Technology for startups - Advice from experienced CTO

Startup founders often face difficulties with the technological aspects of running their businesses.

‍

Being aware of common technical terms and how they affect the business can help you overcome such challenges. And in his webinar on technology for startups, Alexis Yushin, the CEO & CTO of Apexive, aims to assist you with that. Using real-life examples, he explains how technology impacts startups in the short and long run.

This webinar is a valuable resource for all non-tech founders struggling with making the right decisions in choosing a tech stack and partners. Here is a summary of the workshop to get you started.

‍

‍

Key Takeaways

The workshop aims to familiarize startup founders with the right approach to choosing and implementing technology for their startups. The main highlights of the workshop are as follows.

‍

Your Tech Stack Should Serve Your Business, Not The Other Way Round

A tech stack is the combination of tools, applications, and services you use for building a project or developing an application for your business. To run a startup profitably, you have to ensure there is the right tech stack chosen that always says Yes to your needs.

‍

For this, it's crucial to have a clear idea of the app or product that you intend to build and why. Once you are sure about what exactly you expect from the technology, choosing the right tech stack becomes easier. Keep in mind the tech stack needs to be productive both short-term and long-term - it should not slow down your business. In short, the technology you use should enable your business to achieve the goals or objectives you have decided on.

‍

Taking Shortcuts Can Result In Technical Debt

Many startups tend to opt for shortcuts to achieve their short-term goals. When you choose a quicker method thinking that you will solve the ensuing problems later, it may end up adding to your expenses in the long term. This concept is popularly known as technical debt.

‍

Unfortunately, many founders only identify this problem once it's too late, which often impacts their startups negatively.

‍

Stick To The DRY Principle

To run their businesses successfully, founders (even non-tech ones) need to understand and stick with the DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) principle. The principle is simple - you shouldn't waste time building something that's already built. For example, if you want a certain feature for your project and there is software available that can do it just the way you want, you should use it instead of trying to build everything from scratch.

‍

Making Wrong Choices In Choosing Your Tech Stack Can Negatively Impact Your Business

Choosing a technology stack loaded with industry-best libraries and practices can help accelerate the development of your product. However, a tech stack isn't good or bad in itself - everything depends on the needs and business goals. Unless you are clear about the outcomes you are expecting, selecting the right technology can be a difficult task. The type of code, usage of high-level or low-level language, the framework used, etc., all depends on the type of product or platform you are building.

‍

The Way You Implement The Tech Stack Is Just As Important

While the tech stack you use is very important, how you implement it also matters. If you are looking for long-term growth, it's essential that you combine good technologies with the right approach. 

‍

Using open-source software and frameworks can also help you to avoid accumulating technical debt. First, you don't need to build popularly used features from scratch. Secondly, even if your technical provider can't do the job, you can easily get other providers who are well-versed in that specific open-source technology.

‍

Its Best To Avoid Hard Coding And Spaghetti Code

Hard-coded apps or programs are inflexible - they cannot be altered without modifying the whole program. Spaghetti code, on the other hand, is more like an unstructured tangled web of code. As a result, making even the simplest of alterations will require considerable time and effort. Both these types of codes make it difficult for businesses to add or change features to improve their product, so it's best to steer clear of them.

Want tech stack suggestions that would work well for your startup, or do you have more questions regarding this topic? The online workshop covers all the points mentioned above and more - that too in a detailed manner. You can watch the full video here.