ATS filters for software roles match on exact technology names first. Here are the keywords that appear in real engineering postings, grouped so you can mirror the job description without stuffing.
Use the exact spelling the posting uses (Node.js, not Node; React, not ReactJS unless the posting does). Put your primary stack in the skills section and the first bullet of each role.
Infrastructure terms are high-signal for ATS: few candidates list them, so the ones who do stand out. Only list what you actually operate.
Name the actual database and the workload — "PostgreSQL" plus "designed the schema for a billing service" beats "databases" every time.
Practice keywords matter most in senior roles. Back them with scale: tests you wrote, latency you cut, users you served.
Every keyword should sit inside a line with a number: order volume, latency, users, uptime. That is what separates a keyword list from a proof of work.
List the 8-12 you use most and are ready to be asked about in an interview. ATS matches what the posting says, so mirror the posting — but never list a tool you cannot defend.
No — repeating your primary stack in the skills section and across role bullets is normal and helps matching. What hurts is repeating empty phrases like "team player" with no evidence.
Yes, if they use the keywords the job wants: a personal project with Docker, CI/CD and a cloud deploy is real evidence, and it fills gaps an ATS would otherwise flag as missing.
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