# Development

Choosing the Right Technology Stack for Your Startup: A Practical Guide

Red Rocket TeamNov 30, 20244 min read

What Is Software Technology in the Context of a Tech Stack? Why Tech Stacks for Startups Require Strategic Planning? Matching Startup Tech Stacks to Project Types How to Choose Technology Stack for Your Startup? The Rise of AI, Machine Learning, and Serverless Architectures – How to Adapt Your Stack to Trends

It's no secret that the developer's working process is affected by a number of factors. For the most part, success depends on the experience and skills of the involved specialists. However, there are other aspects that determine the quality of your future project realization. Among them are tools, services, and additional programs that are used to build software. According to statistics, the technical stack is among the three most influential factors on the productivity of a team of IT specialists.

Usually, any project from the digital development industry requires the interaction of several team members or even departments. Code writing, web design, copywriting, testing, and many more are the main tasks when creating websites, apps, and other products. That's why some tools and programs simplify development and save you time.

Today, mankind is developing technology faster than ever before in history. This is a fact that demonstrates that new methods, techniques, tools, and applications are emerging in every niche. In such a variety, it can be difficult for your startup to choose the right set of tools, especially if you are a beginner. We are here to tell you how to choose technology stack with a step-by-step guide.

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What Is Software Technology in the Context of a Tech Stack?

We adhere to the philosophy that every unexplored topic should be covered one by one, from the smallest to the largest. With this in mind, we start with a definition of software technology. Talking in the tech stack context, software technology encompasses the combination of programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and tools that developers use to build and manage applications. This foundation is pivotal as it defines how the application will function, scale, and evolve over time.

Actually, the choice of software technology affects every aspect of application development, from how data is managed and stored to how it interacts with other systems. It’s so important to choose a stack that both meets the current needs of the startup and anticipates future growth and technological advancements.

You may wonder about the question, «what is software technology» in practical terms. It includes the front-end components that users interact with, such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript frameworks like React or Angular. It also involves back-end technologies such as Ruby on Rails, Node.js, or Python’s Django, which handle business logic, database interactions, and server-side functionalities. These are essential IT terms that every business owner must know.

Choosing the right software technology stack is more than just picking tools. We mean creating a robust, scalable environment that supports your startup's objectives and allows for future expansions and integrations.

Why Tech Stacks for Startups Require Strategic Planning?

Many beginners often wonder why they can't just ignore planning the tech stack. In their opinion, it takes up unnecessary time that could be devoted directly to the development of the digital product. This is a wrong opinion because, without well-defined tools, your team will find it difficult to work «non-stop.» Sooner or later, you will come across a task that requires a special solution. In that case, you will have to spend more time looking for technologies that can help you cope.

Strategic planning means that you first analyze all your needs and requirements with future projections. Which development areas are worth considering? You should always keep in mind the mandatory components when you are going to put together tech stacks for startups. Here they are:

Back-end.
Front-end.
Databases.
Hostings.
Development software.

If you have a document with a prescribed list of technologies and tools required for quality project realization, your chances of success increase significantly. One of the advantages of strategic tech stack planning for startups is the speed of software development. Usually, small startups don't have a big budget, which encourages them to finish their projects as soon as possible.

Matching Startup Tech Stacks to Project Types

As we mentioned above, there are certain components to consider when choosing the right tools for startups. However, the final technology stack may depend on other factors as well. For example, the type of project determines what tools will be needed to write code and deploy the application on the right platforms. We have gathered important information about the types of digital products and how they can influence the required stack.

Websites. Websites are the most typical type of project among startups. They act as the core of branding, communication, and use activity. The general structure of technology for websites includes frontend frameworks, backend frameworks, and CMSs.
Mobile apps. These are types of software projects that require special attention from the development team. Why is it so? Mobile applications have many features, unlike websites, so the final technology stack will be different. For example, the technology stack may differ depending on the operating system - Android or iOS.
Web apps. Web applications are software developed to run on a web server and can only be accessed through the browser. These applications are well known for their versatility and for the possibility to be adopted by virtually any type of business. For web apps, a tech stack can consist of a server-side language together with a web framework and a front-end library.
SaaS platforms. SaaS is a delivery model of cloud apps that allows users to get access to software through subscription. Due to the large number of users and different workloads of the platforms, the technology stack of SaaS platforms must be efficient, sustainable, and affordable.

As you may have realized by now, there is no one-size-fits-all tech stack for all projects because many things depend on what kind of digital product you are creating.

How to Choose Technology Stack for Your Startup?

Sure, if you want to choose the right software, it may be a really difficult task. The quality of the finished product and compliance with project deadlines directly depend on the right choice. We have practical tips that will help you find the ideal tools, frameworks, and programs to implement the project within the deadline. Get started!

1. Understand your basic requirements and needs

Every project can be different, and the tools chosen will depend on the type of project, its technical nature, team, and development peculiarities. For instance, if you are developing a mobile app, it would be logical to use Swift to create the app for iOS or Kotlin for Android. If you are targeting to use a web-based application, you need to talk about frontend frameworks (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and backend frameworks (Node.js, Python, Ruby on Rails). Developers should be aware of their goals and concerns for the right technology and tools to be chosen.

Also remember that in some cases, the best solution is to outsource some processes or projects in general to professionals. The best IT outsourcing companies in Europe are ready to help fulfill a project of any complexity with their own technology stack.

2. Focus on the planned budget

The next tip for choosing a company tech stack is your development budget. Undoubtedly, the best stacks are expensive. Some key points worthy of consideration will include your startup’s financial capital, where you’ll have to make decisions based on the cash available to fund your project. Give preference to the crucial and core sections, but do not overlook some off-the-shelf open source.

3. Concentrate on flexibility

Admittedly, it is always comfortable to work only with familiar technologies, but this approach may keep you from gaining more for your project. When you are locked into a particular set of technologies, it becomes difficult to shift when your requirements are changing or the market is evolving.

Rather, go for adaptable technologies that keep the business open for expansion and are capable of accommodating all its forms. Choose languages, a framework, and tools that have better support, a mature ecosystem, an active community, and frequent updates.

4. From small to large

There are a lot of popular tech stacks offered in the market today that can confuse you and force you to utilize as many solutions as possible. In other words, instead of applying a large number of technologies right from the start, choose a smaller number that will suit you best.

As you advance, do not forget to review your stack to look for opportunities that show what can be added or changed in your utilization. Always bear in mind that technology changes fast, and therefore, being flexible in a start-up is the best way for it to survive in the future.

The Rise of AI, Machine Learning, and Serverless Architectures – How to Adapt Your Stack to Trends

When a machine can automate simple tasks, developers are forced to adapt their skills to more complex tasks that require contextual knowledge and critical thinking. At the same time, many experts see great opportunities in this.

According to statistics, artificial intelligence has positively affected the work of most developers around the world. Even the most trivial tools, such as ChatGPT, help to significantly save time in developing a project of any level of complexity.

For example, some AI-based solutions can help with different tasks. Adrenaline is an online tool that can find a bug in code on its own and fix it in seconds. Code Snippets can generate codes according to text descriptions, which also simplifies the work of beginners and experienced IT professionals.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right technology selection for a startup is a complex process that depends on many factors. We can include business goals, technical requirements, available resources and future prospects of the project. A well-considered choice can significantly simplify the process of product development and support, as well as help avoid many problems in the early stages of a startup.