Digital Native Design Solutions
software engineered
An independent software engineering practice in Dunedin, Florida, led by Stephen Barrs: 28 years of building web, mobile, and healthcare software that people can actually use.
- Entity
- Florida LLC
- Based
- Dunedin, FL
- Established
- 2012
- Ownership
- Veteran-owned
01 Services
Software that works for the people who use it.
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/01
Web applications
Fast, responsive React applications and websites, from simple business sites to full customer portals.
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/02
Mobile apps
Native iOS and Android apps, or a single React Native codebase when one app needs to run everywhere.
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APIs & backend services
Reliable services and integrations in Java, Python, Ruby, or PHP that connect your systems and move data where it needs to go.
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/04
Healthcare interoperability
FHIR APIs built from both sides: serving health data to other systems and consuming it to build patient-facing experiences.
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Accessibility & usability
Interfaces that work for everyone, with design decisions grounded in usability testing with real users rather than guesswork.
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AI-assisted development
Practical AI in the development process: agent workflows that take on repetitive engineering work, so small teams can ship faster without cutting corners.
02 Workshops
Build your own website, with AI at your side.
Hands-on sessions for small business owners, nonprofits, and anyone curious about building on the web. No coding experience required: participants use an AI coding assistant to build a simple, professional website, then publish it for free.
This site was built and is hosted exactly this way.
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build()
Build it
Describe what you want in plain English and shape it with an AI assistant in VS Code.
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publish()
Publish it
Get it online for free, with no monthly hosting bills.
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own()
Make it yours
Connect your own domain and learn how to keep it up to date yourself.
03 Founder
Stephen Barrs
Founder & Principal Engineer
Stephen Barrs has spent 28 years building software, from native iOS and Android apps and cross-platform React Native apps to React web applications and Java and Node.js services.
Much of that career has been in healthcare technology at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, building patient-facing systems for Veterans, including FHIR-based services that both serve and consume health records.
Across every project, Stephen has championed usability testing as the basis for product decisions, and accessibility as a requirement rather than an afterthought.
Lately that work includes building AI agent workflows that automate parts of the software development process.
career.highlights
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Medical records on VA.gov and the VA mobile app
Led development of the medical records section of VA's patient portal, on the web and in the mobile app.
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VA appointment check-in
Led the appointment check-in service, including a low-authentication flow that made checking in quick and easy for Veterans.
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28 years across the stack
Mobile, web, and backend: native and cross-platform apps, single-page web apps, APIs, and the services behind them.
Highlights reflect Stephen's work as a former VA employee and as a contractor and are not projects of DNDS. Their mention does not imply endorsement by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
04 About
A one-person practice, on purpose.
Digital Native Design Solutions, LLC was founded in Dunedin, Florida, in 2012. Over the years DNDS has built websites, mobile apps, and a custom inventory tracking system for small businesses, including the site for Pirate for Hire.
DNDS is veteran-owned and intentionally small: clients work directly with Stephen, the person designing and writing the software.
05 Contact
Let's talk.
DNDS isn't taking on new client projects at the moment, but Stephen is always glad to talk about workshops, connect with local businesses, or plan something for down the road.