Tech stack guide · 2026
The tech stack we build with, and why it matters to your business
Most websites and web apps we build run on Next.js and React at the front, .NET and PostgreSQL behind them when the project needs them, and Docker to run it all. You do not need to learn any of this. This guide explains what each piece does for your business, where we use it on real projects, why we do not build on website builders, and what to ask any agency before you sign.
Why a non-technical owner should care
A tech stack is the set of tools a site or app is built with. Your customers never see it, but you will feel it for years, usually in three places: how fast the site loads, how secure it is, and how much each future change costs.
Tools like these used to come with an enterprise budget and a development team on staff. They do not have to any more, and that is the reason Looney Devs exists: enterprise-level sites without paying a fortune or keeping developers on the payroll.
What we use, and what each piece does for you
These are the tools we reach for by default. Each one is here for a practical reason, not because it is fashionable.
- Next.js and React build what your customers see. Pages are prepared on the server, so they arrive ready to read for people and for Google instead of waiting on the phone to assemble them.
- TypeScript catches a whole class of mistakes while the code is being written, before they can reach your customers.
- .NET runs the business logic on larger apps: logins, permissions, payments and background jobs that have to keep working when nobody is watching.
- PostgreSQL stores the data. It is the proven database behind serious products, it is fast to search, and there is no licence fee to pay.
- Docker packages the app so that it runs the same way on our machines and on the server, so what we test is exactly what goes live.
- React Native and Expo cover phone apps when a project needs one, sharing skills and often logic with the website.
- Claude, OpenAI and Gemini models power AI features such as voice, search over your own documents and structured data extraction, when one earns its place.
How it looks on real projects
A stack only means something next to the work it produced. Here are three projects we have live, and how little or how much of the list each one needed.
- Borges Café Bar, a client website: Next.js and React with Spanish and English versions. No database or separate backend, because a hospitality site does not need one.
- Familiagram, our own product: Next.js and React in front, .NET, PostgreSQL and Redis behind them, S3-compatible storage for family photos, all running in Docker.
- Hire Doris, our own product: Next.js, React, .NET and PostgreSQL, plus real-time AI voice for interviews and Stripe for billing.
Why we do not build on website builders or hosted stores
Website builders and hosted stores are sold as the affordable choice. You pay every month, you pay again for plugins and apps, and you still share the same templates and the same limits as every other business on the platform.
We build on the stack above at a price a small business can say yes to, starting at $1,500 plus GST. If you want to change text and images yourself, we add a simple CMS. You get a faster site built around your business, with no plugin stack to keep patching.
Five questions to ask any agency about its stack
You can use these with us or with anyone else. A good developer answers them in plain language, without getting defensive.
- Will my site be built for my business, or is it a template with my logo on it?
- How fast will it load on a phone, and how will you show me?
- What ongoing licences or subscriptions will I pay for, and to whom?
- How are updates and security fixes handled after launch, and who pays for them?
- What automated tests run before a change goes live?
Frequently asked questions
Is Next.js good for SEO?
It gives you a strong starting point, because pages are sent to Google as finished HTML and can load quickly. It does not replace useful content, good structure and a well-kept Google Business Profile, which still do most of the work.
Do I need all of this for a small business website?
No. A small site usually needs only the first part of the list. We add a database or a separate backend when the project has something for them to do, such as logins, bookings or an admin area.
Will I need a developer on staff to keep it running?
No. That is the point of how we build. Hosting and support are optional lines in the quote builder, so we can look after the site for you without you hiring anyone.
Why not just use WordPress or Shopify?
Because we can give you a faster, more secure site built around your business, at a price a small business can say yes to, with no plugin stack to maintain. Price yours in the quote builder and compare it with what a platform costs you over a few years.
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