What I do
I do four things, and all four point the same way: building a system that runs by itself, and having someone still there afterwards.
- Written by
- Kristóf Karner — independent developer, Budapest
- Updated
- 11 August 2026
I do four things, and all four point the same way: building a system that runs by itself, and having someone still there afterwards. Below is what each means in practice, and when it is needed.
01 · Systems and integrations
Booking and scheduling, card payments with Stripe, automated invoicing, Telegram-based access control. What they share is that they are not about appearance but about what happens after someone has used the site.
Taking a payment can be wired up on its own. The chain that follows cannot: issuing the invoice, opening access, sending the notification, and making sure all of it holds when one step fails. Half the development goes there, and that is the part with nothing to show.
When it is needed: if you currently do something by hand every single time, several times a month. The page on automated systems works through where that line is — and where it is not worth it.
02 · Websites
A brochure site with the content ready, or a multi-page site with an editing interface where you maintain the content afterwards. The choice turns on one question: who edits the content, and how often? That is what what I build with is about.
When it is needed: if the site is not decoration but has a job — people find it, read it, and do something. If all you need is an introduction with nothing beneath it, I will say so and point you to a site builder instead.
03 · Maintenance
Updates, backups, bug fixes and small changes, on a monthly retainer. It is the longest and least spectacular part — and most of my work.
A website does not break from being used; it breaks because everything around it changes: the system it runs on, the browsers, the rules of email delivery. The maintenance page sets out what is included, and a separate piece covers what a sensible retainer actually pays for.
When it is needed: if the site matters commercially and you would rather not be the one who notices it is broken. With maintenance, you can also reach me by phone.
04 · Google Ads
Setting up, running and continuously optimising campaigns — typically for the clients whose sites I also built. The two are the same job: the campaign leads somewhere, and something has to happen there; if nothing does, the ad spend is lost.
When it is needed: if there is demand that someone else is currently taking. The Google Ads page covers what drives the cost, and when not to start at all.
05 · AI visibility
I prepare every new site for language models, not only for search engines — this is part of the work by default, not a separate line item. It can be requested separately for an existing site.
In practice this means structured data, clean structure, and text that stands on its own: the kind a model can cite and attribute. The AI visibility page and the piece on what ChatGPT says about a business go into it.
- ONE-OFF WORK
- Websites · Systems, integrations
- AI VISIBILITY — IN EVERY NEW SITE BY DEFAULT
- Structured data, clean structure, text that stands on its own.
- ONGOING WORK
- Maintenance · Google Ads
- The two rows
- The top row is built once; the bottom runs for years, on a retainer.
What I do not solve
Taking over an unfamiliar system, if it is neither WordPress nor hand-written HTML. The content — copywriting, photography and logo design are separate trades. And anything a template already solves: if there will be nothing beneath the site, a site builder is faster and cheaper. The details are on the page about me.
If you cannot tell which of these you need — or whether you need any — write to me. Scoping is the first stage, and it is usually where half of what matters comes out. “It is not worth starting” is a complete answer too.
Questions on this topic
Which service do I need?
It depends on what is not working. If you do something by hand every time, a system. If there is no site, or the existing one does no work, a website. If there is a site but nobody looks after it, maintenance. If there is demand someone else is taking, Google Ads. If you cannot tell, write — scoping is the first stage, and that is usually where it comes out.
Can I ask for maintenance only?
Yes, if the site runs on WordPress or hand-written HTML. If it runs on something I do not know, I will not take it over — in that case I offer one thing, and I offer it honestly: rebuilding the site.
Do I need all four?
No. For most clients two are running: one piece of one-off work and maintenance afterwards. Google Ads only where there is something to advertise and the ad leads somewhere that does something. AI visibility is part of every new site by default, not a separate item.
What drives the price?
How many systems have to be connected, how much content goes on the site, and whether it needs ongoing care afterwards. The one-off and the recurring items are listed separately in the quote. There are separate pieces on how long a website takes and on what a quote is made of.