Common Engineering Mistakes Still Made by Tech Startups

After attending numerous tech meetups and conferences and engaging with developers from around the globe, I've come to recognize common mistakes frequently made by SaaS startups. Building a successful Tech startup is a challenging endeavor that requires careful planning and execution. While there are many potential pitfalls, certain engineering mistakes can have particularly detrimental effects on the development and scalability of your product. This article specifically addresses engineering mistakes on the software side.

There are countless challenges that can arise in the development process, but avoiding these key mistakes can significantly improve your chances of success. So decisions needs to be taken wisely.

This approach can save you a significant amount of money and effort in scaling over the long term.

1. Choosing Not Only the Right Tech Stack but Also the Right Frameworks and Libraries

   • I've encountered this issue numerous times, and my developer friends have shared similar experiences. Selecting the appropriate technology stack, frameworks, and libraries is critical for the success and scalability of your product. A well-chosen stack can enhance development speed, ensure maintainability, and provide a solid foundation for future growth. However, a poor choice can lead to performance issues, difficulties in finding skilled developers, and challenges in scaling. It’s essential to evaluate technologies based on project requirements, team expertise, and long-term goals to make informed decisions.

   • It's important to consider that future migrations can be costly and challenging, especially as new features are continuously added and the codebase evolves rapidly.

   • Seek advice from experienced engineers who have worked with the latest technologies to make informed decisions.

2. Poor Code Structure and Maintainability

   • Writing code without following best practices for structure, readability, and maintainability can make the codebase difficult to manage and scale. Startups should emphasize clean code principles, modular architecture, and proper documentation.

   • Implementing these practices effectively can streamline the onboarding process for new developers, saving significant time and effort in getting them up to speed with the current codebase.

   • Selecting a robust framework can help enforce these best practices, further facilitating seamless onboarding and codebase comprehension.

3. Selecting the Wrong Database or Storage Service

   • Choosing an inappropriate database for the application’s needs can cause performance bottlenecks and scalability issues. It’s important to select a database that fits the data model, query requirements, and expected load.

   • One piece of advice: avoid getting caught up in trends. Stability and reliability often outweigh flashy new technologies.

   • Additionally, be cautious of introducing too many abstractions at this level, as it can limit your flexibility and hinder future development.

   • It's also wise to steer clear of vendor lock-in wherever feasible, as it can restrict your options and increase dependencies.

4. Lack of Security Measures

   • Many startups focus on rapid development and may neglect security best practices, which can lead to significant risks.

   • Overlooking security can expose the application to vulnerabilities and data breaches. Startups should implement security best practices, such as input validation, encryption, regular security audits, and compliance with relevant standards.

   • Solution: Implement security best practices from the beginning, such as input validation, encryption, regular security audits, and compliance with relevant standards (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). Use security tools and frameworks to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities. Ensure continuous monitoring and updating of security measures as the application evolves.

5. No Centralized Documentation

   • Without proper documentation, it becomes difficult for team members to understand the codebase, onboard new developers, and maintain consistency.

   • Absence of comprehensive and centralized documentation can lead to confusion and inefficiencies. Startups should maintain up-to-date documentation that covers code, architecture, APIs, and deployment processes to ensure knowledge sharing and easier onboarding.

   • Solution: Maintain up-to-date, centralized documentation that covers code, architecture, APIs, and deployment processes. Use tools like Confluence, or GitHub Wikis to keep documentation accessible and well-organized. Regularly review and update the documentation to ensure it remains accurate and relevant.

6. Not Having Automated Build and Deployment (CI/CD)

   • Failing to implement a Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipeline can result in slower development cycles and increased risk of introducing bugs into production. CI/CD automates the build, testing, and deployment processes, ensuring that code changes are integrated and delivered quickly and reliably. This practice enhances team productivity and reduces the time to market.

   • Solution: Implement CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, CircleCI, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI. Automate the build, test, and deployment processes to catch issues early and deploy updates efficiently. Regularly monitor and refine the pipeline to ensure it meets the team’s needs.

   • This will save a lot of time. Also do not forget to add staging testing server.

7. Not Following Standard Routing Frameworks for Better Tool Integration and Internationalization

   • Ignoring standard routing frameworks can lead to difficulties in integrating tools and services, as well as challenges in supporting internationalization (i18n). Standard routing frameworks offer consistent and reliable ways to manage navigation and URLs, making it easier to integrate third-party tools and support multiple languages and regions effectively.

   • Solution: Use established routing frameworks like React Router for React applications or Django's built-in URL routing for Django applications. These frameworks provide robust support for dynamic routing, tool integration, and internationalization. Regularly update routes and ensure they align with best practices.

8. Overengineering Solutions

   • Startups often fall into the trap of trying to anticipate all future needs, leading to unnecessary complexity and wasted resources.
   • Building overly complex systems can slow down development and make maintenance difficult.
   • Solution: Startups should aim for simplicity and build solutions that meet current needs while being flexible enough to evolve. Follow the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle and avoid adding features or complexity until they are truly necessary. Regularly refactor and simplify the codebase to maintain agility and ease of maintenance.

9. Using Plain Custom CSS Instead of Scalable Solutions

   • Writing plain custom CSS can become unmanageable as the project grows. Instead, using CSS frameworks (like Bootstrap or Tailwind CSS) or CSS-in-JS solutions (like styled-components) can provide a more scalable and maintainable approach. These tools offer modular and reusable styles, improving the consistency and scalability of the codebase.

   • Solution: Adopt a CSS framework or CSS-in-JS solution that suits your project needs. For example, Bootstrap or Tailwind CSS provides utility-first styling, while styled-components integrate well with component-based libraries like React. Ensure consistent use of these tools across the project and regularly refactor CSS to maintain modularity and scalability.

10. Keeping Backend and Frontend Monorepos Separate

    • Combining backend and frontend codebases in a single monorepo can lead to complexity and difficulties in managing dependencies, build processes, and deployments. Separate repositories can help streamline development workflows and maintain clear boundaries between the backend and frontend.

    • Solution: Maintain separate monorepos for backend and frontend codebases. This separation allows for independent development, testing, and deployment of each layer. Use tools like Nx, Lerna, or Yarn Workspaces to manage dependencies and shared code across repositories effectively.

11. Insufficient Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans

    • Failing to plan for backups and disaster recovery can lead to data loss and extended downtime. Startups should implement regular backups and have a well-defined disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity.

    • Solution: Implement regular backups and have a well-defined disaster recovery plan. Use automated backup solutions to ensure data is regularly saved and can be restored quickly. Test the recovery process periodically to ensure it works as expected. Establish clear protocols for handling data loss and service disruptions to minimize impact.

By addressing these engineering challenges, SaaS startups can build more robust, scalable, and secure applications, ultimately improving their chances of long-term success. This can save much more development time and costs in the longer run. Will keep adding to this.