$ whoami
// you tell, I code
I'm Nikola Čubelić, the engineer behind Lion Code. For 13+ years I've been designing and shipping software - iOS apps first and foremost, plus the web applications and backends around them.
Lion Code is me - Nikola Čubelić, a software engineer from Zagreb, Croatia. When you work with Lion Code, you talk directly to the person who designs, writes and ships your software. No hand-offs, no account managers, no telephone game.
My strongest ground is iOS and Swift - I've been building for Apple platforms since 2014 and my own apps live on the App Store today. Around mobile, I build what a product actually needs: web frontends in Next.js, backends in Django and Java, and the integrations that hold it all together.
I care about software that survives contact with real users: clean architecture, honest estimates, and code the next engineer can read. Away from the keyboard you'll find me on a bicycle, behind a drum kit, or chasing my kids around.
From a napkin sketch to a maintained product. I take on complete projects or join your team where the deep platform experience is missing.
Native iPhone and iPad apps in Swift and SwiftUI - architecture, App Store delivery, and everything in between. This is my home turf.
Modern web frontends and dashboards in Next.js and React - often the companion piece to a mobile product.
REST APIs and business logic in Django and Java, payment integrations (SEPA), and the plumbing between your systems.
Technical consulting, code reviews and architecture guidance - plus long-term support for everything I ship. I don't disappear after launch.
A selection of shipped products - my own apps on the App Store and client work across mobile, web and backend.
SmartBox OrganizerStorage box organizer for garage, home and moving. Number your boxes, search contents instantly, generate QR labels. Local-first with iCloud sync.
smartboxorganizer.app →
Biblijske PričeAudio Bible stories for children with professional narration and gentle background music. Built for bedtime, car rides and daily routines.
App Store → · Google Play →
KidRunFamily calendar for kids' activities and pickups, shared with your partner. Pickup reminders, Live Activities and widgets keep everyone on the same page.
kidrun.app →
Kada ide smeće?Waste collection calendar for Velika Gorica: pick your zone, see which bin goes out next and get a reminder the day before. Free, no sign-up, with an App Clip.
odvoz.lioncode.hr →
Kingdom's PromiseDaily Bible verses on the living room TV. A new verse each morning with reflections, easy sharing and adjustable text size and language.
App Store →Digital food safety compliance for the hospitality industry - replaces paperwork with smartphone workflows, wireless sensors and cloud sync. In production since 2017.
iOS development on Genius, InterCapital's robo-advisor: automated ETF portfolio investing for everyday people, from a 50 EUR minimum.
geniusapp.com →iOS app for online grocery shopping at Konzum, Croatia's largest retail chain: browsing, cart and ordering for everyday shoppers at scale.
Aviation Safety and Compliance Management System - safety reporting and compliance workflows for aviation operators, on iPhone and iPad.
Transportation management software - full-stack build with a Next.js frontend and a Django REST backend.
Web application for keeping on-the-job training records: logging sessions, tracking progress, and reporting.
Custom-built webshop for the Irki brand, with a companion iOS admin app for managing orders on the go.
irki.hr →End-to-end ticketing for a limited edition concert by the band Emanuel: generated, numbered, print-ready tickets, each with a unique QR code, plus scanner apps at the door. Tickets scanned after the show revealed a one-off hidden message.
An air cannon for confetti, triggered straight from the band's MIDI session: the blast lands exactly on the drop, every show, no stagehand required.
ESP32-based controller for a meat curing (drying) chamber, paired with an iOS app over Bluetooth LE for monitoring and control.
Call center management software for the Plavi telefon helpline: call tracking, statistics and reporting for the people answering the phones.
PDF417 barcode generator for SEPA payment slips in Swift - scan-to-pay barcodes straight from your iOS app.
View on GitHub →Got an app idea, a product that needs finishing, or a codebase that needs rescuing? Let's talk about it.
Get in touch →Companies and teams I've built software for or with, over the years.
My GitHub activity over the last year - contributions and counting.
Notes from real projects - Swift, architecture and the occasional payments rabbit hole.
What I learned building Barcoder: the HUB3 payment slip format, and how to render a scannable barcode on iOS.
How I untangle navigation from view controllers using coordinators - with a working tab bar example.
Have a project in mind, need an extra pair of experienced hands, or just want a second opinion on your architecture? Send a message - I reply personally, usually within a day.
