Architecture Basics
Pick the right stack. Keep it simple. Build for today, not for imaginary scale.
The Overengineering Trap
You're building a POC. You don't need Kubernetes. You don't need microservices. You don't need a data lake.
You need something that works.
"You Aren't Gonna Need It." The features you're planning for future scale? You probably won't need them. And if you do, you can add them later.
The POC Stack
Here's what I recommend for most AI POCs:
- Backend: Node.js/Express or Python/Flask. Simple, well-documented, lots of AI libraries.
- Database: MongoDB (flexible) or PostgreSQL (structured). Pick one and move on.
- Frontend: React or Vue if you need interactivity. Plain HTML/CSS if you don't.
- Hosting: Heroku, Railway, or Vercel. One-click deploys, free tiers available.
The API-First Approach
Build your AI logic as an API first. This gives you flexibility:
- Easy to test
- Easy to integrate with different frontends
- Easy to scale specific parts later
Use the tools you already know. A POC built with familiar technology in 30 days beats a POC built with trendy technology in 90 days.
Simple beats complex. For POCs, boring technology is good technology.
Use what you know. Familiar tools = faster development.
API-first. Build backend logic as APIs for flexibility.
Don't optimize early. Build for today's needs, not imaginary future scale.