Using external services for everything may not always be the best idea...
Mohammed Kheezar Hayat
3 replies
(for technical builders)
External 'X as a service' tools, especially large ones are created for typical use cases (even if the blurb does not say so explicitly): they are in the end products and thus 'packages of emphasis' and highly opinionated.
However, your use case, especially if you are at a startup, is unlikely to be typical. So even if a product promises to 'solve X' for your stack, it is worth considering whether you would be better off solving X yourself; with the aid of more granular, technically focussed packages/services, rather than a larger, business focussed one.
Maybe this is one more reason to learn to code!
Thoughts?
Replies
Claudia Nathan@claudianathan
Stackradar
Agreed! So far I’ve built exclusively without code, and that has taken me further than it could’ve 5 years ago, but I’m now learning full-stack development because the accumulated costs of all the tools needed when you can’t build stuff yourself is obscene. And often rigid, like you’ve said—if your startup is a good one, it’s not likely to be ‘typical’.
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I agree that relying too heavily on all-in-one services can be limiting, especially for startups with unique needs. Stitching together best-of-breed specialized services and building key pieces yourself often leads to a more flexible, tailored solution. Definitely a good reason to sharpen the coding skills! Of course, it's a tradeoff and using pre-built services can accelerate time-to-market. Like most things, the right approach depends on your specific context and priorities.
Using external services for everything is like ordering takeout for every meal - convenient, but sometimes you just crave a homemade solution tailored to your unique taste, right? Time to sprinkle a little DIY magic in your tech kitchen! 🧙♂️