Starting a company in 2025 is already hard, the last thing you need is to waste weeks arguing about which tech stack to proceed with. There isn’t one “perfect” framework, but there are smart defaults that save you time, money and stress.
What is a tech stack?
A tech stack is the collection of technologies a company uses to build and run an application or website. It includes all the tools and frameworks that work together, from the user-facing parts (frontend), to the server-side logic (backend), the database where data is stored, and the infrastructure that hosts and connects everything. Think of it like the different layers of a building. Each layer has a specific job, and they all have to work together to make the building stable and functional.
A solid stack should be:
- Quick to implement
- Scalable
- Cost-effective
- Easy to maintain, with a strong community
We’ve scoured Reddit threads, forums, and surveys to find out what founders, indie hackers, and developers are talking about right now, so you don’t have to.
The most popular tech stacks among these groups are:
Frontend:
The Appeal: It’s a clear favourite. Developers love its speed and seamless integration with Vercel. One Redditor on r/indiehackers even called it “the no-brainer choice for SaaS founders in 2025.” With built-in React Query and a simpler Context API, it helps teams not mess with state, as explained in a DEV community breakdown.
The Appeal: If you prefer Vue.js, Nuxt.js is also gaining popularity. It’s seen as a simpler, faster option for founders who need to get a product to market quickly without the extra load of React.
Backend:
The Appeal: The MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React, Node.js) remains a reliable choice. As one founder put it, “It’s boring, but it ships.” Reliability and speed are key when a startup only has a few months of runway.
The Appeal: This is the go-to choice for AI-focused startups. It’s praised for being able to handle large data tasks without the complexity of heavier frameworks. Paired with Pocketbase or Supabase, it creates a lean setup perfect for modern AI applications.
The Appeal: While Firebase is still used for quick MVPs, many in the community now prefer Supabase due to its open-source nature and greater flexibility.
Infrastructure:
This is where founders have the strongest opinions in 2025. The Pragmatic Engineer survey shows that small teams are moving away from complex cloud providers and prefer lightweight platforms.
The Appeal: One developer admitted on r/programming: “I haven’t touched AWS in months. Vercel just lets me sleep at night.” For new startups, these platforms are a top choice because they simplify deployment and server management. It’s about shipping without having to babysit servers at 3 a.m.
The Appeal: Many developers will tell you the same thing: don’t rush into AWS or GCP unless you really need to. Many on Reddit argue that “AWS is overkill when you’re just starting out, you’ll spend more time learning their ecosystem than building your product.” These powerful tools are perfect once you’re serving thousands of users or need advanced infrastructure. In the beginning, just use the simple tools until you actually need more.
Productivity Tools:
The appeal: Developers on Reddit and Hacker News praise Linear as a fast and enjoyable alternative to Jira.
- AI-Driven IDEs (Cursor)
The appeal: These tools are becoming a standard part of developer workflows, with publications like Lenny’s Newsletter noting their growing popularity.
The appeal: Figma is still the primary tool for handing off designs to developers. However, new AI plugins are now helping to speed up the mockup process. As one founder joked, “Our MVP is basically Figma plus vibes until it turns into code.”
Vibe coding & no-code:
Beyond the traditional stack, the way startups build is evolving. You can’t scroll through dev Twitter or indie hacker forums without seeing stories about new approaches that are changing the game.
- Vibe Coding
The appeal: This is a term for AI-powered prototyping that feels a bit like magic. This year, Business Insider wrote about founders who tested ten product ideas in a single week.
- No-Code and AI Platforms (Base44)
The appeal: Platforms like Base44 are quietly changing the game. In one r/programming thread, a solo founder confessed, “I built my first SaaS without writing a line of code, scary but liberating.”
In the end, the best stack is the one that lets you build and ship before the money’s gone. In startups, surviving mostly comes down to just keeping things moving.
