Architecture
Best Tech Stack for an MVP
The best MVP stack is the one your future hire can maintain and that gets the product in front of users this month. Ours is boring on purpose: TypeScript, Next.js, React Native (Expo), Postgres via Supabase, Stripe. We change it when the product forces us to — not to impress a slide.
Default web + API
Next.js on Vercel. Server components and route handlers where they help. Postgres for relational data. Supabase Auth and Row Level Security when multi-tenant SaaS is in v1. This covers dashboards, SaaS, and content that needs SEO.
Default mobile
React Native + Expo. One codebase for iOS and Android. EAS for builds. RevenueCat when you sell subscriptions on the stores. Push via Expo. We wrote a longer React Native vs Flutter comparison if you are choosing under pressure.
Payments
Stripe Checkout or Billing for web. Stripe Connect for marketplaces. RevenueCat + Stripe for consumer subs that span web and mobile. Getting this wrong in v1 creates finance debt, not just engineering debt.
AI products
The app stack stays the same. The model is an API: OpenAI or Anthropic, streamed into the UI, with usage logs. RAG is a document pipeline plus a vector store — only if the product is actually 'ask my files.' See the AI agency page for how we scope that.
What we avoid in v1
Kubernetes, microservices, graph databases, and 'event-driven everything' for a 3-screen app. Also: building your own auth. Those choices belong after you have load or a compliance letter that requires them.
- →No custom Kubernetes for an MVP
- →No rewriting Next.js in a new framework for fashion
- →No blockchain unless the product is the chain
FAQ
Is this the only stack that works?
No. Laravel, Rails, and Django still ship fine MVPs. We are fastest in the TypeScript stack above because it is what we use every week.
What about Firebase vs Supabase?
Firebase is fine. We prefer Postgres when you will eventually write real SQL, reports, and RLS policies. We will use Firebase if you already live there.
Can I see stack-specific pages?
Yes — /stack has the combinations we document (Next.js + Supabase, Expo, Stripe, OpenAI, Flutter + Firebase).
Related
Want this stack on your product?
We implement it at a fixed price. Book a call and we will confirm if your product needs a deviation.
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