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The 2025 Developer’s Guide to Choosing a Tech Stack for SaaS Startups

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    Your Tech Stack Will Make—or Break—Your SaaS

    Choosing the right tools isn’t about what’s trending on Hacker News. It’s about:

    • Shipping fast without compromise
    • Scaling without tech debt
    • Attracting developers without recruiting nightmares

    At HoundDogDev, we’ve architected SaaS platforms in healthcare, finance, eCommerce, and edtech. Here’s what’s working right now.


    1. The 2025 SaaS Stack — Our Go-To Setup

    LayerRecommended Stack (2025)
    FrontendNext.js, Vue 3 (Vite)
    BackendLaravel, Node.js (Express/Nest), or Go
    DatabasePostgreSQL, Supabase, or Firebase
    AuthClerk, Supabase Auth, or Auth0
    InfraVercel, Railway, Fly.io
    CI/CDGitHub Actions, Vercel CI
    MonitoringSentry, LogRocket, PostHog

    Want flexibility and maturity? Laravel + Vue.
    Want speed and edge deploys? Next.js + Supabase.
    Want scale-first APIs? NestJS or Go.


    2. Questions Every Founder Should Ask

    Before you commit to a stack:

    • Is this scalable and maintainable?
    • Can my future dev hires work in it?
    • How fast can I ship v1?
    • Is there a strong community (docs, plugins, support)?
    • Can I go serverless if needed?

    Remember: “popular” doesn’t mean practical.


    3. Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)

    Overengineering: You don’t need Kubernetes for your MVP.
    ✅ Start with PaaS (like Render or Railway), then upgrade.

    Database lock-in: Avoid no-SQL unless your model demands it.
    ✅ Use SQL + an ORM (like Prisma or Eloquent) for flexibility.

    Poor DevOps planning: CI/CD saves time.
    ✅ Automate tests, builds, and rollbacks from day 1.


    4. When to Go Custom, and When to Use Tools

    FeatureGo Custom?Use Tool?Recommended Tool
    AuthClerk, Supabase, Auth0
    Email NotificationsPostmark, Resend
    BillingStripe, Paddle
    Onboarding FlowsIf budgetedCustom = Better UX
    Admin PanelMaybeLaravel Nova, Retool

    5. Want Expert Help Designing Your Stack?

    We’ve built dozens of successful SaaS stacks—from concept to exit.
    If you want your platform to be scalable, clean, and dev-loved, we’ve got you.

    🔧 Let’s map your architecture


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