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Tech Stack Guide

Best Tech Stack for Solo Developer in 2026

Tech stack optimized for one-person teams. Focused on simplicity, low maintenance, and maximum productivity.

Updated for 2026. Practical recommendations based on real projects.

$0-100
Monthly Running Cost
$0-200
Initial Setup Cost

Recommended Tech Stack for Solo Developer

Our top picks for building a solo developer in 2026, with reasoning for each choice.

Frontend

Next.js - Full-stack without managing separate services
Tailwind CSS - Ship without design decisions
shadcn/ui - Beautiful components you fully control

Backend

Next.js API Routes - No separate backend to deploy
Prisma - Type-safe database access

Database

Supabase - Managed Postgres with auth and storage
PlanetScale - Serverless MySQL that scales

Hosting

Vercel - Deploy with git push, no DevOps needed

Extras

Clerk - Auth without building it yourself
Stripe - Payments and billing handled
Loops/Resend - Email without infrastructure

Stack Architecture Overview

Frontend
Next.js
Tailwind CSS
shadcn/ui
Backend
Next.js API Routes
Prisma
Database
Supabase
PlanetScale
Hosting
Vercel
Extras
Clerk
Stripe
Loops/Resend

Alternative Tech Stacks

Depending on your team's expertise and specific requirements, these alternatives might be a better fit.

Rails Stack

Ruby on RailsPostgreSQLRender/Railway

Best for: Maximum productivity with convention over configuration

Laravel Stack

LaravelMySQLLaravel ForgeDigital Ocean

Best for: PHP developers with Laravel experience

Go Stack

GoSQLiteHTMXFly.io

Best for: Simple apps with minimal dependencies

Key Considerations

Important factors to keep in mind when building a solo developer.

  • Choose boring technology you know well
  • Use managed services for anything non-core
  • Automate everything: deploys, backups, monitoring
  • Build features, not infrastructure
  • Keep dependencies minimal to reduce maintenance

When to Avoid This Stack

This stack might not be the best choice for the following scenarios.

  • Apps requiring 24/7 on-call support
  • Enterprise sales with complex requirements
  • Projects needing a large team to maintain

Need Help Building Your Solo Developer?

We build MVPs using these exact stacks. Get your solo developer launched in 2 weeks for $2,997 with our 90-day revenue guarantee.

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