Full-Stack Dev (Vue.js/CakePHP) Needed to Build REST API and Front-End Dashboard from Relational DB

We are looking for a talented Full-Stack Developer to build a decoupled web application from the ground up. We currently have an established relational database, but no APIs have been developed yet. Additionally, our client has designed a highly detailed, sleek, dark-themed property management dashboard using Claude in standard HTML/CSS. Your job will be two-part: First, develop a secure, high-performance REST API using CakePHP to expose our database. Second, build the Frontend SPA using Vue.js, turning the client's HTML prototype into modular components and wiring them into your new API. The application will handle roughly 40 concurrent users initially but needs to be engineered cleanly so that the frontend and backend can scale independently to 1,000+ users in the future. Project Architecture & Tech Stack Database: MySQL or PostgreSQL (Schema and tables are already established). Backend API: CakePHP (You will be building secure, clean, RESTful endpoints from scratch that return lightweight JSON data). Frontend Framework: Vue.js (Converting the existing HTML/CSS code directly into interactive, modular components). Design State: Fully designed, single-file HTML prototype featuring deep dark-mode UI surfaces, multi-tab modal structures, custom layout grids, real-time feeds, and embedded SVG icon libraries. Key Responsibilities Database & Field Mapping Audit: Review our existing database tables against the HTML dashboard prototype to map fields, resolve naming discrepancies, and identify any missing data vectors before writing the API endpoints. API Development (CakePHP): Build the entire RESTful API backbone from scratch. Design and implement endpoints for fetching dashboard metrics, processing work orders, updating multi-tab data states, and handling file attachments safely. Componentize the Frontend (Vue.js): Translate the raw HTML/CSS file flawlessly into modular, reusable Vue single-file components (.vue) while strictly preserving the high-fidelity dark theme design system. State Management & Integration: Connect your newly built CakePHP API to the Vue frontend. Implement robust client-side state handling to manage application tabs, nested modals, sidebar filters, and global searches. Wire up interactive tools like a custom profit-margin calculator table. Clean & Debuggable Code: Write the codebase in a highly structured, well-commented manner following CakePHP and Vue.js best practices so it is easily auditable and debuggable by our team down the line. Required Skills & Qualifications Strong proficiency in PHP and solid experience with the CakePHP framework (specifically building custom REST APIs, models, and controllers from scratch). Expertise in Vue.js (Vue 3 preferred) and state management libraries (Pinia/Vuex). Mastery of modern HTML5, CSS3, and CSS Variables/Custom Properties to inherit and manage the prototype's custom UI theme. Experience working with relational databases (MySQL/PostgreSQL), joining tables, and optimizing queries for concurrent users. Strong understanding of decoupled software architectures, security best practices (CORS, token authentication, data sanitization), and API performance optimization. Project Scope & Deliverables Phase 1: Field Mapping Audit Report – A side-by-side mapping document matching the dashboard HTML keys to our existing database columns to ensure no data gaps exist before coding. Phase 2: CakePHP API Development – Delivery of custom backend models, controllers, and fully functional, secure REST endpoints. Phase 3: Vue.js Component Shell – Transitioning the raw HTML prototype into a responsive Vue application shell with functional client-side navigation. Phase 4: Full Integration & Testing – Wiring the Vue frontend to your new CakePHP API, implementing live calculations/data streams, and verifying system performance under concurrent user simulation.