Blog

Notes from building real software.

First-hand engineering guides on SaaS, AI, and Next.js — written by the people doing the work, not a content farm.

Supabase vs Firebase: which backend should your app use?

Supabase is the open-source, Postgres-based answer to Firebase. Here's what you actually get, when it wins, and when Firebase is still the better call.

Jul 17, 2026

Mobile8 min read

Web app, mobile app, or PWA: which should you build first?

You rarely need all three on day one. Here's how reach, device features, budget, and distribution decide whether to start with web, native, or a PWA.

Jul 16, 2026

AI integration8 min read

Prompt engineering vs fine-tuning vs RAG: which do you need?

Three ways to make an LLM do what you want — and teams reach for the expensive one first. Here's what each is actually for, and the order to try them.

Jul 14, 2026

AI integration8 min read

How to estimate and cut your LLM API costs

AI features are cheap to prototype and surprising to run at scale. Here's how token pricing actually works and the levers that reliably cut the monthly bill.

Jul 11, 2026

Web development9 min read

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): how to get cited by AI search

SEO gets you ranked; AEO gets you quoted. As AI search grows, here's how to structure content and build pages so answer engines cite your site — not just index it.

Jul 8, 2026

Backend8 min read

PostgreSQL vs MongoDB: which database should your SaaS use?

For most SaaS, PostgreSQL is the safer default — but MongoDB genuinely wins in a few cases. Here's the honest comparison and how to choose based on your data, not hype.

Jul 2, 2026

AI chatbots9 min read

How much does it cost to build an AI chatbot?

A simple FAQ bot is cheap; a chatbot grounded in your data with real integrations is where the cost lives. Here's what actually drives the number — with a worked example.

Jun 30, 2026

Mobile10 min read

React Native vs Flutter for startups (2026)

Both ship one codebase to iOS and Android. The right choice usually comes down to your team's skills and whether you have a React web app to share with.

Jun 24, 2026

SaaS9 min read

How long does it take to build a SaaS MVP?

A focused SaaS MVP usually takes 8–14 weeks. We shipped a multi-tenant one in 11. Here's the phase-by-phase rhythm — and what tends to slow it down.

Jun 18, 2026

AI integration10 min read

OpenAI vs Anthropic Claude: which LLM for your product?

Both are excellent — the mistake is marrying one. Here's how we choose per task, and why we build every AI system so the model is swappable.

Jun 12, 2026

Next.js9 min read

Next.js vs React: when you actually need Next.js

React is a UI library; Next.js is a framework built on it. The decision comes down to one question: does this thing need SEO and fast first loads?

Jun 5, 2026

Mobile6 min read

How much does it cost to build a mobile app?

A focused cross-platform app MVP usually starts in the low five figures. The backend, integrations, and polish are what move the number.

May 29, 2026

AI integration7 min read

AI agents vs chatbots vs RAG: what your business needs

A chatbot talks, RAG grounds answers in your data, and an agent takes actions. Most teams need RAG first — and an agent only where actions add value.

May 22, 2026

SaaS8 min read

How to build a multi-tenant SaaS architecture

The tenancy model you pick on day one shapes everything after it. Here's how we choose between shared, schema-per-tenant, and database-per-tenant — and what we build in from the start.

May 12, 2026

Payments7 min read

Stripe vs Paddle vs Lemon Squeezy for SaaS billing

The real decision is 'merchant of record': do you want to handle global sales tax yourself (Stripe) or offload it (Paddle, Lemon Squeezy)?

May 2, 2026

AI integration9 min read

Building a RAG pipeline with OpenAI and Anthropic

RAG is how you make an LLM answer from your data instead of hallucinating. Here's the production pipeline we build, step by step.

Apr 28, 2026

Backend7 min read

REST vs GraphQL: which API should your product use?

REST is simple and cache-friendly; GraphQL lets clients ask for exactly the data they need. Here's how to choose without over-engineering.

Apr 20, 2026

Web development7 min read

Headless CMS for Next.js: Strapi vs Sanity vs Contentful

Sanity for flexible modeling and great DX, Contentful for enterprise governance, Strapi to own and self-host your data. Here's how to pick.

Apr 16, 2026

SaaS6 min read

How much does it cost to build a SaaS product?

A focused SaaS MVP typically starts in the low five figures (USD). Here's what actually drives the number — and how to keep it down.

Apr 10, 2026

Next.js8 min read

Next.js SEO checklist: how to make your site rank

Ranking a Next.js site comes down to shipping crawlable HTML, correct metadata, structured data, and fast Core Web Vitals. Here's the checklist.

Apr 4, 2026

SaaS7 min read

The SaaS tech stack we use in 2026 — and why

Our default SaaS stack in 2026, layer by layer — chosen for speed to ship, end-to-end type safety, and room to scale without a rewrite.

Mar 28, 2026

Next.js7 min read

SSR vs SSG vs ISR in Next.js — which to use

Use static for marketing pages, ISR for content that changes occasionally, and SSR only where data must be fresh per request. Here's the decision rule.

Mar 22, 2026

AI integration6 min read

How to add AI features to an existing app

You don't need a rewrite. The trick is to layer a swappable AI service beside your current app and ship one high-value feature first.

Mar 14, 2026

Decision guides6 min read

Agency vs freelancer vs in-house: how to build your product

Freelancers are cheapest but riskiest; in-house is best long-term but slow to stand up; a senior agency is the fastest path to a shipped product. Here's how to choose.

Mar 5, 2026

Cloud & DevOps7 min read

Where to host your SaaS: AWS vs Vercel vs Render

Vercel for the Next.js front end, AWS for control and scale, Render for a simple middle ground. Many SaaS use a mix — here's how to decide.

Feb 26, 2026

Web development6 min read

How much does a custom website cost in 2026?

A professional custom site ranges from mid four figures for a few pages to five figures with custom design, a CMS, and integrations. Here's the breakdown.

Feb 18, 2026

SaaS7 min read