Tech Stack for Non-Technical Founders: What You Actually Need to Know
Learn what a tech stack is, why it matters for your startup, and how to evaluate your development team's technology choices without getting lost in jargon.
August 29, 2024 9 min read
Your development team says they're building with "Next.js, TypeScript, and Convex." Your co-founder's friend says you should use Ruby on Rails. The agency you're evaluating swears by Python and Django. You nod along, pretending to understand, while internally wondering if any of this actually matters.
It does matter. But not in the way most technical discussions make it seem.
The tech stack your team chooses affects how fast you can launch, how much it costs to maintain, how easy it is to hire developers later, and whether your product can handle growth. You don't need to become a developer to understand these trade-offs. You need to know the right questions to ask.
What "Tech Stack" Actually Means
A tech stack is simply the collection of technologies used to build your product. The term sounds more complicated than it is.
Your product has layers, and each layer uses different tools:
Frontend: What users see and interact with. The buttons, forms, pages, and visual design.
Backend: The logic that runs behind the scenes. User authentication, data processing, business rules.
Database: Where your data lives. User information, transactions, content.
Infrastructure: Where everything runs. Servers, hosting, deployment.
Each layer has technology choices. A "stack" is just the combination of those choices.
For example, at NextBuild we use Next.js (handles both frontend and backend), Convex (database and real-time features), TypeScript (the programming language), and Vercel (infrastructure). That's our stack.
Why Tech Stack Decisions Matter for Your Business
The technology choices aren't purely technical decisions. They have direct business implications.
Stop planning and start building. We turn your idea into a production-ready product in 6-8 weeks.
Speed to Market
Some technologies let teams move faster than others. Modern frameworks like Next.js come with pre-built solutions for common features like routing, authentication, and deployment. Teams using these frameworks spend less time on infrastructure and more time on your product.
A team building from scratch with older technologies might take 12 weeks to reach the same milestone that a modern stack achieves in 6 weeks. That's not because older technologies are bad—it's because they require more custom work.
Cost of Development
Technology choices affect how many hours it takes to build features. Some stacks require separate teams for frontend and backend. Others use the same language across the entire application, meaning fewer specialists and smoother coordination.
The difference compounds over time. A stack that requires 20% more developer hours for each feature means 20% higher costs throughout the life of your product.
Hiring and Team Growth
Popular technologies have larger talent pools. If you use a niche framework, finding developers who know it gets expensive and slow. If you use widely-adopted tools, you have more options.
TypeScript and React are among the most in-demand skills in software development. Building on these technologies means you can find developers when you need them.
Scalability
Some technologies handle growth better than others. A stack that works fine for 100 users might struggle with 10,000. The cost to fix scalability problems after launch is always higher than building with scalability in mind from the start.
The Core Components Explained
Understanding what each component does helps you evaluate your team's decisions.
Frontend Frameworks
The frontend is what your users touch. Modern frontends are built with JavaScript frameworks. The major options:
React: The most popular choice. Created by Facebook, used by millions of applications. Large community, extensive libraries, lots of developers who know it.
Vue: Simpler to learn, popular in Europe and Asia. Smaller ecosystem than React but still well-supported.
Angular: More structured and opinionated. Popular in enterprise settings. Steeper learning curve.
React dominates the market for startups. Most agencies and developers default to it because it's battle-tested and hiring is straightforward.
Backend Options
The backend handles business logic, data processing, and integration with other services. Options include:
Node.js: JavaScript on the server. Popular because frontend developers can also write backend code.
Python: Known for simplicity. Popular in data science and AI applications.
Ruby on Rails: Optimized for rapid development. Popular in the 2010s startup scene.
Next.js API Routes: Backend code that lives alongside your frontend. Simplifies architecture.
Modern approaches often blur the line between frontend and backend. Frameworks like Next.js let teams build both layers in the same codebase, reducing complexity.
Databases
Databases store your application's data. The two main categories:
SQL databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL): Traditional, structured databases. Data is organized in tables with defined relationships. Good for complex queries and reporting.
NoSQL databases (MongoDB, Convex): Flexible structure. Data can be stored in different formats. Often easier to start with and scale.
The right choice depends on your data patterns. If your data has clear relationships (users have orders, orders have products), SQL works well. If your data structure evolves frequently or you need real-time updates, NoSQL might fit better.
At NextBuild, we use Convex—a real-time database that handles synchronization automatically. When data changes, all connected clients update immediately without extra code.
Infrastructure and Hosting
Your code needs somewhere to run. Options range from managing your own servers to fully managed platforms:
Traditional hosting: You manage servers. Maximum control, maximum responsibility.
Cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud): Flexible infrastructure. Pay for what you use. Requires configuration expertise.
Platform-as-a-Service (Vercel, Netlify, Heroku): Managed deployment. Less control, less complexity. Often the right choice for startups.
We deploy to Vercel because it handles scaling, security patches, and deployment automation. Our teams focus on building features, not managing servers.
How to Evaluate a Proposed Tech Stack
When your development team recommends a stack, ask these questions:
Is It Mainstream?
Cutting-edge isn't always better. Mainstream technologies have more documentation, more developers, and more proven solutions to common problems.
Ask: "How many companies use this in production? How easy is it to find developers who know it?"
Warning sign: If the answer involves phrases like "emerging technology" or "gaining popularity," proceed with caution for your MVP.
Does It Fit Your Product?
Different products have different requirements. A real-time collaboration tool needs different technology than a content management system.
Ask: "Why is this stack specifically good for what we're building? What would be the alternative, and why did you choose this instead?"
Warning sign: Generic answers like "it's the best" without specific reasoning tied to your product.
What's the Development Velocity?
Some stacks prioritize long-term maintainability over speed. For an MVP, you usually want speed.
Ask: "How long would it take to add a typical new feature with this stack? What comes built-in versus what we'd build custom?"
Warning sign: Long timelines for standard features like authentication, payments, or user management.
Who Else Uses It?
Track record matters. Technologies used by successful companies at scale prove they work.
Ask: "What notable products are built on this stack? Are they similar to what we're building?"
Warning sign: The examples are either tiny projects or completely different from your product.
Can You Find Developers?
Your relationship with your current team might not last forever. You need options.
Ask: "If we needed to hire a developer for this stack tomorrow, how hard would that be? What's the market rate?"
Warning sign: Niche technologies that require specialized (expensive) talent.
Red Flags in Tech Stack Discussions
Watch for these patterns when evaluating development partners:
Overengineering. Building an MVP doesn't require microservices, Kubernetes, or complex distributed systems. If the proposed architecture sounds like it belongs at Google, it's probably too much for your stage.
Resume-driven development. Sometimes developers choose technologies because they want to learn them, not because they're right for your project. Ask why each choice was made specifically for your needs.
Not explaining trade-offs. Every technology choice involves trade-offs. If your team only presents benefits without mentioning downsides, they're either not being honest or haven't thought it through.
Proprietary lock-in. Some agencies use custom frameworks that only they understand. This makes you dependent on them indefinitely. Insist on standard technologies.
Premature optimization. "We need to build for millions of users" is rarely true for an MVP. Building for scale you don't have yet costs money and time you don't have.
The Stack That Works for Most Startups
There's no universally correct tech stack, but some combinations work for the majority of startup MVPs.
For web applications:
Next.js for the application framework
React for the user interface
TypeScript for the programming language
A modern database (Convex, Supabase, or PostgreSQL)
Vercel for hosting and deployment
For mobile applications:
React Native or Expo for cross-platform mobile
The same backend you'd use for web
This combination gives you:
Fast development speed
Large talent pool for future hiring
Proven scalability
Modern tooling and developer experience
Code that works across web and mobile
The specifics matter less than the principles: mainstream technologies, appropriate for your scale, with clear reasoning for each choice.
Questions to Ask About Ongoing Costs
Tech stack decisions have cost implications beyond initial development:
Hosting costs. How does pricing scale with users? Some platforms charge by usage, others by capacity. Understand the model before you're surprised by a bill.
Third-party services. Many modern stacks rely on paid services for authentication, payments, email, and other features. Get a list of expected services and their pricing.
Maintenance overhead. Some technologies require more ongoing maintenance than others. Security updates, dependency management, and infrastructure monitoring all take time.
Future development costs. If you need to add features or make changes, how does the stack affect those costs? A well-chosen stack makes future work easier.
When Tech Stack Matters Less Than You Think
After all this discussion about technology choices, here's the counterpoint: for most MVPs, execution matters more than the specific stack.
A competent team using a decent stack will outperform a struggling team using a perfect stack. The best technology in the world doesn't help if the team can't ship.
Focus on:
Does the team have experience with their proposed stack?
Can they explain why it fits your project?
Have they shipped similar products before?
Do you trust their judgment?
If those answers are yes, the specific technologies matter less.
The goal isn't to become a technology expert. The goal is to understand enough to have productive conversations, ask good questions, and recognize red flags.
Key Takeaways
Tech stack decisions affect your startup's speed, cost, and future flexibility. You don't need to make these decisions yourself, but you need to understand them well enough to evaluate your team's recommendations.
A tech stack is the combination of technologies used to build your product—frontend, backend, database, and infrastructure.
Mainstream technologies are usually the right choice for startups. They have larger talent pools, more documentation, and proven track records.
Ask specific questions about why each technology was chosen for your project. Generic answers are a warning sign.
Watch for overengineering. Your MVP doesn't need the same architecture as Google.
Execution matters more than the perfect stack. A good team with a reasonable stack beats a struggling team with ideal technology.
At NextBuild, we use a modern, proven tech stack that balances development speed with long-term maintainability. If you're evaluating technology choices for your MVP and want a second opinion, we're happy to talk through your options.
Document automation can cut drafting time from 3 hours to 15 minutes. But most MVPs fail by building too much too soon. Here are the 5 features that actually matter.
