What is the essence of a tech stack? How to make the right choice? What are the factors to focus on? We’ll tell!
Tech stack: a step-by-step procedure to make a good choice
Good IT solutions are always created to be used for many years. This is why planning the software well at the project stage is so important. One of the key decisions is to choose the technologies that will be used during the work. What is a technological stack, and what is its importance when working with a software house? What technology to choose for a new project so as not to regret it later? Many well-known websites are built with Angular, Node.js, etc., but what is the right solution for you? Let’s try to make it clear how to choose a tech stack and what it actually is.
The essence
A technological stack, or software stack, is a set of programs, applications, frameworks, databases, and other software types used while working on the project. This term collects all the necessary technologies to create a ready-made and working IT solution.
The technological stack may include several or even a dozen different tools. They should be at least partially compatible with each other – this significantly facilitates work on dedicated software and allows for easier project planning, which may be crucial.
It is worth remembering that each tool used has its pros and cons. A quick look at the technological stack allows you to find out what knowledge is needed to work on the project and check the software’s strengths and weaknesses. Not only are individual technologies of great importance, but also their combinations.
Technological stack and cooperation with software house
Although a lot of flexibility characterizes most software houses, some companies simply do not offer specific tools – especially if these are relatively rarely used. This means that modifying software based on an exotic technological stack can cause huge problems. Therefore, it is worth choosing a promising software stack that will allow for easy software development and reduce the costs of future work.
What to choose?
When choosing technology for a new project, it is worth following its most important features that will determine the success or failure of the project. These are the primary factors such as:
- Usability of selected tools.
- The popularity of selected tools.
- Maturity and stability of the software.
- Knowledge of technology in the development team.
- Technological support is offered by its creators and the community.
- Scalability of the project.
Choosing a technological stack is maneuvering between these features.
Factors to be taken into account when choosing a tech stack
We have finally approached the most interesting part: how to choose a technology stack. In particular, what are the factors to be taken into account? Choosing the right technology stack is one of the main factors contributing to developing a successful web application. Unfortunately, this task is sometimes complex for startups due to their lack of budget or experience. For this reason, we reveal to you the main criteria for choosing the right technology stack.
App type
A technology stack is nothing more than a set of tools that contribute to the development of an application. Therefore, before choosing one, you must first know what applications or software you want to create. In general, IT projects are classified according to the following levels of complexity:
- Simple: web applications that can be created from pre-designed solutions (CMS, landing page templates, etc.).
- Medium: multifunctional applications created using frameworks (website, a web application for an e-commerce site, etc.).
- Complex: applications with many functions and developed using several programming technologies.
Note that the choice of the type of application you want to create has a direct impact on its cost. This is why this first step is important and must be undertaken carefully.
The time it takes
The second factor to consider before choosing a technology stack is the time to market. Long delivery times allow the competition always to be one step ahead. To overcome this problem, here are the elements to consider:
- Developer expertise: a company with a team of effective developers is more likely to develop and deliver applications on time.
- Innovation: in order to optimize time to market, it is better to rely on technology stacks to add features to an application directly. The RoR stack, for example, has large open-source libraries that significantly reduce development time.
Security
According to a report by the insurance company Hiscox in 2019, 81% of French companies admit that they are not prepared to face cyberattacks. So before choosing a technology stack, you must first make sure that it gives all the necessary security guarantees.
Scalability
A web application must meet the growing needs of its users while maintaining its performance level. Therefore, this scalability must be one of the indicators on which a company relies when choosing its technological stack.
To produce scalable IT solutions, developers start by creating the minimum viable product (MVP). This represents the minimum version of the application and only fulfills the basic functions for which it was created. From there, professionals begin to improve it according to user feedback and needs.
If in doubt, it is worth asking for help
To choose technology for a new project, it is necessary to have the right IT knowledge, preferably supported by practical experience. Most customers may feel lost, so it is worth discussing everything carefully with software house specialists before deciding.
Professionals will present several possible solutions and describe their most important pros and cons, as well as estimate the costs and difficulty of the task. Choosing a technological stack is a very individual matter – everything depends on the specific situation and the requirements set by the customer.
