Our stack

We build every project on the same small set of well-known tools. They're quick for your visitors, careful with your data and sensible to run, and every account sits in your name.

See the toolsWhy not a website builder?

Principles

Every tool on this page earns its place against the same five tests. If it doesn't help your business, it doesn't go in.

  • Fast for visitors

    Pages open quickly on any phone. Fast sites keep people around, and search engines favour them.

  • Secure by default

    Logins, payments and data run on established services with security built in, not bolted on later.

  • You own it

    The code, data, domain and accounts are in your name from day one. Nothing is rented from us.

  • No lock-in

    Standard tools that any web developer knows, so anyone competent can pick up the project, not just us.

  • Sensible running costs

    Small monthly bills paid straight to each provider. We don't add a markup or a middleman fee.

The stack

The same small set of tools on every project, grouped by the job they do. Point at a group to see where it sits in your product.

how-it-fits-together

How it fits together: a visitor opens your site, which runs on Fly.io hosting from code kept on GitHub. Your site stores data and logins in Supabase, takes payments through Stripe, sends email through Resend and can use optional AI features. Everything comes together in your dashboard.

Point at, tap or tab to a group to see where it fits.

  • Everything your visitors see, tap and fill in.

    Where it fits: VisitorYour siteYour dashboard

    • Next.js

      The framework your website or app is built on.

      For you: Pages are prepared ahead of time, so they open quickly and search engines can read them easily.

      Open source

    • React

      Builds the screens and interactive parts: forms, menus, booking flows.

      For you: One of the most widely used ways to build for the web, so help is never hard to find.

      Open source

    • TypeScript

      Checks the code for mistakes while we write it.

      For you: Fewer bugs reach your customers, and later changes are safer to make.

      Open source

    • Tailwind CSS

      Handles the look: colours, spacing and layout.

      For you: Keeps the design consistent and only sends the styles a page uses, so pages stay light.

      Open source

    • shadcn/ui

      Ready-made buttons, forms and menus that we shape to your brand.

      For you: Keyboard- and screen-reader-friendly from the start, and the code lives in your project, not a paid library.

      Open source

    • Motion

      The small animations: hovers, reveals and transitions.

      For you: Adds polish without slowing pages down, and calms itself for visitors who prefer less motion.

      Open source

  • Where your information lives, and who is allowed to see it.

    Where it fits: Your siteDatabaseYour dashboard

    • Supabase

      Your database, customer logins and file storage in one place.

      For you: Access rules live in the database itself, so each customer only ever sees their own data.

    • Postgres

      The database underneath, where your records are kept.

      For you: A long-established, open-source standard. Your data can be exported and moved anywhere.

      Open source

  • Getting paid, and keeping customers in the loop.

    Where it fits: Your sitePayments and emailYour dashboard

    • Stripe

      Takes card payments, refunds and payouts to your bank.

      For you: Card details go straight to Stripe and never touch your site, which keeps them out of harm's way.

    • Resend

      Sends confirmations, receipts and reminders.

      For you: Emails come from your own domain and are set up to land in inboxes rather than spam.

  • Where your site is kept, checked and run.

    Where it fits: CodeHostingYour site

    • GitHub

      Keeps every version of your code and runs automatic checks on each change.

      For you: The code sits in a repository you own, with its full history, and problems are caught before they go live.

    • Fly.io

      The servers your site runs on.

      For you: Simple, fairly priced hosting in an account in your name, with room to grow when you need it.

    • Your domain

      Your web address, such as yourbusiness.com.

      For you: Registered in your name, so it stays yours whatever happens.

  • Only when it earns its place in your project.

    Where it fits: Your siteAI features

    • Leading AI models

      Power assistants, document processing and smart search.

      For you: We pick the most cost-effective model for each job, and you only pay for what gets used.

An honest comparison

Drag-and-drop website builders are good products, and for some businesses they're the right choice. Here's how they compare with what we build.

  • Control

    DIY website builder
    You work inside the builder's templates and settings. Changing text and photos yourself is easy.
    Our stack
    Pages and features are shaped around how your business works. We set up editing for the parts you change often.

  • Speed

    DIY website builder
    Usually fine. Pages often carry code for features you don't use, which can slow them on phones.
    Our stack
    Pages load only what they need and are prepared ahead of time, so they stay quick on any connection.

  • Ownership

    DIY website builder
    Your site lives on their platform. You can export some content, but not the site itself.
    Our stack
    Code, data, domain and accounts are in your name from day one. Any developer can take them on.

  • Cost over time

    DIY website builder
    Cheap to start. The plan runs as long as the site is live, and add-ons like bookings or a shop add to it.
    Our stack
    A one-off build on a fixed quote. After that, running costs are small, itemised in your quote and paid to each provider at cost.

  • Custom features

    DIY website builder
    Limited to what the builder and its app store offer, and how they choose to do it.
    Our stack
    Bookings, customer portals, dashboards and AI features, built around your workflow.

When a builder is the right call

If you need a simple brochure site soon, have a tight budget and don't need bookings, payments or anything custom, a website builder will serve you well. If that's you, we'll say so on the first call.

Next step


Tell us what you need. We'll suggest the simplest setup that does the job, and your quote itemises every running cost up front, paid at cost.

Get a quoteSee how it works

Yours at handover

Whether you stay with us or not.

  • Code in a GitHub repository you own
  • Hosting, database, payments and domain on accounts in your name
  • A written guide to running and changing the site
  • Passwords and access handed over securely