About
Tom Joe James — Software Developer & CS Student
Who I Am
I’m a software developer and computer science student based in Chennai, India. I build web-based systems, automation workflows, and AI-assisted applications — focused on thoughtful engineering rather than quick fixes. I’ve been exploring software since 2015 and published my first website in 2018. Currently pursuing my BS in Computer Science through IIT Madras, I’m driven by a passion for clean systems, research, and long-term impact.
My Journey with Technology
Tom began exploring computers in 2015. During this period, he learned basic computer usage, internet navigation, and early web concepts through self-directed exploration. In 2018, he published his first website. This initial project marked the beginning of his continued involvement with web technologies and software experimentation.
Over time, his interests expanded from static websites to web applications and later to automation-driven systems and AI-assisted development workflows. These early projects were primarily learning-oriented and focused on understanding how software components interact rather than on commercial deployment.
Academic education
Tom is currently pursuing formal education in both data science and computer science through two parallel programs.
- Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) He enrolled in the BS in Data Science program in 2024. He is currently at the diploma stage of the program and is expected to complete the degree in 2028. His studies include coursework related to data analysis, statistics, computational thinking, and applied problem-solving.
- B. S. Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology He is pursuing a BSc in Computer Science and is currently in his third semester. His expected year of graduation is 2027. The program focuses on core computer science subjects such as programming, algorithms, data structures, and system fundamentals.
Projects & Development Work
Tom’s software development work primarily involves building and testing web-based systems, automation workflows, and prototype applications. His projects are generally focused on learning, experimentation, and system design rather than immediate commercial use.
In 2025, he initiated the project HitMyTarget, an experimental mobile application concept designed to explore goal-setting, progress tracking, and AI-assisted insights. The project served as an early attempt to combine product design with applied automation and machine learning concepts.
In the same year, he founded FOS Automations, an early-stage initiative focused on developing internal software tools and automation systems. Projects under FOS Automations are primarily built as internal products, allowing for iterative development and long-term refinement without client delivery constraints.
As of now, approximately five internal projects have been completed as part of this initiative.
Industry and collaborative experience
Alongside his own products, Tom builds software and digital presence for companies through FOS Automations. For BURN-OUT Fitness Studio, a gym franchise brand in Tamil Nadu, he built the website and led the SEO work, which brought 2,340 organic clicks and 61 enquiries in 120 days and placed the brand above Slam Gym on Google for “best gym franchise in Tamil Nadu” as of 10 October 2026. He built the first MVP of an AI job interviewer for Trajectorie, a company in Mumbai, designed to grow into a fuller interviewing process using audio, video and text answers, and developed a web-based system for DEWESoft to track instruments across its branches in India. His other client work includes a corporate website for TopGear Tradelinks, an authorised Valvoline Cummins partner in South India, and a web platform for Creative Event Organizers to improve their online presence. Under FOS Automations he also built Slate, an unofficial study companion for IITM BS students, now live on the Google Play Store with 600+ downloads.
Research activity
Tom is the Co-author of a published research paper focused on web browser security, specifically on the use of cookie encryption to enhance security. This work represents his first formal research publication and was developed as part of an academic project.
He plans to continue engaging in research-related activities and intends to publish additional technical or academic work in the future, particularly in areas related to web infrastructure and system security.
You can find more about this here.
It has been published in text format at Wikiversity, Wikipedia’s Sister Project
Writing and documentation
In addition to research, Tom writes technical and reflective articles on Medium. His writing covers topics such as software development, AI-assisted workflows, design considerations, and observations drawn from building and maintaining systems.
He has also written an article at Wikiversity called as “Business Data Management”
Interests and approach
Beyond formal academics and development work, Tom maintains interests in subjects including space and astrophysics, finance and economics, history, psychology, and systems thinking. These interests influence how he approaches technical problems, often encouraging broader context and long-term reasoning.
His approach to work emphasizes consistency, long-term focus, and system reliability. He generally prioritizes structured learning, gradual improvement, and factual documentation over rapid experimentation driven by short-term trends.
