Term · Web & development
Tech stack
A tech stack — technology stack — is the combination of technologies a product is built and run with: programming languages, frameworks, databases, servers and hosting, plus supporting tools for development, testing and monitoring.
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Explained
What it typically includes
- Frontend: for example React with TypeScript for web interfaces; Flutter or React Native for mobile apps.
- Backend: a language and framework such as Node.js, Python, PHP, Java or C#.
- Database: relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) or specialised stores.
- Infrastructure: hosting, containers, CDN, storage.
- Tooling: code repository, CI/CD, error monitoring, analytics.
Why it matters to a business
- Hiring and maintenance: mainstream stacks have many developers available; rare ones create dependence.
- Cost: licences, hosting requirements and developer rates differ.
- Security and longevity: actively maintained technologies receive security updates.
- Fit: some stacks suit content sites, others data-heavy applications or real-time features.
Questions to ask a developer
- Why this stack for this project?
- How widely used is it, and how easy is it to find developers?
- How long will the chosen versions be supported?
- What would it take for another team to maintain the product?
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Can a stack be changed later?
Yes, but it usually means rewriting parts of the product. Choose carefully at the start.
Is the newest technology always best?
No. For business software, maturity, support and availability of developers often matter more than novelty.