Your Complete Guide to the Best Startup Tech Stack

The best tech startups have three key characteristics. First, they have a talented, capable team. Second, they have a fantastic idea. They also have the right startup tech stack to implement it. It's impossible to stress the last point enough. The world's best ideas will find serious headwinds if the founders elect to use complicated, cumbersome, or outdated tech.

Consider the following egregious example. Let's suppose, in theory, a founder with a talented team and a fantastic idea decided to use Fortran to power their website (yes, believe it or not, such a thing exists). Most developers don't know Fortran, and the framework doesn't have a blossoming community behind it. Even if the founders could somehow get their idea working, it's questionable how stable the product would be or scalable.

There aren't many founders looking to run their new sites on Fortran, but this absurd example illustrates how important picking the right tech stack is. The right stack acts as a tailwind, enabling your startup to get off the ground faster and fly further than you would have imagined otherwise. Conversely, the wrong tech stack can be a headwind, giving you constant agony and slowing down your momentum.

So how do you, as a founder, pick the right stack?

Assuming that you are already aware of what is a tech stack, let's look at this question in depth, including looking at some of the best tech stack examples.

What is a Tech Stack?

Sustainable mobile app development enables businesses not only to make their applications quickly and cost-effectively but also to keep them rewarding in terms of user satisfaction. The choice of the right tech stack for a mobile app​​ is crucial when it comes to sustainable software development.   

The technology stack ensures maintainability, scalability, and compliance with particular functional requirements and a company's business goals. The tech stack for mobile app is not only a cost or time-saver but also an integral part of an organization's engineering culture.  

The term 'technology stack' is used to mark a combination of programming languages, frameworks, platforms, tools, UX/UI solutions, and other technologies needed for comprehensive mobile application development.      

The major elements constituting the tech stack for mobile app development include:

• Frontend tech. A set of tools and technologies to build the interface to communicate directly with the end-users of an app. 
• Backend tech. Platforms and tools used to develop the application's background are processed on the server and unseen by the end-users. 
• Development platform. A single resource with all the libraries and interfaces needed for app development in one place.
• Additional or supporting tools. Diverse supplementing solutions help to improve the security, performance, and customizations of an app.

The choice of the tools and solutions per each component outlined above depends on the functional requirements and goals of the business. That’s why the best tech stack for mobile app development would not be the same in each case. 

Why Is the Startup Tech Stack Important for Teams?

With everything going on during the initial launch of a company, the question of which tech stack to use might seem lower on the priority list. After all, there are legal questions, getting prototypes done, meeting with investors, and many more activities. You might pick whatever you've used in the past or whatever your team is comfortable with, and run with it.

However, this can be a recipe for problems later, for a few key reasons:

• The tech stack you choose now is often very challenging to adjust later. Rewriting a whole system from Python to PHP is no easy task. Migrating all your databases and connectors from MySQL to NoSQL would be equally challenging.
• Migrating from one cloud or hosting provider to another is also problematic. The resources that you have on AWS, for example, won't map 1:1 with Azure, leading to potential issues from migration.
• Changing the stack is costly for many reasons. It might mean hiring new developers or retraining the ones you have.

The startup tech stack you choose now will likely be with you for the most crucial stages of your startup's funding process. The stack you select must be robust, resilient, and able to scale well. Your startup's needs at ten unique daily users will be much different than when you have 1,000,000 daily users!

Some Definitions When Discussing a Tech Stack for Startup

Unfortunately, there's no uniform definition for what a "tech stack" is. This article assumes that the term "tech stack" is quite broad. It's everything you'll use to build your product: the programming languages, frameworks, libraries, servers, programs, and platforms.

To help narrow this term down, consider what will be the focus of your product? Is it an AI product, a mobile application, or something altogether different? Pick each component that your new product needs (mobile app, server, development workstations, etc.). There will be some combination of hardware and software involved in each component. That combination is your tech stack.

For example, let's consider Facebook since most of us have a Facebook account, so it's a readily accessible example. At its core, Facebook has two mobile applications (iOS and Android), a web presence, and some server infrastructure. 

Therefore, Facebook's tech stack refers to the hardware and software used to build those mobile applications, run the necessary server code, run the website, and communicate with the infrastructure. Facebook, at its core, uses PHP and React to power its web presence. The server infrastructure is custom, as Facebook now has 30,000 web servers. On the mobile application side, Facebook has never disclosed what it uses, but we know there is some React Native, native code, and HTML5 in there. For Facebook Messenger, it uses native iOS and Android code.

As a founder, you have to decide what your product's tech stack will be. Or, in other words, where will your software run and what languages and frameworks will power it?

What Are the Top Factors When Selecting Your Startup Tech Stack?

When selecting your company's tech stack, there are a few factors that should guide your decision.

Cost

How expensive the language or platform is should be your number one consideration. However, founders shouldn't think of these expenses solely in terms of upfront licensing fees. Instead, what are the upfront costs in addition to the ongoing maintenance expenditures that a particular tech stack will use? Are there security or liability costs? For example, CentOS Linux is completely free, and Red Hat costs a minimum of $350 a year for one server. However, Red Hat often gets security patches for significant issues within hours or days. CentOS might not get them for weeks or months. If you have customer data on your server, that $350 fee might be worth it to ensure it is as hack-proof as possible!

Of course, developer salaries play into this as well. Popular, well-known technologies, like HTML, Swift, JavaScript, PHP, and C#, all have many developers available, helping drive the cost lower. Obscure technologies, like assembly language, have fewer devs so they can charge a premium.

You're generally best to pick a standard, well-known, open-source technology that gives you the features you need. That will ensure your ongoing maintenance and labor costs aren't sky-high.

Time

The longer your project takes to come to market, the harder it will be for you to succeed. You might have a competitor get their idea out first, which means you'll have to play catch-up. Or, you might run out of money fighting a tech that takes frustratingly long to use. 

Pick technology solutions that will empower your startup to achieve more. Don't choose technologies that will be a burden to your team and company. Pick tech that is easy to integrate and has plenty of third-party controls and support. These features will make it easy for you to use.

Scalability

Plan for 10,000,000 users, not 10 users. Your startup won't survive long if only ten people use your app or service, so you should be thinking about scalability from the start. Pick a technology that will scale as your startup grows. 

There are all too many horror stories of startups working night and day, only to have their product crash on the first day and receive significant negative press. Even big companies are susceptible to this, like Disney+, which crashed on launch day due to unanticipated demand.

Be ready for your app to succeed and pick a server-side tech, like PHP, Ruby, or Python, and cloud infrastructure, like AWS or Azure, that scales with it!

What Are the Benefits of Choosing the Right Startup Tech Stack?

Choosing the right startup technology stack is vital not only because it will last for much your startup's duration, but also because it brings benefits to your business. The modern technology stack will help your business in three crucial ways.

First, the right tech stack will make it easier to develop a minimum viable product (MVP). This term represents the minimum set of features that need to be included in your product to make it work. For example, the MVP of a file uploading site might be a simple user interface that lets the user choose a file, upload it to your server successfully, and download it again. It doesn't necessarily need all the fancy UI bells and whistles or features such as pausing an upload and resuming it. Your MVP is the first version of the project that you can ship and pitch to investors.

Since getting from idea to MVP is such a time-consuming process, choosing the best full tech stack is essential to getting something up and running fast, so that investors and customers alike are interested in what you're offering!

A fantastic application and web technology stack will also make it easier to find developers to add new features. Ideally, when your startup is growing, you want to be able to add devs quickly to implement things for which customers are asking. If you're stuck finding the one person in the country that knows an obscure language, you will have difficulty iterating fast enough to retain and pique customers' interest.

Finally, a good stack is just plain fun for developers to use! It has documentation, lots of examples, and it performs well. In turn, you'll get a clean, robust codebase that has fewer bugs. And, when there are bugs, your devs will be able to fix them faster, leading to higher customer satisfaction. Choosing the right stack promotes healthy software practices. Those practices will make your devs' lives easier so they can produce better software for your customers.

What Are the Drawbacks of Choosing the Wrong Tech Stack for Startups?

There are typically two problems with choosing the wrong stack for your new startup. The first one is the most obvious, and that's that you might code yourself into a corner. You might adopt a legacy stack that fewer and fewer developers are interested in using. That will make it harder to find quality talent. Fixes for bugs for this stack will be slower, which may expose your company to legal liability. Or, you might find that it doesn't scale well. These will all negatively impact your customers' and developers' lives.

The other problem with a lousy stack is that the only way to fix the problem might be a complete rewrite, which could be prohibitively expensive and jeopardize your whole startup. As an example, suppose you pick technology X for your startup. After working with X for six months, you find that it seems flaky around 10,000 users. Maybe it can't work across multiple machines, and the biggest VM you can get with AWS can only handle 10,000 users. The only way out of this problem might be to rewrite the entire codebase in a language that scales like Ruby or PHP.

That's likely not a trivial undertaking, though. You'll need devs that can code PHP and ensure there are no regressions. It might be a two-month undertaking, and, in that time, an up-and-coming competitor might take some of your customers.

At best, choosing the wrong tech is a minor inconvenience. At worst, though, it can be a miscalculation that leads to insolvency.

How Do I Choose the Right Startup Tech Stack?

Choosing the right startup tech stack isn't trivial. It requires careful consideration to ensure that you're making the right choice. 

The first step to choosing the right stack is first to identify where your software will run. Is this a mobile app? If so, do you want it on Android and iOS? Is this a web app, or both a mobile and web app? The stack you choose depends mostly on the platform on which your code will run.

Next, think about what kind of product it will be. Are you building a client-only application? Then you might want one of the native (Swift or Kotlin) frameworks. Are you building an advanced AI algorithm? Then C and CUDA might be for you. What you're making and where it will run will drive most of the modern tech stack discussion.

Plan for how many users you expect in the first few months of your startup. While you should pick a stack with scalability in mind, you don't necessarily need to implement advanced caching within PHP if you have five visitors a day to your website. Figuring out your expected load makes it easy to understand what frameworks you should use.

Finally, last but not least, what is your initial goal? Are you looking for a proof-of-concept? If so, then you might want to favor techs that offer rapid prototyping. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an MVP, you might want to focus on using a framework that is robust and scalable, even if it takes a little bit longer to code.

Which Startup Tech Stacks Do the Unicorns Use?

So far, we've analyzed more of the hypotheticals regarding tech stacks, but we haven't gone into as many specifics. If you're looking to choose a tech stack that works for your business, you probably want one with a "vote" of confidence from a large, well-known company. After all, if these popular tech stacks of companies are good enough for Facebook to run, for example, indeed, the tech is robust enough for your site!

Let's see popular tech stacks that some familiar tech companies use.

Facebook — PHP, React, Cassandra, Jest

Airbnb — PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, Ruby

Letgo — PHP, Symfony, MySQL, Python

SpaceX — PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, Ruby, C/C++

Slack — PHP, Python, JavaScript, Java, Go, Ruby, C/C++, Kotlin, Objective-C

Stripe — Java Virtual Machine, Ruby 

Twitter — Hadoop, Manhattan, MySQL, Node, React

Spotify — C++, Chromium Embedded Framework

Shopify — HTML5, Ruby on Rails, jQuery

Uber — Backbone.js, Node.js, React

Discord — JavaScript, C++, React Native, Flux

Tiktok — Swift, Kotlin, Azure

Reddit — Python, HTML5, jQuery

Dropbox — HTML5, MySQL

Linkedin— Frontier, HTML5, and jQuery, Node.js

The Ideal Tech Stack for Startups

Keeping the above in mind, here's the ideal tech stack for a startup.

Backend

Node.js with Express

Node.js is one of the most popular frameworks. It's an exciting concept for writing server-side APIs and responses . It allows you to write APIs, including database calls and complex calculations in pure JavaScript. Node.js executes the JavaScript on Chrome's V8 engine for lightning-fast speed. The Express framework makes it easy to write routes and HTTP requests and responses.

• For simple applications, Node.JS is perfect. It's fast and relatively lightweight, and devs can use their frontend JavaScript experience to write backend APIs as well.
• Out-of-the-box, Node.js can do everything that web JavaScript can do, including web messaging and JavaScript-style promises.
• For startups, Node.js with Express is often the fastest way to arrive at a prototype. It also scales well when the site becomes busier.

Bottom line: If your backend will be relatively lightweight, Node.js with Express offers rapid prototyping. You can showcase progress quickly!

PHP with Symfony

PHP is an old framework that has withstood the test of time. Developed 26 years ago by Rasmus Lerdorf, PHP has fantastic performance, stability, and flexibility for startups. With Symfony, your business gets the standard MVC development paradigm and can rapidly prototype new APIS.

• PHP is very customizable and easy to maintain. No matter what you want to do in PHP, you can do it.
• Its dynamic typing makes it a pleasure to use, for the most part. It also makes it very well-suited for web applications.
• Facebook uses PHP, so it scales well!

Bottom line: More complex sites can often use PHP to write their backends efficiently and with scalability in mind.

Python with Django

Python is a relative newcomer to the webspace. However, with Django, it's a powerful one. Many of the world's top tech companies use Python for its simplicity and rapid development. Django is a fully-featured web framework to enable developers to build sites rapidly.

• Django handles many things nicely for developers. For example, it implements user authentication, which leads to more rapid prototyping.
• Python's unique syntax and structure mean that most people — even non-technical people — can pick it up and make some changes. The fact that it is so easy to edit speeds up the entire team!

Bottom line: If you want a fast, robust framework with a language that makes it easy to prototype, Django and Python tech stack is for you!

Database Startup Tech Stack

MongoDB (NoSQL)

MongoDB is one of the world's most popular NoSQL databases. Used by some of the most well-known sites worldwide, MongoDB offers fast, efficient retrieval of document-based data.

• NoSQL databases are the best option when you want to store your data in a non-tabular fashion. With MongoDB, your database entry can contain almost anything.
• MongoDB scales well and does not have too large of a footprint.

Bottom line: If you think your app will need to store your data more flexibly, use MongoDB.

MySQL (SQL)

MySQL is, arguably, the most popular database in the world. In 2010, Oracle bought MySQL, but its free and open-source heritage lives on in MariaDB (nearly the same as MySQL, just entirely free and open-source).

• Stores data efficiently in a tabular manner.
• It scales well. Even tables with hundreds of thousands of rows work in MySQL.

Bottom line: MySQL or MariaDB are the best options for storing your data in a tabular fashion. Any data that has a well-defined structure is frequently better in a SQL-based table like MySQL.

Frontend

React

Developed by Facebook, React simplified UI development significantly. By dividing all development pieces into components, properties, and states, React made it incredibly easy to start building complex sites.

• Very easy to prototype. The declarative architecture makes it easy to mock UIs and do other prototypes.
• It's efficient and looks great. The virtual DOM that React provides makes it very performant. React ensures that only the components that need updating, actually update.

Bottom line: Select React for your frontend development. It's growing in popularity, and more and more people are learning about it. You'll be able to find top-quality developer talent if you choose to use React. 

Cloud

AWS

AWS is the most massive cloud globally and ranks #1 in terms of the number of customers. Azure is closing the gap, but most people use AWS.

• AWS has tremendous flexibility.
• They have the most robust infrastructure as compared to other cloud providers.
• AWS can handle pretty much any website. Most big-name sites that you've heard of are already on AWS.

Bottom line: AWS should be your go-to provider for cloud services. If you don't need the cloud, you can skip this!

Mobile

React-Native

Until Flutter came along, React-Native was (and still is) the most common cross-platform development solution. Developed by Facebook, React-Native makes it easier to bring mobile apps to life.

• Declarative programming makes life significantly easier. It's a significant paradigm change, but the result is cleaner, more testable code than other platforms.
• React-Native is remarkably quick for a cross-platform solution. Unless your app is incredibly complex, you shouldn't see too much of a speed hit using React-Native vs. native.

Bottom line: With an established community and a "write-one run on Android and iPhone" attitude, you should consider React-Native for your cross-platform development needs.

Native (Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS)

Those looking for the best possible performance and the latest and most outstanding features develop their apps using proper native code. For the Android ecosystem, this has historically meant using the Java technology stack. However, Google is trying to transition to a language called Kotlin, which compiles to JVM bytecode. For the iOS ecosystem, most new development is happening under Swift, a well-designed language that superseded Objective-C.

• Developing your apps using native APIs enables you to use the latest features and always have the fastest execution times.
• Optimization, including debugging performance, is often easiest on native code because there are no layers of abstraction in between.

Bottom line: While it is tedious to maintain two codebases, there are scenarios where you want the best performance and latest features. In those cases, native development is the way to go!

MEAN Tech Stack

The MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js) tech stack is a comprehensive suite of JavaScript technologies perfect for developing complex web applications.

• MongoDB. This NoSQL database uses JSON-like documents for data storage, making it highly flexible and scalable. It's advantageous when dealing with large amounts of data or when the data structure is likely to change over time. For example, a social media app might use MongoDB to store user posts, comments, and likes, which can vary significantly in structure and volume.
• Express.js. This minimalist web application framework simplifies building web applications on Node.js. It provides a simple interface for creating routes, handling requests, and sending responses, making it ideal for RESTful API development. For instance, an e-commerce site might use Express.js to handle API requests for product listings, user authentication, and shopping cart functionality.
• AngularJS. This front-end framework extends HTML with new attributes, making it more expressive and readable. AngularJS uses two-way data binding and dependency injection to reduce the amount of code you need to write and to make the code more maintainable. For example, a dashboard application might use AngularJS to create interactive charts and tables that update in real-time.
• Node.js. This runtime environment allows JavaScript to be run on the server side, enabling fast, non-blocking I/O operations. It's perfect for real-time applications like chat apps or live streaming sites. For instance, a live chat feature on a website might use Node.js to handle multiple simultaneous connections without slowing down.

MEVN Tech Stack

The MEVN tech stack consists of MongoDB, Express.js, Vue.js, and Node.js. Like the MEAN tech stack, the MEVN tech stack uses Express.js to build the back end and Node.js as the runtime environment. However, it uses Vue.js for front-end development instead of AngularJS.

• Vue.js. This progressive JavaScript framework is designed to be easy to adopt. Its core library only focuses on the view layer, making it easy to integrate with other libraries or existing projects. Vue.js also features a virtual DOM and provides reactive and composable view components. For example, a single-page application might use Vue.js to create dynamic, interactive user interfaces that can update and render efficiently in response to data changes.

The MEVN tech stack is gaining popularity due to Vue.js's simplicity and performance. It's an excellent choice for businesses building lightweight yet robust web applications.
 

LAMP Tech Stack

The LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) tech stack is a classic web development platform that combines the power of Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.

• Linux. This open-source operating system provides a reliable and secure environment for your web applications. It's highly customizable, allowing you to optimize your server for performance, security, or compatibility.
• Apache. This HTTP server is highly configurable and can be customized with various modules to support different programming languages, authentication schemes, and other features. For example, a content management system (CMS) like WordPress might use Apache to serve web pages and handle HTTP requests.
• MySQL. This relational database management system is perfect for data-driven applications. It uses SQL (Structured Query Language), which is widely used and understood. For instance, an online store might use MySQL to store product information, customer details, and order history.
• PHP. This server-side scripting language is embedded within HTML, making mixing dynamic content with static HTML easy. PHP is particularly good at interacting with databases, making it an excellent choice for web applications that store and retrieve data, like a forum or a user registration system.

MERN Tech Stack 

The MERN tech stack consists of MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, and Node.js. It's similar to the MEAN tech stack, but instead of using AngularJS for front-end development, it uses React.js.

• React.js. This JavaScript library, maintained by Facebook, is used for building user interfaces, particularly single-page applications where you need a fast, interactive user experience. React uses a virtual DOM to make updates and rendering efficient. For example, a dynamic web application like Instagram, which needs to update user feeds in real-time, might use React.js for its front end.

React also supports a component-based architecture. This means you can build encapsulated components that manage their state, then compose them to make complex UIs. This makes your code more predictable and easier to debug, as each element has a single responsibility and operates independently of the others.

The MERN stack is known for its scalability and flexibility. It's an excellent choice for businesses building scalable and efficient web applications.

The choice of the best tech stack for mobile app development largely depends on the project requirements, team expertise, and long-term business goals. Each of these tech stacks has its strengths and is suited to different projects. Whether you're a startup looking to quickly prototype your idea or a large corporation developing a robust web application, there's a tech stack out there that fits your needs. Remember, the right tech stack is the one that not only meets your project needs but also aligns with your team's skills and expertise.

Best Startup Mobile App Development Tech Stack

Choosing the proper mobile app development tech stack is 90 percent of the project’s success. One can say that getting a good tech stack of mobile apps is like getting good materials when constructing a house. If you don’t have such, a building will collapse sooner than later. And the same goes for mobile app development. Further, we’d like to suggest a mobile tech stack for iOS, Android, and Cross-Platform options. 

Tech Stack for iOS App Development

Having a good iOS tech stack is as important as any other operating system. Proper programming languages, development tools, and UI frameworks ensure seamless functionality and user-friendly interfaces. The mobile app tech stack is the body and the soul of any application, and the ones working on iOS are not an exception. 

It is worth mentioning that mobile app tech stacks explored further are linked to front-end, back-end, development, and UI frameworks. Overall, it ensures the development of the app’s interface to interact with an end-user. Besides, it covers the area of databases, architecture, server-side development, and scripting. Finally, the tech stacks work with security, functionality, improvement, and libraries. 

Programming Languages 

The iOS app tech stack works with the following programming languages: Objective-C and Swift. 

• Objective-C. One of the foundational languages in developing iOS applications. Apple Inc. still provides support for Objective-C. It is the original language, a founding father of many companies’ digital products. However, you should be aware that getting an app ready to go with Objective-C is not an easy task to perform. Many developers are prone to make mistakes using the programming language. More time will be spent polishing the code than writing it. However, regardless of all potential challenges, Objective-C offers a dynamic runtime environment and object-oriented capabilities, which is crucial for any mobile app tech stack. 
• Swift. The programming language was introduced in 2014. And one can say that it is much younger than its companion Objective-C. Many developers favor Swift over Objective-C. It grants safer syntax, which results in fewer mistakes during writing code. Another Swift advantage comes from the fact that companies can find Swift developers much easier than those adept in Objective-C. Besides, the programming language is much easier to be learned. 

When it comes to programming languages within the iOS app tech stack, it is better to use Swift over Objective-C. It is less error-prone and easier to learn. Yet, if you don’t have an opportunity to work with Swift developers, Objective-C can still be used. 

Development Tools

The iOS app tech stack is unimaginable without several key development tools. They ensure all the essential features can be built within an iOS app. Importantly, development tools used for iOS mobile apps work for desktop apps. 

• XCode. It is an official development instrument used by Apple. XCode is an integral part of the iOS tech stack portfolio. As the development tool, XCode equally works with Objective-C and Swift. Why does Apple prefer XCode to different development tools? The key reason is the fact that Apple has used the instrument as a visual interface builder for years.
• AppCode. This is a development tool presented by a third party/ It is considered an open-source substitute to XCode. However, while AppCode seems to be easier to be reached, it lacks features the XCode has. Overall, the development tool directly depends on XCode and is often used along with it. 

The development tools mentioned above represent the core of the iOS mobile app tech stack. However, if you have an opportunity, always try to prioritize Apple XCode over AppCode. 

UI Frameworks

The final element of the iOS tech stack is UI frameworks. In such a case, there are two systems to consider.

• UIKit. This is a foundation framework used for building graphical components across iOS apps. How does it work? UIKit contains various templates that define different UI elements. Essentially, they form the building blocks of the app being built. 
• SwiftUI. It is the newest UI framework used by Apple. SwiftUI offers a more efficient way of designing and building UI components in iOS apps. Yet, one should keep in mind that the frameworks work for iOS 13 and above. 

If the application you intend to build will be working on iOS 13 and above, it is good to use SwiftUI. In any other case, UIKit will do.

Tech Stack for Android App Development

Similar to iOS, when working with Android app development, it is important to focus on several aspects of the Android tech stack. 

Programming Languages 

The first component in the Android app tech stack correlates to several key programming languages often used to develop Android-based applications.

• Java. This programming language is considered one of the most well-spread languages for building Android apps. Because of the massive demand, a constant stream of updates and support features is coming its way. As a result, Java is a well-supported programing language with a great ability for scalability. As an open-source language, it entails a broad option of instruments and continually updated libraries.
• Kotlin. The programming language was launched in 2011. Since its launch, Kotlin has gained massive popularity among Android developers. Compared to Java, the language offers cleaner code opportunities and saves about 30 percent of code space. Most importantly, Kotlin is a hundred percent compatible with Java frameworks, allowing Android developers to use both languages as a part of Android tech stack app development. 

Java and Kotlin are two foundational programming languages used in the tech stack for Android app development. You can use either one of the languages or both of them. It all depends on your team composition and the company’s needs. 

Development Tools

When it comes to development tools used in the Android tech stack, in contrast to iOS with its several instruments, Android app developers often narrow down their choice to Android Studio. It is an official development platform for all given Google’s Android apps. Built on the foundation of Jetbrain’s technology, Android Studio comes with a user-intuitive interface, which makes app development much easier. 

The tools have integrated features of code editing, performance tooling, debugging, and an instant deployment system. Android Studio is equipped with everything a developer needs to focus on building high-quality apps. The important aspect of the development tool is that developers must download and install each version of Android SDK for a particular phone. Notably, several third-party add-ons are available for download along with Android Studio. 

UI Frameworks

Developing User Interface (UI) for Android apps depends on two particular frameworks. App developers working at Google use Jetpack Compose and Android UI.

• Jetpack Compose. It is considered a modern UI toolkit. Jetpack Compose grants app developers the ability to describe various UI developers easily. The process makes rendering much more efficient. Notably, the current version of Jetpack Compose is accessible to developers only. Yet, the production-ready version will enter the market shortly. 
• Android UI. One of the key advantages of the framework is its pre-built templates. They prove to be extremely handy for Android app developers when designing and building various interfaces in a short period. You should use Android UI when you do not have enough time on your hands to build an app interface. 

These UI frameworks serve an important role in the tech stack for Android app development. Overall, the programming languages, development tools, and UI frameworks mentioned above equip Android app developers with the proper instruments for delivering a high-quality product to end users.  

Tech Stack for Cross-Platform Mobile App Development

Cross-platform mobile development is an alternative to iOS and Android app development. The approach entails developing an app that one can apply on multiple platforms. It could be said that mobile cross-platform development is a more flexible approach. The method of cross-platform mobile development revolves around using a single code base. It creates the conditions where the app can be adapted to different operating systems and frameworks.

The interesting point about cross platform mobile app development service is its ability to reduce time to market. Besides, the approach helps keep development costs low. In turn, a downside of cross-platform mobile application development correlates to its limitation of functionalities. In other words, all the features of the method are linked to the allowed toolkit only. 

Programming Languages 

There are several languages available for the best cross-platform mobile development: 

• React Native (JS). This programming language is one of the most favorite among cross-platform app developers. Based on JavaScript, it grants an ability to build fundamental UI elements applicable to both iOS and Android apps. Instagram and Skype are built using React Native. 
• Xamarin (C#). Developers working with C# can use Xamarin to build cross-platform apps. It allows developers to share about 90 percent of code across various major platforms.
• TypeScript. The programming language is easier to use than React Native or Xamarin. It has some nice features allowing quick and easy error detection. TypeScript is often used to edit code written in React Native. Yet, some issues with TypeScript’s safety were reported. 

Cross-platform mobile app development services should not rely on one particular language from the list above. It is always better to get the best features from all three options mentioned if you have such a chance. 

Development Tools

There are some interesting options to choose from when it comes to development tools used in cross-platform mobile app development. 

• Apache Cordova. Adobe Systems presented the technology in 2011. It is an open-source development tool representing a hybrid of framework for both mobile apps and web-based apps. It can be coupled with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML for cross-platform app development. Compatible with numerous IDEs that can be linked to XCode and Android Studio. Yet, you need to be aware that some native device APIs are not supported by Apache Cordova. 
• Flutter. It is a cross-platform development tool offered by Google. Considering the pains of past development tools, Flutter emphasizes the prevention of wasted time on emulations and simulations. 
• Unity 3D. A massively popular game engine that has widgets for cross-platform mobile app development. It is a versatile software development environment in which different assets can be created and tested in one place and at the same time.

These development tools make the process of cross-platform mobile app development smooth and easy. Choose the one fitting your needs best and you’ll likely have an app that works on multiple platforms. 

UI Frameworks

Cross platform mobile development frameworks include Kotlin Multiplatform and Sencha Touch 2.

• Kotlin Multiplatform. The framework enables users to share the code written in Kotlin among various platforms. It makes the life of UI developers much easier.  One of the advantages of this UI framework stems from its simple-to-grasp interface and embedded code. In terms of the disadvantage, Kotlin Multiplatform is costly. 
• Sencha Touch 2. It is considered the most effective cross-platform mobile development UI framework. Sencha Touch 2 combines features of various technologies and is ideal for dynamic applications running on iOS, Kindle Fire, and Android. The framework grants interactive UI and has an option for third-party plugins. 

If your company has a vast budget for app development, Kotlin Multiplatform is an option to choose from. In any other instance, Sencha Touch 2 will be sufficient for cross-platform mobile app development. 

You Can Choose the Best Startup Tech Stack for Your Business

While choosing the best startup tech stack for your business might seem daunting at first, it mostly boils down to one question: where do you see your startup in five years? Picking the right tech means choosing the languages, cloud technologies, and frameworks to help you achieve those goals as quickly as possible.

Consider some of the technology stack examples listed above. There's a good chance that you'll be able to use a combination of them to tackle the problem your startup is trying to solve and get happy customers! And if you find yourself looking for assistance — just contact us!