We build API-first: every system talks to the others through a documented interface. The alternative is a monolith, where everything depends on everything else and a change in one place destabilises the entire structure. With us, each job gets the tool that does it best.
This has a practical advantage for you: when one part of the system needs to evolve, you don't have to rebuild everything. And if a vendor changes their pricing or a tool no longer fits, it can be replaced without touching the rest of the architecture.
The following overview shows which tools we use, why, and which companies they suit.
Content Management Systems
A CMS is the tool with which editors manage content. Choosing the right system is less about technical preferences and more about a simple question: who maintains the content, how much of it is there, and across how many channels does it need to be published?
Sanity CMS
Sanity is a headless CMS that manages content as structured data and delivers it via API to any frontend – website, app, newsletter, digital signage. The content model is freely configurable, multilingual support is built in from the ground up, and the editorial interface can be tailored to the team's specific workflow.
Sanity is the right choice when content needs to be distributed across multiple channels, when the content model is complex, or when the editorial team needs a well-designed, pleasant working environment. The setup requires more from developers than WordPress, but the result is a considerably cleaner architecture. What we build with Sanity is on our Sanity headless CMS page.
Relevant for startups with ambitious content requirements from the outset, for SMEs with omnichannel strategies or multilingual markets, and for enterprises as a central content repository for international presences.
Payload CMS
Payload is a headless CMS that runs directly inside a Next.js application – no separate infrastructure, no separate API. It shares a database with the application and is fully configurable in TypeScript. This makes it the most tightly integrated CMS you can embed into a web application.
Payload suits projects where CMS and application are closely intertwined, for example a platform with editorially managed sections and complex application logic. It is built for development teams that need full control over the data model and business logic. Editorial teams that want to start without training will find it less suitable.
Relevant primarily for startups and SMEs building their own digital platform with integrated content management.
WordPress / WooCommerce
WordPress is the world's most widely used CMS – over 40 percent of all websites run on it. The plugin ecosystem is vast, millions of people are familiar with the editorial interface, and the availability of developers and support is unmatched worldwide. WooCommerce extends WordPress with e-commerce functionality and is an economically attractive choice for content-driven shops and hybrid platforms.
We prefer to deploy WordPress in a headless architecture: WordPress manages the content, a Next.js frontend handles the presentation. This combines the editorial convenience of WordPress with the short load times of a dedicated frontend. We describe the setup under headless WordPress.
Relevant for SMEs with existing WordPress knowledge in-house or a growing content strategy, for startups with limited budget and fast time-to-market requirements, and as a content backend for enterprises that want to build on a proven system.
Drupal
Drupal is an enterprise CMS for organisations with complex content structures, strict security requirements, and large editorial teams. It has a steeper learning curve than WordPress, but offers significantly more granular control over access rights, content workflows, and content types. Government agencies, universities, and large international corporations are its typical operators.
Relevant primarily for enterprises with high compliance and security requirements, international editorial teams, and complex approval processes.
Strapi
Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that can be set up quickly and integrates well into existing system landscapes. It provides REST and GraphQL APIs out of the box, is self-hostable, and gives the development team full control over the content model and API design. For projects that need a lean, well-documented content backend without a heavy editorial workload, Strapi is a solid choice.
Relevant for startups with clear API requirements and for SMEs looking for a flexible content backend without proprietary dependencies.
Directus
Directus is conceptually different from the other CMS options on this list: it takes an existing database (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite) and makes it accessible through an automatically generated API and a visual interface. No enforced data model, no imposed content structure. The database stays exactly as it is; Directus adds an administration layer on top.
This is particularly interesting for organisations that have an existing database structure they want to modernise with a management interface and API access – without migrating or rebuilding everything from scratch.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with existing data structures that need to be modernised but not migrated.
Website Builders
For websites that don't require complex editorial logic or deep integrations, visual builders are often the faster and more cost-effective choice. The decision between these tools depends on design ambitions, maintenance requirements, and growth expectations.
Webflow
Webflow is a visual website builder that produces clean code and high performance. Designers can build complex layouts, animations, and interactions without programming knowledge. The integrated CMS is sufficient for blogs, reference pages, and landing pages. Webflow is a US-based service, so organisations with strict GDPR requirements for their infrastructure need to factor this in.
Relevant for startups in early phases and for SMEs with manageable website requirements and high design ambitions.
Framer
Framer takes the design-tool approach even further: animations, transitions, and interactive elements are easier to implement here than in Webflow. The limitations lie in the CMS: for more complex content structures or multilingual requirements, Framer is quickly overstretched. There is also vendor lock-in, because migrating away from Framer is a significant undertaking.
Relevant for startups and smaller SMEs with representative websites and stable, manageable content. For websites expected to grow substantially in the coming years, Framer is rarely the right long-term choice.
Squarespace
Squarespace is the most accessible tool in this group – straightforward interface, attractive templates, no technical knowledge required. For small businesses with clear, stable website requirements, it's a pragmatic choice. For anything beyond a digital business card, the constraints become too significant.
Relevant for small businesses or individuals with simple requirements. For growing SMEs it won't be enough in the long run.
E-Commerce
MedusaJS
MedusaJS is an open-source headless commerce system we recommend for organisations whose e-commerce requirements exceed what Shopify or WooCommerce can deliver without significant customisation effort. Custom checkout flows, complex pricing models, B2B structures, multi-step fulfilment: this is where MedusaJS shows its advantage. It is self-hostable, can be operated in compliance with the GDPR, and is completely customisable. Our services are listed under MedusaJS headless commerce.
Relevant for startups with differentiated business models and for SMEs that have outgrown Shopify or want full control over their commerce stack from the outset.
Shopify
Shopify is the platform when time-to-market is the priority. Setup in hours, proven payment processing, a vast app ecosystem, reliable operation. Combined with a headless frontend, Shopify can also be used for more demanding design requirements. The limitations lie in the customisability of business logic and the usage-based costs that become significant as revenue grows.
Relevant for startups and SMEs that need a working shop quickly and have no unusual commerce requirements.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the commerce extension for WordPress – economically attractive, well-documented, and a strong combination for content-driven shops with editorial ambitions. For organisations already running WordPress that want to integrate a shop, WooCommerce is the natural next step.
Relevant for SMEs with existing WordPress infrastructure and for shops where content and commerce belong together.
Stripe
Stripe is not an e-commerce platform but a payment infrastructure. We integrate it wherever payments, subscriptions, or international payment processing need to be embedded into custom applications. The API is well documented, payment methods and currencies are broadly covered, and for SaaS products there is hardly a better solution. If you are planning a new subscription product, even the MVP can bill through Stripe: scope, pricing and process are on our MVP development page.
Relevant for startups with SaaS models and for SMEs and enterprises integrating payment logic into their own platforms.
Databases & Search
PostgreSQL / MySQL
Relational databases for structured, business-critical data. PostgreSQL is our preferred choice: mature, capable, thoroughly documented, and open source. The majority of systems we build run on PostgreSQL. MySQL is used where existing infrastructure requires it.
Relevant for everyone, whether startup, SME, or enterprise, whenever structured data is the core of the application.
MongoDB
MongoDB is a document-based NoSQL database suited to flexible, frequently changing data structures. Where the data schema is not yet firmly defined, or where documents with highly varying structure need to be stored, MongoDB is a valid choice. We use it selectively, when the requirements point clearly in that direction.
Relevant for startups in early phases with an unclear data model and for specific use cases in SMEs and enterprises.
Redis
Redis is an in-memory data store used as a fast cache between the application and the database. Frequently accessed data lands in Redis – this reduces load on the database and significantly cuts response times. For applications with high traffic, Redis is often the decisive performance lever.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with performance requirements and for startups designed to scale.
Elasticsearch / OpenSearch
Search and analytics engines for large data volumes. When website search needs to go beyond simple database queries (full-text search, filtering, faceting, relevance ranking), Elasticsearch or its open-source offshoot OpenSearch are the right tools. They are more demanding to operate than simpler search solutions, but deliver significantly better results at large data volumes.
Relevant for enterprises with large content or product databases and for SMEs with complex search requirements.
Meilisearch
Meilisearch is a lean, fast open-source search solution that is simpler to set up than Elasticsearch and sufficient for many use cases. Typo tolerance, multilingual support, and short response times come built in. For content platforms and product search at moderate data volumes, Meilisearch is often the more pragmatic choice.
Relevant for startups and SMEs that need solid search functionality without the operational overhead of Elasticsearch.
Vector Databases (Weaviate, Pinecone et al.)
Vector databases store data not as structured fields but as mathematical representations of meaning. This is the foundation for AI-powered search, semantic similarity search, and recommendation systems. Anyone embedding AI features into their application, such as a search that understands meaning rather than keywords, will need one.
Relevant for startups with AI-driven product approaches and for SMEs and enterprises integrating AI functionality into existing systems.
Programming Languages & Frameworks
Next.js
Next.js is our primary frontend framework: for marketing websites, web applications, and everything in between. Server-side rendering, static generation, API routes, edge functions: Next.js provides the right tools for almost every web use case. It is well documented, actively maintained, and has a broad market of available developers. Our services: Next.js agency.
Relevant for everyone – it is rarely the wrong choice.
React / React Native
React is the foundation on which Next.js is built, and the most widely used UI framework for web applications. React Native transfers the same component logic to mobile apps for iOS and Android. For organisations that want to serve web and mobile from a shared codebase, this is an economically attractive architecture.
Relevant for startups and SMEs building web and mobile simultaneously, and for enterprises with existing React ecosystems.
Supabase
Supabase is an open-source backend platform built on PostgreSQL: database, authentication, real-time functionality, and storage in a single system. It accelerates backend development considerably and is available both as a managed service and as a self-hosted solution. For everything that needs a complete backend without building a custom backend framework, Supabase is our first choice in many projects. More on our Supabase agency page.
Relevant for startups that need a complete backend quickly, for SMEs with their own platform requirements, and for enterprises in self-hosted setups with data sovereignty requirements.
Node.js
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime for server-side code – APIs, automations, microservices. Where Next.js API routes are too limited or a standalone backend service is required, we turn to Node.js. The combination with TypeScript ensures maintainability even as the codebase grows.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with more complex backend logic.
Laravel
Laravel is a PHP framework for complex backend systems – mature, well-documented, and established in the enterprise world for years. For projects with existing PHP infrastructure or specific backend requirements that demand a full framework, Laravel is a solid choice.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with existing PHP systems or teams with Laravel expertise.
TypeScript / JavaScript
TypeScript and JavaScript are the languages in which the majority of our frontend and backend development takes place. TypeScript adds static typing: this reduces errors during development, improves code documentation, and makes larger codebases more maintainable. For projects with more than two developers or a lifespan of more than a year, TypeScript is the better choice. More on our TypeScript agency page.
Relevant for everyone.
Python, Go, Rust, C++
These languages are deployed for specialised requirements: Python for data processing, machine learning pipelines, and automations; Go for performant microservices; Rust for systems-level development with high performance and security demands; C++ for very specific performance-critical systems. We use these languages deliberately, never as a default.
Relevant for enterprises with specialised technical requirements and for startups with AI- or performance-driven product cores.
Login & Access Management
Keycloak
Keycloak is open-source software for login and access management: your staff and customers sign in once and are signed in to every connected application. It supports OIDC, OAuth2, and SAML, connects to Active Directory and LDAP, and runs on your own servers. There is no per-user fee: you pay for implementation and operation.
Keycloak isn't always the right answer: for a single app, built-in login is often enough, and in a purely Microsoft environment Entra ID usually fits better. We use it mainly in customer portals and B2B applications. Our services: Keycloak consulting.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with several applications that should share one login, and for startups for whom a per-user fee gets too expensive as they grow.
AI & Automation
Claude (Anthropic)
Claude is Anthropic's language model. We integrate it into applications, for example chatbots built on a website's own content. In our own development we use AI agents: they take on tests and migrations, while architecture and code review stay with our senior developers.
Anthropic is a US-based provider but offers European server regions. On API and enterprise plans, inputs are not used for training by default. The training exclusion still belongs in the contract.
Relevant for startups with AI products and for SMEs and enterprises building language models into their own applications.
OpenAI and ChatGPT
ChatGPT is the application for your staff, the OpenAI API is the route into your own software. Through the API we integrate OpenAI models where AI-powered text and data processing is required: search, input classification, customer service assistance. OpenAI is a US-based provider, so we assess the data protection question individually for each project. One option is running it through Azure in the EU.
Relevant for startups with AI-driven product approaches and for SMEs and enterprises looking to integrate AI functionality into existing workflows.
Mistral
Mistral is a model provider from France. Many of its models are open-weight models: the model weights, meaning the trained parameters, can be downloaded and run on your own hardware. Your data then stays in-house.
A model only becomes sovereign when you run it yourself: via the API, the provider's contract terms still apply, and US corporations sit in Mistral's supply chain too. What that means per industry is in our article on Mistral Large 4.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with sensitive data, for example in healthcare, public administration, or law firms.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
MCP is an open protocol that connects AI models with external tools and data sources in a structured, traceable way. A model then does more than generate text: it works with your systems, retrieving data, triggering actions, and controlling processes. That is the basis if AI is to be more than a chatbot.
Relevant for SMEs with automation ambitions and for enterprises embedding AI into operational processes.
Stable Diffusion
Stable Diffusion is an open-source model for AI-powered image generation that can be self-hosted. We integrate it into workflows where automated image generation or creative assistance is required – product visualisation, content production, or prototyping.
Relevant for startups with creative product approaches and for SMEs with high visual content demands.
Agentic AI Frameworks
Agentic AI refers to AI systems that don't merely respond to requests, but autonomously plan tasks, select tools, and execute them step by step. We are accompanying early projects in this area – from automated research workflows to assisted development processes. The field is evolving quickly; we deploy it where the use case is clearly defined and the risks of an autonomous system are calculable.
Relevant for startups with AI at the core of their product and for enterprises looking to automate recurring processes.
n8n
n8n is a self-hostable automation tool, comparable to Zapier or Make. It connects systems that have no native integration, such as CRM and CMS or forms and databases. Where it is already in use, we keep looking after it. For new processes it is rarely our first choice: with AI-assisted development, custom code is now often written about as quickly.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises already running n8n.
Design & Prototyping
Figma
Figma is our central tool for UI and UX design. We use it for wireframes, design systems, prototypes, and client collaboration. The decisive advantage: strategy, design, development, and client all work in the same file, at the same time, without sending versions back and forth by email.
Relevant for all projects where design and development work together.
Adobe XD / Sketch
We support both tools where they are already in use – with clients who have existing design systems or workflows built on these platforms. For new projects, we recommend Figma.
Hosting & Infrastructure
Hetzner
Hetzner is our preferred infrastructure for projects with data protection requirements. A German company with data centres in Germany and Finland, no connection to US hyperscalers, no Cloud Act exposure. Cost-efficient, reliable, well-documented.
Relevant for SMEs with GDPR requirements and for enterprises with data sovereignty as a hard requirement. Also for startups that want to commit to European infrastructure from the outset.
Vercel / Netlify
Vercel is optimised for Next.js deployments and offers global edge performance with low operational overhead. Netlify fulfils a similar role for static frontends and Jamstack architectures. Both are US-based services: for projects without strict data protection requirements, they significantly accelerate development and deployment.
Relevant for startups with speed-to-market as a priority and for projects where the frontend does not process data-protection-relevant data.
AWS / Azure / Google Cloud
The major cloud platforms for projects with complex infrastructure requirements, international scale, or specific managed service needs – Kubernetes, specialised AI services, or existing enterprise agreements. All three are US-based providers subject to the Cloud Act. For data-sensitive workloads, we recommend European alternatives.
Relevant primarily for enterprises with existing cloud contracts or very specific infrastructure requirements.
Cloudflare
Cloudflare improves performance, security, and global availability: as a CDN, DDoS protection layer, DNS manager, and edge computing platform. We regularly put Cloudflare as a layer in front of our hosting infrastructure. However, Cloudflare is a US-based provider subject to the Cloud Act. The European alternative is bunny.net.
Relevant for all projects with performance or security requirements, as long as a US-based provider is permitted.
bunny.net
bunny.net is the European alternative to Cloudflare: the provider, BunnyWay, is based in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It offers CDN, DNS, and DDoS protection, plus a web application firewall (WAF) with Bunny Shield. The feature set is narrower than Cloudflare's, but it is enough for many websites and web apps.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with data sovereignty requirements and for anyone who wants to keep their infrastructure entirely in Europe.
Raidboxes
Raidboxes is specialised managed WordPress hosting from Germany: automatic updates, daily backups, staging environments, GDPR-compliant. For clients running WordPress who want to minimise operational overhead, Raidboxes is a pragmatic choice.
Relevant for SMEs with WordPress websites and no internal IT capacity for server operations.
DigitalOcean / Heroku
Simple cloud platforms for prototypes, internal tools, or early product phases. Low barrier to entry, manageable costs, minimal configuration effort. For production-critical systems with data protection requirements, neither is our first recommendation.
Relevant for startups in early phases.
Testing & Quality Assurance
Testing is the part of the development process most frequently sacrificed under time pressure – and most frequently underestimated until a bug appears in production. We integrate testing from the beginning of our projects, not as an afterthought.
Cypress
Cypress enables end-to-end testing for web applications: automated tests that control a real browser and test the application the way a user would use it. Form validation, login flows, and critical user paths can all be tested automatically and repeatably.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises with critical web applications and for startups committed to quality assurance from day one.
Cucumber
Cucumber enables tests written in natural language: understandable for business departments, not just developers. This makes test scenarios a shared communication foundation between technical and non-technical project participants.
Relevant for SMEs and enterprises where specialist departments should be actively involved in quality assurance.
Puppeteer / Selenium
Automated browser tests for complex applications – where Cypress reaches its limits or where compatibility with existing test infrastructure is required. Selenium is already established in many enterprise testing frameworks; Puppeteer is the more modern, leaner alternative for Chrome-based testing.
Relevant for enterprises with existing test infrastructure and for complex SME projects with high quality requirements.