Backends chosen for what you can hire and operate.
The language matters far less than the design of the service boundaries, the data model and the operational tooling around it. We work across all six of the platforms below, so the recommendation is not steered by what we happen to staff.
- First question
- What can your team operate?
- Second
- What can you hire for locally?
- Third
- What does the existing estate already run?
- Rarely decisive
- Benchmarks and framework fashion
The right technology is the one you can still run in five years.
Most enterprises end up polyglot whether they planned to or not: an acquisition brings a .NET estate, a data team standardises on Python, a legacy platform is still CFML. That is manageable when the boundaries are clean and the operational practice is shared.
Where we do push a view: prefer the platform your organisation can already run in production at 3am. A technically superior stack nobody can support is a liability wearing a benchmark.
Every engagement is delivered with your engineers in the repository from the first week, so the knowledge accrues internally, not leaving when we do. You own the code, the pipelines and the documentation regardless of how the engagement ends.
If you are weighing a decision and want a second opinion instead of a proposal, we are happy to give one.
Node.js — MERN & MEAN
Strong for API layers and real-time services, and it lets one team share language and types across the whole stack. We use TypeScript on the server as a matter of course.
- REST and GraphQL API layers over existing systems
- Real-time services — websockets, streaming, notifications
- Serverless functions on AWS Lambda and Azure Functions
- MERN and MEAN stack applications, end to end
Python — Django & FastAPI
The default where data science, machine learning or heavy data processing sits close to the application. FastAPI for services, Django where the admin and ORM earn their keep.
- FastAPI services with generated OpenAPI contracts
- Django applications with substantial back-office needs
- Data pipelines, ETL and scheduled processing
- ML model serving and inference APIs
Java & Spring Boot
The safe choice for high-volume transactional systems in banking, insurance and logistics, with the deepest operational tooling of any ecosystem here.
- Spring Boot microservices and modular monoliths
- High-throughput transaction processing
- Migration from legacy Java EE and application servers
- Batch processing with Spring Batch
.NET & ASP.NET Core
The natural fit for Microsoft estates, and excellent on performance since .NET Core. Integrates cleanly with Azure, Entra ID and the Power Platform.
- ASP.NET Core APIs and web applications
- Migration from .NET Framework to modern .NET
- Azure-native services and managed identity
- Integration with Dynamics, SharePoint and Power Platform
PHP & Laravel
Still the fastest route to a well-structured web application when the requirement is conventional, and it hosts almost anywhere at low cost.
- Laravel applications, APIs and admin panels
- Upgrades from legacy PHP and end-of-life frameworks
- WordPress and WooCommerce beyond the theme layer
- Queue-based background processing
Serverless & AWS Lambda
Right for spiky, event-driven and scheduled workloads where paying for idle servers makes no sense. Wrong for steady high-throughput work, and we will say so.
- Event-driven pipelines and scheduled jobs
- API Gateway and Lambda service layers
- Step Functions for long-running orchestration
- Cost modelling before committing to the pattern
ColdFusion & CFML
We have worked in CFML since 2003 and still maintain production ColdFusion systems. See the dedicated page for maintenance, upgrade and migration options.
- Adobe ColdFusion and Lucee maintenance
- Engine upgrades and security hardening
- Feature development on existing CFML applications
- Staged migration to modern platforms
Need engineers on your own team instead?
Named individuals you interview, on monthly rolling terms. Each of these has a page explaining what separates a good hire from an average one in that stack.