If you, as an Indy Dev, were to build a boring web application from scratch today (think accounting/invoicing software, a dating website, etc.), which tech would you be using and why? How would you host it? Containers, FaaS, monolith on VM? What programming language are the most suitable to do full stack web dev for such a job today?
I would write it in Django, perhaps with a front end framework like react, but with just vanilla JS/jquery if I could, PostgreSQL DB. Deploy it on AWS and you’re good to go!
Agreed on Django, and if you want it "boring" (i.e. function over appearance, not doing anything fancy), avoid front-end frameworks.
I prefer Linode to AWS, but you can use AWS if you are required to by employer or something. I find that AWS is no longer simpler than POL (plain old Linux).
I agree that running the server on something like Linode can be simpler, I personally have a lot of experience with AWS and I like Elastic Beanstalk, so it would be my default choice.
What if you have no team and it is just you and you want to build something that you're passionate about? Or would you always start an Indy project by hiring a team first and then look at their skillset rather than deciding on the tech first and then hire accordingly?
In that case, for starters,
* either Python (Flask or Django), Ruby & PHP for basic stuff if I want to err on the side of what I master;
* either Elixir, Go & Rust if I want to spend some time to learn along with it;
* simple HTML templates & vanilla JS for frontend;
* Vagrant; maybe Docker for quick deployment online;
I'm 40.
The thing is, for starting a project (so at small scale, for a small testable thing, with fast iteration and the capacity to throw away and start again), nothing in the past few years innovations beats the efficiency of a single Linux box & approchable/crude languages/frameworks.
Whatever works actually.
Docker is nice; as well as k8s; but that's complexity that's good to throw in when you do need to scale up. Not before.
"nothing in the past few years innovations beats the efficiency of a single Linux box & approchable/crude languages/frameworks..."
Yes. Most of the past few years' innovation (that we hear a lot about in the web space, anyway) is aimed at the problems of FAANG or people who wish to work at (or become) FAANG. Using them for "a boring web application" is like getting excited about SpaceX and deciding to buy a Falcon Heavy rocket for your next car.
