Santa Clarita, CA
Web & software developer in Santa Clarita, CA.
I'm Gavin Petersen, a full-stack developer in Santa Clarita. When a website builder can't do the job, I build the custom software, backends, and web apps that can.
Builder or developer.
A website builder is fine when all your site has to do is say who you are and how to reach you. The moment it needs to actually do something, take bookings, show each customer their own account, calculate a quote, sync with the software you already run, you've hit the ceiling. Dragging blocks around won't get you a booking system or a dashboard. That's the point where a small business stops searching for a website maker and starts looking for a web developer in Santa Clarita.
That line, between a site that presents and a site that works, is the real difference between a website, a web app, and a SaaS product, and I wrote it up in plain language in website vs. web app vs. SaaS. On the working side of the line, I build custom software when off-the-shelf tools don't fit, the private backend systems that hold your data and connect your tools, full SaaS products if you're building something to sell, and practical AI integration when an assistant or automation would genuinely save you hours. And if what you actually need is a sharp marketing site, I do that too, that's over on web design in Santa Clarita.
What businesses build.
Most local businesses don't need an app in the App Store. They need one specific tool that fits the way they already work. These are the kinds of projects I get hired for:
- Internal tools that replace overloaded spreadsheets
- Customer portals with accounts, orders, and invoices
- Booking and scheduling systems that run themselves
- Dashboards that pull your numbers into one screen
- Automation that connects tools that don't talk to each other
- AI assistants that answer from your own business data
If you're not sure which of those your idea is, that's normal, describing the problem is enough. Half my job as an app developer is turning "I'm tired of doing this by hand" into a working plan.
How it works.
Plan
We talk through the problem, what it costs you today, and the smallest version of the tool that fixes it.
Design and build
I design and hand-code it, no page builders, no bloat, and review it with you as it comes together.
Launch and support
Deployed on solid infrastructure, documented so you're never locked in, and supported as your needs grow.
Based in Santa Clarita.
I live and work here. If you're in Valencia, Newhall, Saugus, Canyon Country, Castaic, or Stevenson Ranch, we can meet in person and sketch out your project face to face, and I'm happy to drive out to Agua Dulce too. I also take on work across the San Fernando Valley and up through Palmdale and Lancaster. Beyond that, everything I build can be scoped, built, and launched remotely over calls, texts, and email, so if you found this page from anywhere else in the US, you're in the right place too.
Common questions.
Do you only work with businesses in Santa Clarita?
No. I'm based in Santa Clarita and most of my local work comes from here, but everything I build can be scoped, built, and launched remotely over calls, texts, and email. I work with clients across California and the rest of the US.
Do I need a web developer or a web designer?
If your site just needs to present your business, a designer-led marketing site is enough. If it has to do something, logins, bookings, payments, dashboards, integrations, you need a developer. I do both, so you won't get sold the wrong one.
How much does custom software cost?
It depends entirely on scope. A small internal tool is a very different project from a full SaaS product. Tell me what you're trying to do and I'll give you an honest estimate, no pressure. Call or text 661-544-5621.
Can you build on top of what I already have?
Usually, yes. I can add features to an existing website, connect systems that don't talk to each other, or replace one piece at a time instead of starting over. If a full rebuild is genuinely the better path, I'll say so and explain why.
Ready to build?
gavin@petersensoftwares.comEmail me to talk through your project, or call/text 661-544-5621. No forms, no pressure.