipped a full-stack platform for 400+ users under time and budget constraints.
Graduated
Earned BS in Computer Science with production software already in users' hands.
Went independent — privacy-first products
Started building Chrome extensions and AI tools with local-first defaults. Shipped ResistGate, Amethyst, noted., and LeadScout AI.
ResistGate
Chrome extension for intentional website blocking — typing challenges, timed access windows, 100% local storage.
Amethyst
Local-first browsing time tracker with private analytics — no account, no sync, no cloud by default.
Orlando Ascanio Hub
Personal hub for products, case studies, notes, and applied AI work — this site.
Tools I work with
Frontend
CoreNext.js, React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
Backend
StrongNode.js, Python, FastAPI, REST APIs
AI workflows
WorkingOpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini APIs — chat features, document querying, and assistants that don't make things up
Browser
CoreChrome Extensions — popup UIs, background scripts, local storage, Chrome Web Store publishing
Databases
WorkingPostgreSQL, Supabase, vector databases
Infrastructure
WorkingVercel, Docker, CI/CD, Linux
Why I build
I build because useful software does not have to be complex, invasive, or overengineered. The best tools I've shipped started with a clear problem, a minimal interface, and respect for the user's data.
Privacy-first is not just a product angle for me. It is a design constraint. It forces better decisions: local storage, fewer dependencies, less tracking, and more trust.
I'm interested in software that helps people think, focus, learn, work, or move faster without turning them into the product.
Results
- Shipped 6+ products to production serving real users.
- Built a platform used by 400+ students and staff.
- Published Chrome extensions across 8 supported languages.
- Reached 50+ installs across privacy-first browser products.
- Built local-first tools with no account requirement and no cloud sync by default.
Currently
Building my own products, writing technical notes, and open to engineering roles and contract work.
FAQ
Orlando Ascanio is a software engineer from Venezuela who builds privacy-first products, applied AI systems, Chrome extensions, and full-stack tools for real users.
He builds AI tools, Chrome extensions, local-first software, and product engineering systems — including ResistGate, Amethyst, noted., and LeadScout AI.
Product engineering, full-stack app development, applied AI workflows, Chrome extension development, and focused contract builds for founders and product teams.
ResistGate (website blocker), Amethyst (browsing analytics), noted. (side-panel notes), LeadScout AI (B2B lead research), a school operations platform for 400+ users, and other shipped experiments.
Sensitive data like browsing history, notes, and focus behavior should stay on the user's machine by default. Local-first design reduces trust burden and leads to simpler, more honest software.
TypeScript, Next.js, React, Python, PostgreSQL, Chrome extension APIs (Manifest V3), and applied AI APIs for structured product workflows.
Yes — open to engineering roles and contract work. See the resume or contact page to start a conversation.
Case studies and product builds are on the Work page at orlandoascanio.com/work, with deeper product pages for ResistGate, Amethyst, noted., and LeadScout AI.
Next step
Explore the work behind the story.
Read the case studies, try the products, or message me if you have something worth building.