Technology choices made today will impact your business for years. Here's how to make decisions you won't regret.
The Stakes Are High
Choose wrong and you face:
- Expensive rewrites as you scale
- Difficulty hiring developers
- Security vulnerabilities
- Performance limitations
Choose right and you get a foundation that grows with your business.
Start with Requirements, Not Technology
Before evaluating technologies, answer:
- Users: How many? Where are they? What devices?
- Data: How much? How sensitive? What regulations apply?
- Integration: What existing systems must you connect to?
- Performance: What response times are acceptable?
- Growth: Where do you expect to be in 3-5 years?
- Team: What skills does your team have?
Backend: The Engine
Your backend handles business logic, data, and security.
For Most Business Applications
Recommended: PHP 8+, Python (Django/FastAPI), or Node.js
- Large talent pools
- Mature frameworks and libraries
- Good hosting options at all price points
- Well-documented patterns for common needs
For High-Scale Applications
Consider: Go, Java/Kotlin, or .NET
- Better performance under load
- Stronger typing catches errors earlier
- More complex but more robust
Database: The Foundation
Your database choice is one of the hardest to change later.
Relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
- Best for: Structured data, complex queries, transactions
- Use when: Data relationships matter, ACID compliance needed
- PostgreSQL is more feature-rich; MySQL is simpler to operate
Document (MongoDB)
- Best for: Flexible schemas, rapid prototyping
- Use when: Schema changes frequently, data is naturally document-shaped
- Caution: Often misused; relational is usually better for business data
Our Default: PostgreSQL
For 90% of business applications, PostgreSQL offers the best balance of capability, reliability, and flexibility.
Frontend: The Interface
For Customer-Facing Applications
Recommended: React or Vue.js
- Rich interactive experiences
- Large ecosystems of components
- Good mobile optimization
For Internal Tools
Consider: Server-rendered HTML with lightweight JavaScript
- Faster development
- Simpler architecture
- Good enough for most admin interfaces
Infrastructure: Where It Runs
Cloud Providers
- AWS: Most services, steepest learning curve, best for complex needs
- Google Cloud: Strong data/ML capabilities, good Kubernetes
- Azure: Best Microsoft integration, good enterprise features
- DigitalOcean/Render: Simpler, cheaper, great for startups
Managed vs. Self-Managed
Use managed services when possible:
- Managed databases (RDS, Cloud SQL)
- Managed caching (ElastiCache, Redis Cloud)
- Managed search (Elasticsearch Service)
The cost premium is worth the reduced operational burden.
The Red Flags
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Chasing trends: New isn't always better. Boring technology often wins.
- Over-engineering: Build for current needs plus reasonable growth, not imaginary scale.
- Ignoring team skills: The best technology is one your team can execute well.
- Vendor lock-in: Understand switching costs before committing.
Our Recommended Stack for Business Applications
This stack handles most business applications well:
- Backend: PHP 8 (Laravel) or Python (FastAPI)
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Frontend: React or Vue + Tailwind CSS
- Infrastructure: DigitalOcean or AWS
- Cache: Redis
- Search: PostgreSQL full-text or Meilisearch
Not sure what's right for your project? Let's talk. We can assess your needs and recommend the right approach.