How to Efficiently Scale Your Startup’s Tech Stack for Maximum Growth

Kristijan Pušić | July 24th, 2024

When scaling your IT startup, choosing the right tech stack is crucial to ensure efficiency, flexibility, and long-term growth. IT startups usually face scaling issues even before they can join the enterprise world.

The rise in user numbers or plans for future massive growth are common reasons for scalability problems. Another reason is the code that worked in the past may not scale correctly as user numbers increase.

If your software struggles during peak periods, it’s time to rethink strategies and rewrite necessary components. This might involve adopting different technologies or approaches. Conducting an external code review of the old solution can provide valuable insights and identify areas for improvement.

So, how to scale a tech stack efficiently and be ready for enterprise production issues? Let’s take a closer look.

Frontend code review

Angular or ReactJS are usually used to develop frontends for enterprise IT projects. Each has its own strengths and is suited to different types of projects and development styles.

Angular and object-oriented programming (OOP)

Angular heavily relies on Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) for many of its functionalities. Most of its features, such as components, directives, and pipes, are based on classes. OOP concepts like encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism are integral to Angular development, helping developers build scalable and maintainable web applications.

When to use OOP in Angular

Modeling complex systems: OOP is ideal for projects involving multiple entities and interactions.
Encapsulation and reusability: Use OOP to encapsulate data and behavior into reusable components.

Basically, Angular is best for projects that prioritize structure, scalability, and maintainability, especially for complex applications.

ReactJS and functional programming (FP)

ReactJS, on the other hand, encourages the use of functional programming and a declarative approach to building user interfaces. While OOP principles can be applied in React, it is primarily designed around a component-based architecture.

When to use FP in React

Pure calculations: FP is suitable for performing pure calculations with simple inputs and outputs.
Avoiding side effects: Use FP to avoid side effects or state changes, promoting a more predictable codebase.

ReactJS is deal for projects that require flexibility, rapid UI development, and benefit from a vibrant community.

Micro frontends

Both Angular and ReactJS can use micro frontends, which enhance web development agility and scalability by allowing independent development of application modules. This approach is particularly useful for large and complex web applications that require flexibility and faster iterations.

Backend code review

Backend solution re-factoring or adding a middleware solution that uses the same database?

A bigger issue is if an IT startup backend solution is not up to the task of scaling. Badly written backend is nothing new in the IT startup market. Making it work would be a lot of reverse engineering time spent.

The bare situation of “somebody else has written the code” is becoming a problem in large and complex backends. A new team will not likely take a badly written backend, even if it is scaling properly. No documentation and spaghetti code are enough reasons even from a business perspective to leave the current backend as is and proceed in a different direction.

Backend solution re-factoring or adding a middleware solution that uses the same database?

Middleware solution on a new IP address is always a good idea. One new backend that can take some of the functionality of the old system and make new features that business needs. Larger systems will surely need up to a year to re-work, while making a middleware solution usually doesn’t take longer than six months.

4 popular tech stacks for scalable startups

By selecting the appropriate tech stack and following best practices, you can adapt to future growth challenges.

Here’s an overview of popular tech stacks, and how they can help you scale your startup effectively.

1. LAMP stack

Components: Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP/Python/Go

Advantages:

Proven stability and security
Cost-effective (open-source)
Highly flexible and customizable

Use cases: Web applications, content management systems, dynamic websites

2. JAVA stack

Components: Java, Spring Framework, Hibernate, Tomcat/Jetty

Advantages:

Platform independence (runs on any JVM)
Robust error checking and typing
Excellent scalability and performance
Spring Boot features for rapid development and monitoring

Use cases: Complex enterprise applications, financial services, mobile app backends

3. MERN stack

Components: MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js

Advantages:

Full JavaScript stack (frontend and backend)
Modern UI development with React
Easily scalable with good component integration

Use cases: Dynamic web applications, real-time updates, rich user interfaces

4. ASP.NET stack

Components: Windows Server, IIS, SQL Server, ASP.NET

Advantages:

Seamless integration with Microsoft products
Strong enterprise-level support
Built-in scalability and performance features

Use cases: Enterprise-level applications, Microsoft ecosystem integration, high-performance web services

5 best practices on scaling the tech stack

Here are some best practices to consider when preparing your tech infrastructure for future challenges:

1. Choose the right stack

Selecting the appropriate technology stack is the foundation of any scalable tech strategy. Evaluate both your current and future needs to ensure the stack you choose can support your growth trajectory. Factors to consider include:

Ease of development: Ensure the stack simplifies the development process for your team.
Performance: Choose technologies known for their robustness and efficiency.
Scalability: Opt for solutions that can handle increased load and complexity over time.
Community support: Strong community support can be invaluable for troubleshooting and ongoing learning.

2. Adopt microservices architecture

Adopting a microservices architecture can significantly enhance scalability and maintainability. This approach involves breaking your application into smaller, independent services, each responsible for a specific functionality. Benefits include:

Scalability: Individual services can be scaled independently based on demand.
Flexibility: Easier to update, deploy, and maintain different parts of the application without affecting the entire system.
Resilience: Fault isolation ensures that a failure in one service does not bring down the entire application.

3. Automate and monitor

Automation and monitoring are essential for maintaining the health and performance of your tech stack. Implementing continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines can streamline your development and deployment processes. Key practices include:

CI/CD pipelines: Automate testing, integration, and deployment processes to reduce manual errors and increase efficiency.
Monitoring tools: Use monitoring tools to track application performance, detect anomalies, and quickly address issues. Tools like Prometheus, Grafana, and New Relic are popular choices.

4. Optimize your database

Optimizing your database is critical for ensuring efficient data handling and performance. Depending on your data requirements, you may need to choose between SQL and NoSQL databases. Best practices include:

Database selection: SQL databases are ideal for structured data and complex queries, while NoSQL databases are better for unstructured data and scalability.
Query optimization: Regularly review and optimize database queries to enhance performance.
Indexing: Implement appropriate indexing strategies to speed up data retrieval and reduce load times.

5. Leverage cloud services

Using cloud platforms can provide the flexibility and scalability needed to support your growing startup. Cloud services offer various managed solutions that can reduce operational overhead and streamline your infrastructure management. Consider the following:

Cloud platforms: AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud offer robust cloud services that can scale with your needs.
Managed services: Use managed services for databases, storage, and computing to focus more on development and less on infrastructure management.

By following these tips, you can build a resilient and scalable tech stack that supports rapid growth and adapts to evolving business needs. Embracing the right technologies, architectures, and strategies will ensure your tech infrastructure is robust, efficient, and prepared for future challenges.

With over 2 decades of experience in scaling enterprise hardware and software, Setronica is your trusted partner for robust, scalable solutions. Need one? Contact us via the form below to book a free call.

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Kristijan Pušić

IT consultant and Business developer

Our consultant is at your disposal from 9 AM to 5 PM CET working days from Monday to Friday for any additional questions.

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SETRONICA

Setronica is a software engineering company that provides a wide range of services, from software products to core business applications. We offer consulting, development, testing, infrastructure support, and cloud management services to enterprises. We apply the knowledge, skills, and Agile methodology of project management to integrate software development and business objectives effectively and efficiently.

How to Efficiently Scale Your Startup’s Tech Stack for Maximum Growth

Frontend code review