How to Determine the Right Tech Stack for Your Startup?

Before we get into the details it is important to explain what is a stack in programming and how it works.

Stack is a collection of technologies that have been tested and proven to operate effectively together by programmers all around the world. They are used in combination to enable the development of a webpage, a mobile application, or something that must be increased in size to serve millions of visitors. A tech stack is often made up of programming languages, platforms, databases, front-end technologies, back-end tools, as well as apps that are linked together via APIs.

Selecting the right tech stack for your startup is a critical step toward the development of your business, because your tech stack provides your product team with the instruments they need in order to design and manage your product, and also ensures it maintains to fulfill client expectations.

Therefore, in this article, we are going to talk about why it is important to select the right technology stack for your startup web app development to be successful and what are the major criteria you need to follow in this process. So let’s get started and find out more about this issue.

Why Right Tech Stack Matters?

What sort of software you will build is determined by your tech stack. Selecting the correct tech stack for your app may help your organization in a variety of ways. One of the advantages of adopting a suitable stack is the fact that the core efficiency of your product or program will indeed be robust. Furthermore, the developer you are going to hire will manage to code more efficiently and quickly, and you will also be able to keep the same programmers for upcoming projects.

Besides, another benefit of choosing the right technology stack for your startup might be the fact that the codebase of your project will be much easier to maintain, whereas you should also keep in mind that selecting the incorrect tech stack results in higher maintenance expenses as well as technical liabilities.

On top of that, in case of selecting the good tech stack, the latter will be fully documented which means that the usual defects and performance concerns will be very simple to resolve. Another noticeable thing while talking about this issue is that in case you choose the wrong stack for your startup there is a great chance that you will face unpleasant consequences such as the stack could become unstable, and it may also need regular adjustments in order to maintain the application functioning with the most up-to-date codebase.

So all of the reasons mentioned above already prove more than enough that selecting the right technology stack for your startup is one of the most important aspects in the process of product development. So let’s take a look at the particular criteria that you need to consider to make the appropriate decision.

Cost

One of the major things you must ask yourself in the process of choosing the right technology stack is how much it will cost to develop an app employing the particular tech stack you are going to choose. Updates to stacks can sometimes come at a high cost. Therefore, it is critical to be informed of the possible costs of changing technologies in order to reduce time loss and guarantee team adaptability as well as efficiency. When selecting the stack for your startup you are always recommended to keep the price and expense in mind, and also what the choice to switch to another technology may affect you financially in the long run.

Furthermore, bear in mind that programmers must be experienced specialists, and the cost of employing them differs according to the technology stack they are working with. Even the most appropriate technology stack is useless if there are no good programmers who can work with the chosen stacks successfully and efficiently.

Scalability

While talking about how to choose the right technology for your application another important factor you need to take into account is scalability. Scalability is essential for future progress, therefore your app's design has to be scalable. The scalability of an app defines whether it can sustain the workload. For instance, as the amount of consumers grows, your technological stack should support the application to stay updated.

Generally, scalability is classified into two categories such as horizontal and vertical. Vertical scalability allows you to add more functionality on top of your application while horizontal one enables you to manage a higher volume of customers as well as payments on the network.

If you choose a scalable stack, you will not have to bother worrying about technology not meeting today's market demands. If you look at the wider context, a scalable technology stack may assist you in creating not just an excellent customer experience but also better employee satisfaction. So, in order for your company to thrive in today's digital era, you are recommended to adopt a scalable technology stack. This allows you to keep updated on what your client wants and allows you to make smarter and better decisions in general.

Plug-in Credibility

If you want to choose the correct tech stack in the process of your startup web app development you are also recommended to pay close attention to the plug-in credibility. This is one of the most significant factors out there that simply can not be taken for granted.
There are more than 50,000 plugins out there, with new ones being updated on a regular basis. Having a lot of options is wonderful, but the problem is deciding which one to use when numerous solutions serve the very same goal. The plug-in credibility is always an essential factor because, no matter how simple it appears at first glance, there is always a chance that it might become harmful over time if not properly checked and maintained.

This is why it is essential that you read customer feedback and ratings of various plug-ins. Try to learn a lot of things about a plugin from others who have already used it in the past, because their experience does not always correspond with what the creators say. If the majority of these comments are unfavorable, it is most likely that they are not offering what you need.

Furthermore, all of your plugins should be up to date. You should also consider the number of active installations. This informs you how many websites are presently using the plugin. According to this information, if a plugin is running on several sites, then there is a greater chance that it is credible and safe. Besides, you are recommended to do further research while looking for a plug-in because it will give you useful information about the programmers who are behind it and also what are the other products they have created.

Safety and Security

When you are looking for a technology stack, it is critical to select technologies that guarantee a highly secured network. There are numerous viewpoints on which computer language is the most secure, however, no language can ensure total security. A lot of web development tools include security recommendations outlining all procedures for avoiding attacks and managing vulnerabilities. Therefore it is always essential to make sure that your app is created following the necessary security rules.

However, keep in mind that no technology stack is resistant to security flaws – you must choose the appropriate combination of risks and rewards for your company. A new technology that enables you to launch fast may be less experienced and therefore more insecure. However, popular tech stacks may better fulfill security standards but they may not enable you to iterate as fast as the new one.

Competitor Research

While you are in the process of choosing the right technology stack for your startup company, you are also recommended to conduct a competitor research analysis, meaning explore the companies with similar market needs. That way you will be able to find out what kind of decisions they have made, why they chose the particular technology stack, and how it worked overtime. On top of that, competitor Research is also a great way to learn from other companies’ mistakes and avoid doing the same thing in your startup.

By the way, if you're considering Laravel as your main tech stack, we'd be happy to assist with your needs. Check out this page to get a more detailed overview of what we can do and how to bring your project to life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a tech stack for my startup?

There are several factors that you need to take into consideration when choosing the right technology stack for your startup including cost, scalability, Plug-in Credibility, safety and security, and competitor research. Only after determining each of these factors, you will be able to make an appropriate decision.

How can you determine if it is the right technology to use?

There are some of the most common factors that guarantee that the particular technology stack is going to work effectively. For example, if the technology is scalable it means that it can sustain the workload. Besides, updated and credible plugins also provide efficiency in web app development. Another factor that should always be checked is how secure the specific technology stack is and how does it fulfill the safety standards.

What is included in a tech stack?

A stack is a set of technologies that have been tried and shown to work well together by programmers everywhere around the globe. A tech stack is often comprised of programming languages, platforms, databases, front-end technologies, back-end tools, and apps that are connected via APIs.