As a startup, we’re all about speed, cost savings, and making sure everything can grow as we do. We’ve chosen Docker, DigitalOcean, Django, and Postgres as our go-to tech stack. Here’s why we’re using them and why they could work for your startup too.
1. Docker: Keeping Everything Consistent
Docker makes sure our app runs the same no matter where it’s deployed—whether on a developer’s laptop, in testing, or in production. This eliminates those frustrating “it works on my machine” issues. Docker helps us scale easily by allowing us to add more containers when traffic spikes. It also speeds up the onboarding process for new developers—getting the app running on their local machine takes one simple command.
2. DigitalOcean: Affordable Cloud Servers
We use DigitalOcean for hosting. It’s affordable and perfect for startups on a tight budget. With simple server setup and management, we don’t waste time dealing with complex configurations. As our user base grows, we can scale up quickly by upgrading servers or adding more resources. DigitalOcean gives us all the cloud power we need without breaking the bank, which is exactly what a startup needs to focus on building its product.
3. Django: Frontend, Backend, and Everything in Between as a One-Person Team
Django is a full-stack web framework, which means one person can handle everything—frontend, backend, APIs, and even admin dashboards. As a startup, this is a huge win because it lets a single developer (or a small team) build and manage the entire product without needing to split tasks between frontend and backend specialists.
With Django, you get:
- Backend: Out-of-the-box support for building powerful backend systems, handling user authentication, database management, and security features like CSRF protection.
- Frontend: While you can easily integrate with JavaScript frameworks like React or Vue, Django also supports rendering templates on the server side. This means you can handle both the frontend and backend with the same codebase, which is a big time-saver.
- Admin Interface: Django includes a fully functional admin panel right out of the box, so you don’t have to spend extra time building tools to manage your data. This is great for quickly iterating and managing content without extra work.
- APIs: If you need to serve data to mobile apps or third-party services, Django REST Framework makes it easy to build RESTful APIs alongside your web app.
With Django, you don’t need a separate frontend team. As a single developer, you can build a robust, scalable app with both frontend and backend capabilities, which is perfect for a lean startup.
4. Postgres: Reliable and Free Database
We use Postgres as our database because it’s open-source and free, which is perfect for saving money. Even though it’s free, it’s super reliable and has all the features we need. Postgres also supports advanced data types like JSON, which allows us to store and query complex data without needing another database system.
Why This Stack Works for Us
Using Docker, DigitalOcean, Django, and Postgres has given us a simple, scalable, and cost-effective tech stack. Docker ensures everything works consistently across environments. DigitalOcean provides affordable cloud infrastructure that’s easy to scale. Django allows us to build both the frontend and backend with just one person, thanks to its full-stack capabilities. And Postgres gives us a solid, free database solution that can grow with us.
Co-Founder and Software Engineer at Podhax