LifeStyle

beyond code

Denis Lipatov, @votapil. I live in Belgrade, write backend code and build my own product, VotaWallet. I used to act in films; these days I play a brewer monk in D&D and invent dishes out of minced chicken.

Programming
In development since 2012, on Laravel and Vue since 2016. I build my own products and publish open packages.
Open the page
- VotaWallet
  
  My product: expense tracking from Serbian receipts. You scan the QR on a receipt and the purchases sort themselves into categories. I have been building it solo since February 2026. It is on the App Store and Google Play, in English, Russian and Serbian. Product site Google Play
  
  Open the page Programmingmy product The QR on a Serbian receiptwhere it started VotaWallet MCP servera part of it Threads @votapilits build log Laravelits backend runs on it Pitch Nightthe product I pitch
- Laravel
  
  My main framework since 2016. I read its source and watch Taylor Otwell's talks. On the front end it sits next to Vue and Nuxt.
  
  Open the page Programmingmy main framework VotaWalletits backend runs on it VotaCrudGeneratora package for it votaboilerplatea starter built on it legko.comLaravel since this job
- Pivonator
  
  A product idea so far: an Akinator for beer that picks a beer for you in a few questions and takes the load off bartenders.
  
  Programminga product idea Brew the bartenderits mascot Beera project about choosing beer
- VotaClaw
  
  My assistant in Telegram, built on the open OpenClaw gateway. I send it links, photos and voice notes, and it files everything into my notes. The third generation: VotaBot and VotaAI came before it.
  
  Open the page Programmingmy assistant Obsidianfiles my notes there
- The QR on a Serbian receipt
  
  A friend showed me that the QR code at the bottom of a Serbian receipt hides almost the whole receipt. And I was tired of typing expenses in by hand. That is how VotaWallet began.
  
  VotaWalletwhere it started Belgradethe receipts come from here
- VotaWallet MCP server
  
  You can connect Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini to your wallet and ask about your spending in plain words. The server does the maths, the model only does the talking.
  
  Open the page VotaWalleta part of it
- Threads @votapil
  
  My public build log for VotaWallet, written in Russian. Threads
  
  VotaWalletits build log
- GitHub @votapil
  
  My GitHub, since 2011. The company field still says MSHP, the Mytishchi School of Programmers, where I studied. GitHub
  
  Programmingmy open code The durarara repothe first repository VotaCrudGeneratoran open package votaboilerplatean open starter VotaMonadthe hackathon code
- The durarara repo
  
  My first public repository, 2011, described as "chat+forum". Named after the chat room in the anime Durarara!!. GitHub
  
  GitHub @votapilthe first repository Durarara!!the repo is named after it
- VotaCrudGenerator
  
  My open-source Laravel package: one command takes an existing table and writes the model, controller, request validation, policy and routes. GitHub
  
  GitHub @votapilan open package Laravela package for it
- VotaMonad
  
  Built in one day at a hackathon: track-and-trace for labelled goods on a blockchain. A buyer checks a pack by its code with a phone. Demo GitHub
  
  GitHub @votapilthe hackathon code Monad Blitz Belgradebuilt there in a day
- Obsidian
  
  My second brain: a journal, tasks, recipes, films, books and D&D character sheets. Two of us write there - me by hand, the assistant from our chat.
  
  VotaClawfiles my notes there
- votapil.ru
  
  This site. I drew the home page myself on a whiteboard: a grid of one horizontal line, three vertical ones and eight words.
  
  Programmingmy site
- Summer Computer School (LKSh)
  
  Known as LKSh. Badly formatted solutions were not accepted there, and I have been picky about how code looks ever since.
  
  Programmingsummer school
- Brew the bartender
  
  The Pivonator mascot. The idea is that a cartoon bartender called Brew asks the questions, so choosing a beer turns into a chat at the bar.
  
  Pivonatorits mascot
- votaboilerplate
  
  An open starter for new projects: Laravel and Nuxt, English and Russian from the start. My next products begin from it. GitHub
  
  GitHub @votapilan open starter Laravela starter built on it
Work
A developer since 2012: from Android apps to a Senior backend developer. Every place is on this map; the chronicle year by year is on the Career page.
Open the page
- GrowFood
  
  Senior backend developer, until June 2026. Led the R&D direction. One integration gateway for 5 systems; partners 2 and 3 plugged in without a rewrite. 10+ production Telegram bots. LLM features in production. Key routes several times faster: p90 first, then profiler, then EXPLAIN.
  
  Work2022-2026
- legko.com
  
  Laravel developer. Built and launched the service from scratch, about 80% of the codebase. Laravel and Vue from this year.
  
  Work2016-2017 LaravelLaravel since this job
- Media Target
  
  Built pushex.io from the ground up: Laravel plus Go microservices. Owned the rusvpn.com API. Hired engineers.
  
  Work2017-2019
- Matetech
  
  Senior PHP developer. Launched matetech.ru from scratch: a multi-tenant learning platform. Built a code-generation system, introduced git-flow and planning. The first Senior title.
  
  Work2019-2021
- Alyce
  
  Senior Laravel developer. A Boston B2B SaaS. Features and architecture decisions in a production SaaS, daily English with a US team.
  
  Work2021-2022
- MEPhI engineering centre
  
  My first job as a developer, 2012: Android developer at the Engineering Centre of MEPhI.
  
  Work2012 MEPhIthe centre of this university
- Svetets
  
  Project manager. Ran projects end to end: requirements, documentation, planning, clients. Why my specs read well today.
  
  Work2015-2016
- diler.ru
  
  Built diler.ru in 5 months: a catalog parser a non-technical manager configures.
  
  Work2017
Stage
I acted in films, then came a show on YouTube. Now I have demoed to a room at a hackathon and I am about to pitch my own product. My character sheet lists one skill beyond the usual set: public speaking.
- Film acting
  
  I acted in films: five credits between 2009 and 2013, all listed on Kinopoisk. Kinopoisk
  
  Open the page StageI acted Battle Nerdson camera again My own character sheetbackground: Entertainer
- Battle Nerds
  
  «Боевые Нёрды», Battle Nerds: a show on YouTube, 2014-2015. Two nerds were taken and turned into jocks. An episode is at the link. YouTube
  
  Stagea YouTube show Film actingon camera again
- Pitch Night
  
  27 October 2026, Belgrade. The format is "180 Seconds to Win the Room": three minutes on stage, then you get picked apart in front of everyone. I go up with VotaWallet.
  
  Open the page StageI go up to pitch Startup World Cupwhere I met an organiser VotaWalletthe product I pitch
- Monad Blitz Belgrade
  
  22 August 2026, a one-day hackathon in New Belgrade: you learn in the morning and demo to the room by the evening. I built and showed VotaMonad there. Event page
  
  Open the page Stagea demo to the room VotaMonadbuilt there in a day
- Startup World Cup
  
  28 September 2026, the Serbian regional round, held in Belgrade. I went as a guest and met one of the Pitch Night organisers there.
  
  Open the page Pitch Nightwhere I met an organiser
Kitchen
I cook at home myself, in big batches that last several days: in the oven, and chicken breast sous-vide. Some of the dishes are my own inventions; the favourites are gathered in one place.
- Chicken envelopes
  
  My own construction and my own name for it. I roll the mince out right on baking paper, put in whatever cheese is at hand and strips of sriracha, fold it over like an envelope and bake it.
  
  Favourite recipesmy own dish
- Favourite recipes
  
  The dishes I cook most and like best, each written down as a card. The list will grow.
  
  Chicken envelopesmy own dish Chicken pattiesmince for two weeks Sous-vide chickenthe only way I do breast Chicken in creamy cheese saucebaked in a dish Chicken soup on bone brothcooked by the pot Toasted sandwicha quick breakfast Medovik honey cakeputting my own together Kitchenwhat I cook
- Chicken patties
  
  I mix minced chicken with carrot, broccoli and grated cheese in one go, enough for a couple of weeks. It becomes patties and stuffed peppers.
  
  Favourite recipesmince for two weeks
- Sous-vide chicken
  
  Chicken breast I cook this way and no other.
  
  Favourite recipesthe only way I do breast
- Toasted sandwich
  
  A quick breakfast from the sandwich maker: šunka, the local ham, and cheese. A habit from Koh Samui: there they sell these ready-made at 7-Eleven, and at home I make my own.
  
  Favourite recipesa quick breakfast Koh Samuia habit from there
- Medovik honey cake
  
  I am putting together my own recipe: I take other people's apart and keep the best of each. The first find is a mascarpone cream instead of sour cream.
  
  Favourite recipesputting my own together
- Board with containers
  
  I saw a cutting board with pull-out containers in a video and decided to build one instead of buying it: the wood from a workshop near home, the containers printed by a friend on a 3D printer. An idea so far.
  
  Kitchenwant to build it myself
- Chicken in creamy cheese sauce
  
  Baked in a glass dish: pieces of breast in cream under a mozzarella crust. I make enough for several meals at once.
  
  Favourite recipesbaked in a dish
- Chicken soup on bone broth
  
  A rich soup: lots of potato, a little rice or ptitim, vegetables. I make a big pot that lasts several days.
  
  Favourite recipescooked by the pot
Beer
I have a favourite IPA in Serbia and a favourite one from Russia. Beer has also found its way into a project of mine and into my D&D character.
- IPA
  
  This is where my favourites are: Hoptopod in Serbia and Atomnaya Prachechnaya among the Russian ones.
  
  Beermy favourites are IPAs Hoptopodfavourite in Serbia Atomnaya Prachechnayafavourite from Russia
- Hoptopod
  
  My favourite IPA in Serbia. An American IPA by Dogma, a Belgrade brewery.
  
  IPAfavourite in Serbia Dogma Brewerybrews it
- Atomnaya Prachechnaya
  
  My favourite IPA from Russia; the name means Atomic Laundry. Brewed by Jaws in the Urals.
  
  IPAfavourite from Russia Jaws Brewerybrews it
- Dogma Brewery
  
  A craft brewery in Belgrade; it brews Hoptopod. I go for beer to its bar, Dogma Brewery Central. On the map
  
  Hoptopodbrews it Belgradebeer here too
- Jaws Brewery
  
  A brewery in the Urals. It brews Atomnaya Prachechnaya.
  
  Atomnaya Prachechnayabrews it
Games
Tabletop role-playing in D&D with a game master and a party, board games, video games, and a VR headset I both play and box in.
- Dungeons & Dragons
  
  I play fifth-edition tabletop role-playing with a game master and a party, on paper character sheets. I have two characters now: a brewer monk and an astronomer wizard. No plot here - the games are still running.
  
  Open the page Gamestabletop role-playing Kar Karychmy character Sol Cognitormy character My own character sheetmyself as a character
- Kar Karych
  
  A kenku, a raven-man: a monk of the Way of the Drunken Master, a rune carver and a brewer. Black feathers with golden runes, a brewer's apron over his robe. He hides his precision behind a drunkard's walk. The name is mine; the portrait and backstory I worked out with Gemini.
  
  Dungeons & Dragonsmy character Fire runehe carves runes The party's cookcooks at every rest Beerhe is a brewer
- Sol Cognitor
  
  A human, a wizard of the School of Evocation and an astronomer. He lives by night and always carries an astrolabe. His fireball covers a crowd and spares his own side. The flaw on his sheet reads: "I do not look for simple solutions."
  
  Dungeons & Dragonsmy character The Star Reckonerhis staff Robe of Serpentshis robe
- Video games
  
  What I play on the computer.
  
  Gameson the computer Call of DutyI play it OverwatchI play it Worms ArmageddonI play it
- Board games
  
  What we play at the table besides D&D.
  
  Gamesat the table T.I.M.E StoriesI play it MunchkinI play it PerudoI play it
- The party's cook
  
  The Chef feat was a gift to Kar from the game master. Now at every rest he cooks for the whole party and hands out treats.
  
  Kar Karychcooks at every rest
- My own character sheet
  
  On this site I am written up as a D&D sheet myself: class Artificer, background Entertainer, and Fencing among the skills.
  
  Open the page Dungeons & Dragonsmyself as a character Film actingbackground: Entertainer Fencingskill: Fencing
- Meta Quest 3
  
  My VR headset. For me it is a gym as well: I box in it.
  
  Gamesmy VR headset VR boxingI box in this headset
- Fire rune
  
  Kar carves it on a mug or a flask: he spills some ale "by accident", snaps his fingers, and the spill bursts into flame.
  
  Kar Karychhe carves runes
- The Star Reckoner
  
  Sol's staff: dark wood with a spiral of planetary orbits and a lens at the top that shows distant stars. Sol made it himself back when he was an apprentice.
  
  Sol Cognitorhis staff
- Robe of Serpents
  
  Sol's robe: the snakes embroidered on it turn into real ones, giant and venomous.
  
  Sol Cognitorhis robe
- Call of Duty
  
  A shooter I play.
  
  Video gamesI play it
- Overwatch
  
  A team shooter I play.
  
  Video gamesI play it
- Worms Armageddon
  
  Worms with bazookas, 1999. I still play it.
  
  Video gamesI play it
- T.I.M.E Stories
  
  The co-operative board game T.I.M.E Stories. I have played the base game and every expansion.
  
  Board gamesI play it
- Munchkin
  
  A card-game parody of role-playing games.
  
  Board gamesI play it
- Perudo
  
  A dice game of bluff.
  
  Board gamesI play it
Screen
I watch a lot of anime: there are favourites of old and what I watched lately. Films go onto a list for later.
- Anime
  
  I love a great many different ones. On MyAnimeList I have given a ten to twenty-nine titles; the latest ones are not on the list yet. MyAnimeList
  
  Screenwhat I love to watch Durarara!!one of my favourites Ten out of tenmy tens Latelywatched lately
- Durarara!!
  
  One of my favourite anime. I once named my first public repository after the chat room in it.
  
  Animeone of my favourites The durarara repothe repo is named after it Ten out of tena ten as well
- Ten out of ten
  
  Titles I gave a ten on MyAnimeList. Not all of them are here: there are twenty-nine, Durarara!! among them.
  
  Animemy tens Cowboy Bebopgave it a 10 Ghost in the Shellgave it a 10 Code Geassgave it a 10 Samurai Champloogave it a 10 Gurren Laganngave it a 10 Princess Mononokegave it a 10 No Game No Lifegave it a 10 Durarara!!a ten as well
- Watchlist
  
  Films I want to watch. Four of them so far.
  
  Screenfilms for later Another Roundwant to watch The Before trilogywant to watch The Turkish Gambitwant to watch Hexedwaiting for the premiere
- Lately
  
  What I have been watching lately and liked.
  
  Animewatched lately Solo Levelingone of the latest Dr. Stoneone of the latest Frierenone of the latest
- Another Round
  
  Thomas Vinterberg's Danish film with Mads Mikkelsen. I want to watch it.
  
  Watchlistwant to watch
- The Before trilogy
  
  Richard Linklater's three films with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. I want to watch them.
  
  Watchlistwant to watch
- The Turkish Gambit
  
  The 2005 screen version of Boris Akunin's Erast Fandorin novel. Noted down to watch.
  
  Watchlistwant to watch
- Hexed
  
  Disney's animated film Hexed, out on 25 November 2026. I am waiting for it and plan to see it in a cinema.
  
  Watchlistwaiting for the premiere
- Cowboy Bebop
  
  A space western about bounty hunters, 1998. A ten for both the series and the film.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Ghost in the Shell
  
  Cyberpunk about Section 9. I gave a ten both to the 1995 film and to the series.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Code Geass
  
  An exiled prince, the power of command and chess against an empire. The second season is a ten.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Samurai Champloo
  
  Edo-era samurai set to hip-hop, 2004.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Gurren Lagann
  
  Mecha about a drill that will pierce the heavens, 2007.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Princess Mononoke
  
  A film by Hayao Miyazaki, 1997.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- No Game No Life
  
  A world where everything is settled by games. A ten for both the series and the prequel film.
  
  Ten out of tengave it a 10
- Solo Leveling
  
  One of the latest I have watched.
  
  Latelyone of the latest
- Dr. Stone
  
  One of the latest I have watched.
  
  Latelyone of the latest
- Frieren
  
  Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. One of the latest I have watched.
  
  Latelyone of the latest
Places
I live in Belgrade; before that, from 2023 to 2024, I lived on Koh Samui in Thailand. These are my favourite spots in both.
- Belgrade
  
  I live here. This is where the Serbian receipts that VotaWallet grew out of come from, and where my hackathons and pitches, a book club and my places for ramen, beer, infused spirits and dumplings are. My Serbian is still basic.
  
  PlacesI live here IDOL barramen Docker Brewerybeer Bife barinfused spirits Dim Sumdumplings Lektira book clubmy book club Northern lightswaiting for it here Dogma Brewerybeer here too The QR on a Serbian receiptthe receipts come from here
- Koh Samui
  
  An island in Thailand; I lived there from 2023 to 2024. My favourites: four places to eat, a beach, and the museums and temples too.
  
  Placeslived there 2023-2024 Ko Tu Restauranta favourite place Cafe De Oa favourite place Homemade Burgers and Sandwichesa favourite place Maelampha Noodle Soupa favourite place Coral Cove Beachmy favourite beach Toasted sandwicha habit from there
- Lektira book club
  
  A book club in Belgrade. I go to its meetings. The club's channel
  
  Belgrademy book club
- Ko Tu Restaurant
  
  A restaurant on Koh Samui, one of my favourite places. On the map
  
  Koh Samuia favourite place
- Cafe De O
  
  A cafe on Koh Samui, one of my favourite places. On the map
  
  Koh Samuia favourite place
- Homemade Burgers and Sandwiches
  
  Burgers and sandwiches on Koh Samui, one of my favourite places. On the map
  
  Koh Samuia favourite place
- Maelampha Noodle Soup
  
  Noodle soup on Koh Samui, one of my favourite places. On the map
  
  Koh Samuia favourite place
- Coral Cove Beach
  
  My favourite beach on Koh Samui. On the map
  
  Koh Samuimy favourite beach
- Moscow
  
  Before I left, I studied and worked in Moscow.
  
  MEPhIstudied here Placesstudied and worked
- MEPhI
  
  I won a competitive state-funded place at MEPhI, in computer systems and technologies. It is also where I did historical fencing.
  
  Moscowstudied here Programmingstudied computer systems Historical fencingtrained at MEPhI MEPhI engineering centrethe centre of this university
- IDOL bar
  
  This is where I go for ramen in Belgrade. On the map
  
  Belgraderamen
- Docker Brewery
  
  Docker Brewery & Beer Garden: one of the two places in Belgrade I go to for beer. On the map
  
  Belgradebeer
- Bife bar
  
  This is where I go for infused spirits in Belgrade. On the map
  
  Belgradeinfused spirits
- Dim Sum
  
  This is where I go for dumplings in Belgrade. On the map
  
  Belgradedumplings
- Northern lights
  
  I am waiting to see whether it ever reaches Belgrade: it was seen in Serbia in May 2024.
  
  Belgradewaiting for it here
Sport
At school I fenced sabre, later I took up historical fencing. These days I box in VR and walk a lot.
- Fencing
  
  I did it at school and at university: first sport fencing, then historical. On my character sheet it is a skill of its own.
  
  Sportschool and university Sport sabreat school Historical fencingat university My own character sheetskill: Fencing
- Sport sabre
  
  At school, from the seventh to the ninth grade, I did sport fencing with a sabre.
  
  Fencingat school Historical fencingcarried on after school
- Historical fencing
  
  After school, by then at MEPhI, I took up historical fencing.
  
  Fencingat university Sport sabrecarried on after school MEPhItrained at MEPhI
- VR boxing
  
  I box in VR, in a game called BodyCombat. In August 2026 I set a personal record and took first place on the leaderboard of one of its challenges.
  
  Meta Quest 3I box in this headset SportI box
- Walks
  
  I walk a lot around Belgrade. I want to open a booking on this site for joining me on a walk.
  
  SportI walk

Programming

VotaWallet

Laravel

Pivonator

VotaClaw

The QR on a Serbian receipt

VotaWallet MCP server

Threads @votapil

GitHub @votapil

The durarara repo

VotaCrudGenerator

VotaMonad

Obsidian

votapil.ru

Summer Computer School (LKSh)

Brew the bartender

votaboilerplate

Work

GrowFood

legko.com

Media Target

Matetech

Alyce

MEPhI engineering centre

Svetets

diler.ru

Stage

Film acting

Battle Nerds

Pitch Night

Monad Blitz Belgrade

Startup World Cup

Kitchen

Chicken envelopes

Favourite recipes

Chicken patties

Sous-vide chicken

Toasted sandwich

Medovik honey cake

Board with containers

Chicken in creamy cheese sauce

Chicken soup on bone broth

Beer

IPA

Hoptopod

Atomnaya Prachechnaya

Dogma Brewery

Jaws Brewery

Games

Dungeons & Dragons

Kar Karych

Sol Cognitor

Video games

Board games

The party's cook

My own character sheet

Meta Quest 3

Fire rune

The Star Reckoner

Robe of Serpents

Call of Duty

Overwatch

Worms Armageddon

T.I.M.E Stories

Munchkin

Perudo

Screen

Anime

Durarara!!

Ten out of ten

Watchlist

Lately

Another Round

The Before trilogy

The Turkish Gambit

Hexed

Cowboy Bebop

Ghost in the Shell

Code Geass

Samurai Champloo