← Back to journal
Jun 29, 2026Engineering5 min read

Choosing a stack for your first SaaS MVP

Next.js, Postgres, and managed auth — when they fit, and when they do not.

Start with constraints

Founders often over-buy infrastructure. We recommend matching stack complexity to 12-month roadmap, not five-year fantasy scale.

Our default MVP stack

  1. Next.js for marketing + app routes
  2. PostgreSQL for relational truth
  3. Auth.js or Clerk depending on compliance needs

Ship the smallest surface that validates revenue — then invest in observability.