You've decided to build or buy software for your business. You have quotes from three development agencies. One proposes React and Node. One proposes PHP and WordPress. One proposes Python and Django. How do you evaluate these? You shouldn't have to be a developer to make a good technology decision — but you do need a framework. This article gives you that framework.
The Only Two Questions That Actually Matter
Behind all the jargon, technology selection comes down to two questions:
1. Can this technology do what my business needs today? This includes performance requirements, integrations you need, mobile vs. web, and the specific features on your list.
2. Will this technology still serve my business 5 years from now? This includes the size of the talent pool (can you hire developers for this?), the ecosystem (are libraries and frameworks being actively maintained?), and the vendor risk (is this company or framework likely to still exist?).
Anything else — religion about which language is best, personal preferences of the dev team, trend-chasing — is noise.
Our Recommended Stack for African Business Applications
Based on 50+ projects across Morocco and West Africa, this is the stack we reach for by default:
Frontend: Next.js (React) — best-in-class for SEO, performance, and developer experience. Works for both marketing sites and complex web apps.
Backend: NestJS (Node.js/TypeScript) for API-heavy applications, FastAPI (Python) when AI/ML integration is needed.
Database: PostgreSQL for relational data, Redis for caching and queues.
Mobile: React Native — one codebase for iOS and Android. 80% of the performance of native apps at 40% of the cost.
Infrastructure: Azure (preferred for M365-integrated clients), Vercel (for Next.js apps), Docker everywhere.
This stack has a massive talent pool, excellent documentation, and enterprise-grade reliability.
Red Flags When Reviewing a Vendor's Tech Proposal
Watch out for these warning signs:
- Proprietary platform lock-in: If your data and code live in a vendor's closed system, they own your business. Always insist on owning your code and having the ability to export your data.
- Outdated framework choices: A 2026 project built on PHP 7 or Angular 1 is already technical debt. Ask when the core framework was last updated and what its future roadmap looks like.
- No mention of testing: Software without automated tests is software that breaks unpredictably. Ask what percentage of code coverage the project will have.
- 'We'll figure out the architecture later': The most important architectural decisions (database schema, multi-tenancy, API design) are made in the first sprint. Changing them later is extremely expensive.
Build vs. Buy vs. Adapt
Not everything should be custom-built. Our decision framework:
Buy off-the-shelf: For non-differentiating functions like HR management, accounting, or email marketing — use established SaaS tools (HubSpot, QuickBooks, Mailchimp). Competing on these is not worth the engineering investment.
Adapt an open-source base: For functions where you need customisation but the core logic is standard — e-commerce, CMS, booking systems — start from a well-maintained open-source project.
Build custom: For the core of your business — your unique workflow, your proprietary algorithm, the process that differentiates you from competitors. This is where custom development has asymmetric ROI.
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