Every successful business runs on a strong and reliable platform. To build one, you’ve got to pull together a combination of services that align with your specific business goals.
Modern tech stacks are packed with components because there are more devices and users than ever, which puts a bigger strain on app development. With all this extra data to handle, you need more tools in the stack (e.g. data lakes for storage and analytics tools) to make sense of it all.
Combining these services ensures that your platform is not only scalable and well-constructed but also equipped to handle the demands of modern business operations.
Organizations can’t dodge it anymore – a modern tech stack is crucial for survival. If you wish to stay competitive, appealing, ahead of the game, and profitable, cutting-edge IT infrastructure is a must.
What is a Modern Platform Stack?
A tech stack refers to the combination of technologies that work together to develop, deploy, and maintain platforms.
A modern platform stack is one that hits all the right notes for a great setup – think better user experiences, lower costs, quicker development, automation, etc. It’s distinguished by its ability to scale and adapt more effectively than a traditional stack.
Traditional stacks are often monolithic and tightly coupled, making them less flexible and harder to scale. In contrast, modern stacks leverage cloud-native technologies, such as container orchestration tools like Kubernetes, and adopt microservices and CI/CD pipelines to enhance scalability, automation, and parallel development.
Another key way to differentiate them is by the specific technologies they use. While most tech stacks include components like programming languages, databases, servers, etc., the technologies chosen for these components can vary between modern and traditional stacks.
Modern stacks use newer programming languages, cloud-based databases, and advanced networking solutions compared to older, traditional stacks. For example, while traditional stacks might use legacy on-premises databases, modern stacks favor cloud-based databases like MongoDB.
Many legacy stacks are behind the times by today’s standards and will continue to become increasingly inadequate, making it harder for businesses to stay competitive. Upgrading your stack ensures that your business can enhance its customer experience now and keep you ahead in the future.
The Iceberg of Platform Development: What You See vs. What’s Underneath
Building a modern platform involves many different components. It’s a complex process requiring coordination across multiple layers and services to ensure that the platform is scalable, secure, and robust.
Here’s a breakdown of what goes into creating a modern platform stack and why it’s essential for your business.
User Interfaces: The Tip of the Iceberg
The most visible part of any platform is its UI, whether it’s a mobile app, a web platform, or an admin dashboard.
Surprisingly, this accounts for only about 10-20% of the overall development effort. The majority of the work happens beneath the surface, connecting these interfaces to the core functionality of your platform.
APIs, Integrations, and Business Logic: The Heart of the Platform
The middle layer of the platform stack is where the real breakthroughs happen. This phase is crucial for turning a conceptual idea into a functional, seamless application.
This includes everything from APIs that connect different parts of your system, to business logic that dictates how data is processed and presented.
This layer also includes frameworks, databases, and third-party integrations that need to work together seamlessly. Ensuring that data flows correctly between systems and is stored in the right models is crucial.
In addition to core development tasks, you must also ensure data validation, implement security measures, and integrate with third-party services.
Infrastructure and Security: The Foundation
At the foundation of any modern platform is the infrastructure, which is hosted on cloud providers like AWS. This layer often involves integrating various services. For instance, on AWS, we might use S3 for storage, Lambda for microservices, and other cloud components like containers and load balancers to scale the application.
Security adds another layer of complexity, with a range of services needed for different aspects of protection. This can include multiple services for application servers and databases, and you need to ensure all components – from middleware to core infrastructure – are properly connected and functioning.
This stage involves significant work to bring everything together, debug issues, and make sure logging is properly configured.
To show how intricate things can get, think about a scenario where multiple services are used: CDN for edge servers, S3 for storage, Azure Bastion for server security, VPC for a virtual private cloud, Redis for caching, and containers for code management.
Automation tools like CI/CD with GitHub or Bitbucket, SNS for email notifications, and third-party tools like SendGrid for push notifications can also be part of the stack. This extensive use of services is typical in modern platforms.
Building a scalable, secure, and robust platform involves integrating these elements effectively. You need to carefully develop and integrate various aspects of the platform to ensure it is modern, effective, and capable of meeting contemporary needs.
The Foundation for Modern Software Applications
The backbone of any robust and scalable app is built upon three critical components: databases, servers, and APIs/integration.
Databases
Modern platforms rely on databases to manage vast amounts of data with speed and accuracy. Key aspects of the modern data stack include:
- Dynamic Data Management: Modern platforms often handle diverse data types and large volumes, requiring databases that can scale dynamically to accommodate growing needs.
- Real-Time Analytics: To remain competitive, platforms need real-time insights and data processing capabilities, which advanced databases provide.
- Flexibility and Integration: Modern databases support various data models and structures, enabling seamless integration with other technologies and adapting to evolving business needs.
Servers
Servers are the engines behind modern platforms, providing the computational power and reliability needed for smooth operation.
- Elastic Scalability: Modern platforms must handle fluctuating loads efficiently. Cloud-based servers offer elastic scalability, allowing platforms to scale resources up or down based on demand.
- High Availability and Resilience: Servers with high availability and failover capabilities ensure that platforms remain operational and resilient against failures.
- Performance Optimization: Modern servers are optimized for high performance, delivering fast response times and handling large volumes of concurrent users effectively.
APIs/Integration
APIs and integration points are the glue that binds modern platforms together, enabling interoperability and seamless functionality:
- Interconnected Ecosystems: Modern platforms integrate with various external services, applications, and data sources. APIs facilitate these connections, enabling a cohesive ecosystem.
- Agility and Innovation: APIs allow for rapid development and deployment of new features by leveraging existing services and technologies.
- Customizability and Extensibility: Modern platforms need to be adaptable. APIs provide the flexibility to extend functionality and customize integrations to meet specific business requirements.
Why Your Business Needs a Modern Platform Stack
A modern platform stack is not just a technical necessity – it’s a strategic advantage. It allows your business to scale rapidly, adapt to changing market conditions, and provide a secure and seamless experience for your users.
By investing in a well-architected platform, you’re setting your business up for long-term success, enabling you to focus on innovation and growth rather than being bogged down by technical debt and infrastructure challenges.
Future-Proofing
Modern stacks are designed to adapt to new advancements. By using contemporary tools and frameworks, your business can ensure its platform remains relevant and can leverage future innovations.
Efficiency and Automation
A modern platform stack centralizes your data and processes, streamlining operations and reducing complexity. This integration minimizes manual work, enhances productivity, and ensures consistency across all functions.
They include tools that automate routine tasks, streamline workflows, and reduce manual intervention, which improves overall efficiency. This not only speeds up processes but also minimizes the potential for human error, leading to more consistent and reliable outcomes.
Scalability
As businesses grow and evolve, their technology needs change. Modern stacks are designed to scale easily with your business, allowing you to expand your capabilities without major overhauls or disruptions. Whether you’re expanding your operations or increasing your user base, it can handle growth without significant rework.
A cloud platform (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) is a prime example of tech stack components that can accommodate this scalability. It automatically scales resources based on demand, so you don’t have to invest in extra hardware.
Performance and Speed
Newer platforms typically offer better performance and faster processing speeds. They use advanced caching mechanisms and optimized databases to ensure faster data retrieval and processing. This can enhance user experience and improve the efficiency of your operations.
They also use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver content more quickly to users by caching it in multiple locations around the world.
Integration
A modern stack typically offers better integration capabilities, allowing various tools and systems to work together seamlessly. They offer extensive APIs and pre-built connectors, enabling seamless data flow and workflow automation. This facilitates seamless communication and data exchange across different parts of your organization.
For example, platforms like Microsoft Power Platform provide modular components that can be customized or extended based on specific needs. This integration is key to creating a cohesive operational environment and avoiding silos that can hinder productivity and decision-making.
Data-Driven Insights
Modern platforms often come with advanced analytics and reporting features, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and gain valuable insights into performance, customer behavior, and market trends.
Flexibility
Modern platforms are adaptable to changing business needs and technological advancements. This flexibility allows businesses to pivot quickly in response to new opportunities or challenges, ensuring that their technology remains relevant and effective.
A robust platform stack allows you to easily grow and adapt your system with new features and capabilities. As your business expands, you can seamlessly scale up your infrastructure to meet increased demand and maintain performance.
Cost Efficiency
Modern technologies come with cost-saving benefits like pay-as-you-go cloud services and reduced infrastructure management overhead. This can lead to lower total cost of ownership and more predictable expenses.
Security
Modern stacks come with updated security features and protocols, helping to protect sensitive data and mitigate risks. Having a robust security framework in place is essential for safeguarding your business’s assets and maintaining trust with customers.
Enhanced security measures like encryption, multi-factor authentication, and access controls safeguard sensitive information and ensure compliance with regulations.
How to Choose a Tech Stack for a Modern Application
Choosing the right technology stack doesn’t have to be overly complicated. Here’s a more laid-back breakdown to guide you through the process:
1. Understand What You Need
Get Clear on Goals: Think about the core business goals that the platform needs to support, such as scalability, performance, or security.
Talk to Your Team: Get input from everyone involved to make sure you’re covering all the bases.
2. Figure Out the Technical Specs
Scalability: How big do you plan to grow? Make sure the stack can handle that, including user base expansion and data volume.
Performance: Set performance benchmarks for response time, uptime, and load handling.
Security: Identify security needs like data encryption, compliance, and authentication methods.
Integration: Consider the need for the platform to integrate with existing tools, services, or legacy systems.
3. Explore Technology Options
Frontend Technologies: For the front-end tech stack, choose modern frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js that offer responsive and dynamic user experiences.
Backend Technologies: Consider backend frameworks and languages (e.g., Python, Flask, Node.js, Nest.js, Django, Ruby on Rails) that align with your performance and scalability needs.
Database Selection: Decide between SQL, NoSQL, or NewSQL databases depending on the nature of your data and query requirements.
Cloud Services: Compare cloud providers (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) for hosting, storage, and computing power.
DevOps Tools: Integrate tools for CI/CD, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and monitoring to ensure efficient development and deployment.
4. Consider Future-Proofing
Microservices Architecture: This might be the way to go if your platform requires flexibility, independent scaling, and the ability to deploy updates with minimal downtime.
APIs and Integration: Make sure your stack supports API-driven development and can easily integrate with third-party services and platforms.
AI/ML Capabilities: Evaluate the need for incorporating AI/ML features and choose platforms or services that support these capabilities.
5. Test It Out
Build Prototypes: Develop a small-scale prototype to see how the selected stack meets your requirements.
Performance Testing: Run stress tests, load tests, and security audits to ensure the stack can handle real-world scenarios.
User Feedback: Ask users and developers for their thoughts on the prototype to identify any potential issues or improvements.
6. Check the Costs
Initial Costs: Estimate the cost of setting up the stack, factoring in everything from planning to deployment.
Operational Costs: Consider ongoing costs for maintenance, cloud services, and scalability.
ROI Analysis: Perform an ROI analysis to make sure you’re getting good value from the chosen stack.
7. Plan the Rollout
Create a Roadmap: Map out a detailed implementation plan with timelines, milestones, and resource allocation.
Onboarding and Training: Ensure everyone is up to speed on the new technologies and best practices.
Monitor and Optimize: Continuously monitor the platform’s performance and make optimizations as needed.
A Practical Example of a Modern Platform Stack
To really get a feel for what a modern platform stack entails, let’s break it down with a concrete example. Imagine that you want to build a modern eCommerce web application. Here’s a detailed look at how the best tech stack for web development can be put together for this project:
Frontend
- Programming Language: JavaScript (used with React.js).
- Framework: React.js for building a dynamic user interface.
- Styling: Tailwind CSS for a modern, responsive design.
Backend
- Programming Language: JavaScript (used with Node.js).
- Framework: Node.js with Express.js for building RESTful APIs and handling server-side logic.
- Database: PostgreSQL for managing relational data like user accounts, product details, and orders.
Modern Data Stack
- Data Integration: Fivetran for extracting, transforming, and loading data from various sources.
- Data Warehousing: Snowflake for scalable and efficient data storage and analysis.
- Data Transformation: dbt (Data Build Tool) for transforming and modeling data in the warehouse.
DevOps & Deployment
- Containerization: Docker for creating consistent development and production environments.
- Orchestration: Kubernetes for managing and scaling the application containers.
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions for automating build, test, and deployment workflows.
Cloud Infrastructure
Provider: AWS (Amazon Web Services) for cloud hosting.
- AWS EC2 for virtual servers.
- AWS RDS for managed PostgreSQL database.
- AWS S3 for storing images and other static assets.
- AWS Elastic Load Balancing for distributing incoming traffic.
Monitoring & Logging
- Monitoring: Grafana with Prometheus for visualizing application metrics and performance.
- Logging: ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) for collecting, storing, and analyzing log data.
Security
- Authentication: Auth0 for user authentication and management.
- Encryption: TLS/SSL for secure communication between clients and the server. AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for managing encryption keys.
Analytics
- Google Analytics and AWS QuickSight for tracking user behavior, sales performance, and other key metrics.
BI Tool
- Power BI for in-depth business intelligence and data visualization, helping to derive actionable insights from data.
Bitcot’s Approach to Modern Application Development
At Bitcot, our approach to modern application development is centered around leveraging the most advanced technologies and methodologies to create high-performing, scalable, and user-centric solutions.
We leverage a powerful technology stack for web development that includes Node.js and React for dynamic and responsive applications. When React isn’t the perfect fit, we turn to Vue or Angular to meet the project’s demands.
On the back end, our modern web application stack includes technologies like Python, PHP, Laravel, or .NET, ensuring a robust and scalable solution.
When working with Node.js, NestJS is often our go-to framework, while Next.js complements our React projects, providing seamless server-side rendering and enhanced performance.
Our Ruby projects typically use Rails, and our PHP projects often leverage Laravel.
When developing native mobile apps, we utilize Swift for iOS and Kotlin for Android, delivering a smooth and native experience on both platforms. For projects requiring a hybrid solution, we turn to Flutter, combining the best of both worlds with a single codebase that runs seamlessly across platforms.
Every choice we make is pivotal in establishing a solid engineering foundation for your project.
Leveraging Reusable Components
One of the key strategies we employ in modern platform development is the provision of hundreds of reusable code components from day one.
These components, constantly refined by our engineering team, are available at no additional cost, providing a robust foundation for the project. This pre-built library accelerates development and avoids the need to reinvent the wheel.
With hundreds of components and tens of thousands of lines of code at our disposal, we ensure a stable and reliable base for your platform.
Final Thoughts
The idea of “standing still is going backwards” has never been more pertinent. Modernizing your applications, backend systems, and infrastructure – essentially your entire tech stack – is no longer a luxury; it’s an absolute necessity to remain competitive and relevant.
Now that you know the basics about modern tech stacks, we hope that the next steps you’ll take will be directed towards identifying the opportunities within your business to make the most out of advanced technologies.
At Bitcot, we help build your solution at all tiers, making sure your platform is secure, scalable, and robust—because in today’s modern landscape, anything less simply won’t cut it.
This includes crafting a customized tech stack by selecting the right programming languages, frameworks, databases, and technologies to build a solid engineering groundwork and seamless integration across all components.
Get in touch with us to build a rock-solid and adaptable platform that enhances efficiency, supports growth, and drives huge success. Streamline operations and improve collaboration, while your customers enjoy a reliable and smooth experience.
