[ INSIGHTS ] FIELD NOTES ON SHIPPING SOFTWARE
Insights & guides.
Practical writing on building, hiring for, and operating software — from a studio that ships it. No fluff, no listicles.
Build vs. buy: when custom software beats off-the-shelf
Build it or buy something off the shelf? We sell building — and still tell clients to buy more often than not. The honest framework: when buying wins, when a build pays off, the hidden costs of each, and how to decide.
How long does it actually take to build an MVP?
A realistic 2026 timeline for getting a product in front of users — typical build durations, where the weeks actually go, what makes projects slip, and how to ship faster without quietly breaking the thing.
What an AI agent actually is (and what it can do for your business)
‘Agent’ is the word of the year — and almost no one selling you one will say what it means. The honest version: how agents differ from chatbots and automations, what they reliably do today, and how to tell if you need one.
How to choose the right tech stack for your SaaS
React or Vue, Node or Go, Postgres or something newer? An honest 2026 guide to choosing a tech stack — why boring usually wins, the criteria that matter, and a sensible default to start from.
Where AI actually helps your business in 2026 (and where it's hype)
AI is in every pitch deck — but where does it actually pay off? An honest map of the use cases that deliver today, the ones that are still hype, and how to tell which your problem is.
What it really means to be production-ready
Everyone says their software is ‘production-ready.’ Most of the time it isn’t. The real bar — reliability, security, observability, and recovery — and how to know when your build clears it.
How much does it cost to build a SaaS or MVP in 2026?
Real 2026 cost ranges for building custom software — from a lean MVP to a full platform — plus the factors that move the number and where budgets get wasted.
How to hire an offshore software team in the Philippines
A practical 2026 guide to vetting, hiring, and working with a Philippine software studio — the real advantages, the risks to watch for, and a checklist that separates senior teams from body shops.