Hi, I’m Rida Al Barazi.

I’m a software architect, product strategist, and two-time founder with a deep love for building things that matter — and making sure they actually ship.

Currently, I lead engineering at Trailhead, Salesforce’s learning platform used by millions worldwide. I work at the intersection of architecture, developer experience, and product delivery.

I’m also exploring how Generative AI can reshape the developer toolkit — especially for the Ruby and Rails community. You can follow some of that work on GitHub, where I’m building open-source tools to bring AI agents into real-world workflows.

My background

• Founder & Entrepreneur
  I’ve built and scaled two startups, including Amidship, an e-commerce platform for service businesses. My strength lies in bridging product vision with technical execution — designing for user needs, market fit, and sustainable growth.

• Consultant & Advisor
  I’ve helped companies across North America and the Middle East — from scrappy startups to large enterprises — clarify their product strategy, architect scalable systems, and make better decisions at the intersection of business and technology.

• Rails since the early days
  I’ve been part of the Ruby on Rails community since 2005. I co-authored the Beginning Rails book series published by Apress, and Rails remains my go-to framework for building software that ships fast and evolves cleanly.

Community & speaking

In the past, I co-organized the Toronto Ruby Brigade, where we ran workshops, hack nights, and speaker sessions.

I’ve spoken at conferences across Canada, Europe, and the Middle East on Rails, architecture, product development, and AI. A selection of those talks is available on SpeakerDeck.

I’m also an open-source contributor and advocate for developer education — I believe technical communities thrive when knowledge is shared, not hoarded.

Beyond work

I live just outside of Toronto with my wife and two daughters. I’m a daily runner, hobby barista, language learner (Arabic & Japanese), and an advocate of balancing high-output work with a healthy, intentional life.

Let’s connect
If you’re building something ambitious — or just want to trade notes on Rails, AI, or product strategy — drop me a line at me@ this domain.