How I Choose Tech for Rapid MVPs

Taming the Tech Stack Beast - My 'Scrappy Tech Decision Matrix' for Rapid MVPs

I remember spending nearly three full days agonizing over the tech stack for a simple landing page builder MVP. Three days!

I was deep in the rabbit hole of Next.js vs. Remix, Supabase vs.

Firebase, Tailwind CSS vs. Styled Components.

My brain felt like it was short-circuiting.

By the end of it, I had a theoretically "perfect" stack, but I hadn't actually built anything. The paralysis of choice had completely killed my momentum. It was a classic solo founder mistake: over-engineering for an MVP.

The Momentum Killer: Chasing Perfection

As solo founders, we wear all the hats, and that includes the CTO. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need the absolute best, most scalable, most future-proof tech stack from day one. We see what successful companies are using and think we need to emulate it.

But here's the truth: for an MVP, your primary goal is validation, not perfection. Spending weeks debating database choices when you don't even know if anyone will use your core feature is a recipe for burnout and delayed launches. It kills momentum.

My 'Scrappy Tech Decision Matrix'

To combat this, I developed a simple framework I call the "Scrappy Tech Decision Matrix." It's not about finding the "perfect" stack, but the good enough stack that lets me ship fast. It's a 2x2 matrix, focusing on what truly matters for an early-stage MVP.

I evaluate tools based on these four criteria:

1. Time to First Feature (TTFF): How quickly can I get the core functionality working? This is paramount.
2. Cost to Operate (Low Volume): What's the monthly bill when I've 0-100 users? I aim for free or very cheap.
3. Learning Curve: How much time will it take me to become proficient enough to build and iterate?
4. Future Flexibility: Can this stack reasonably scale or be replaced if needed? (This is the lowest priority for an MVP).

Here's how I think about it:

• High TTFF, Low Cost, Low Learning Curve: This is the sweet spot for most MVPs. Think no-code/low-code or very simple setups.
• High TTFF, High Cost, High Learning Curve: Avoid this for MVPs unless you've a very specific, complex requirement that absolutely demands it.
• Low TTFF, Low Cost, Low Learning Curve: Ideal for quick prototypes and validating simple ideas.
• Low TTFF, High Cost, High Learning Curve: Only consider if the high cost is justified by immediate, critical functionality you can't get elsewhere, and you're willing to invest the learning time.

When do I choose no-code/low-code versus custom code?

• No-Code/Low-Code: If I can build the core MVP with tools like Bubble, Softr, or even Airtable + Zapier and it meets the "good enough" criteria, I go with it. TTFF is king here.
• Custom Code: If the core functionality is too complex for no-code, or if I anticipate rapid iteration requiring deep customization that no-code can't provide, I'll opt for custom code. But I'll keep it as simple as possible.

Real-World Examples

Let's look at a couple of my recent MVPs:

MVP 1: A simple community forum for niche creators. For this, I needed user auth, posts, comments, and basic moderation.

• Stack: Next.js (frontend), Supabase (backend/DB), Tailwind CSS.
• Matrix Breakdown:
• TTFF: High (Next.js has a learning curve, but Supabase is fast for auth and CRUD).
• Cost: Very Low (Supabase has a generous free tier).
• Learning Curve: Moderate (but I was already familiar with Next.js).
• Flexibility: High.
• Trade-off: I spent a bit more time on the initial setup compared to a no-code solution, but I gained more control and a familiar development environment.

MVP 2: A basic task tracker with simple collaboration. This was a more straightforward CRUD application.

• Stack: React (frontend), Firebase (backend/DB), Material UI.
• Matrix Breakdown:
• TTFF: High (React and Firebase are quick to get started with).
• Cost: Very Low (Firebase free tier is excellent).
• Learning Curve: Low (Firebase is very beginner-friendly).
• Flexibility: Moderate.
• Trade-off: Less initial complexity than Supabase, making it even faster to get the first version out the door.

MVP 3: A simple directory of curated resources. This was essentially a list with search and filtering.

• Stack: Google Sheets (data), Softr (frontend/web app builder), Stripe (payments).
• Matrix Breakdown:
• TTFF: Extremely High (I had the data in Sheets, Softr connected in minutes).
• Cost: Very Low (Sheets is free, Softr has a free tier, Stripe only charges on transactions).
• Learning Curve: Very Low.
• Flexibility: Low (but sufficient for the MVP's scope).
• Trade-off: I sacrificed a lot of customizability, but I validated the core idea and got paying users within 24 hours.

Your Turn: Ship Faster, Worry Less

The "Scrappy Tech Decision Matrix" isn't about finding the "perfect" stack. It's about making a good enough decision quickly, so you can focus on building something users actually want.

Next time you're staring at a blank screen, paralyzed by tech choices, pull out this simple matrix. Ask yourself:

1. What's the fastest way to get the core feature working?
2. What's the cheapest way to run this at minimal scale?
3. What's the easiest tool to learn or use right now?

Don't let the fear of future scaling or the allure of the "best" tech hold you back. Build scrappy, validate early, and iterate. Your future self will thank you.