How to Choose Your Startup's Tech Stack in 2024
React or Vue? Go or Node? The answer depends on one thing most founders ignore: who's going to maintain this code?
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How to Choose Your Startup's Tech Stack in 2024
Every week, a founder asks me: "What's the best tech stack for my startup?"
My answer is always the same: It depends on who's going to work on it.
The Hiring Reality
The "best" technology means nothing if you can't hire for it. Here's what I recommend based on your situation:
If You're Hiring Junior Developers
- Frontend: React (massive talent pool)
- Backend: Node.js or Python
- Database: PostgreSQL
- Hosting: Vercel or Railway
If You're Hiring Senior Engineers
- Frontend: Whatever they prefer
- Backend: Go, Rust, or Elixir (they'll make it work)
- Database: PostgreSQL (some things never change)
- Hosting: Kubernetes on GCP/AWS
If It's Just You (For Now)
- Frontend: Next.js (full-stack in one)
- Backend: Supabase for everything
- Database: Included with Supabase
- Hosting: Vercel
Technologies I Always Recommend
- TypeScript — The time savings from catching bugs early is worth the learning curve
- PostgreSQL — Battle-tested, scales further than you think
- Docker — Eliminates "works on my machine" forever
Technologies I Avoid for MVPs
- Microservices — You don't need them until you really, really do
- GraphQL — REST is fine for 95% of startups
- Kubernetes — Managed services are cheaper than your time
The Bottom Line
Pick boring technology. Save your innovation budget for your actual product.