Hello!
So I am non technical founder. I am searching for dev shops to help me build a web app. I want to make sure I choose a dev shop that uses that right backend frame work, that is in line with my vision for the product.
1.) The Product (Generally) - An online discovery network. User profiles, ability to chat with users. Ability to live stream. Ability to create community groups where many people can interact and chat. Payment integration etc. Filter and search for different users by category. Very feature rich...
2.) I want to make sure it's a backend framework that is very common and lots of programmers are familiar with. When I am recruiting I want to make sure this the right backend tech stack that is current and relevant and lots of people work with.
3.) Want to make sure it is right for scale and for lots of users.
Thanks in advance! Been tricky navigating developers since I am non technical, trying to make the right decisions before I go with someone :)
So, the good news is you can ignore the framework. Instead, focus on finding a company that:
* does what they'll say they do during your initial conversations and scoping. If they say they'll email X by Y (like a bid or a followup) and it's late or doesn't happen, move on. The pre-sales period is as good as their service will get.
* works iteratively. Look for a company that has lots of small releases (on the order of a week to a month), not a giant scope and big release/deliverable.
* ideally, has done some work with the general type of users/customers you're selling to or are using the app. I don't mean technically, I mean in terms of use cases. For example, a development consultancy that's only designed dashboards for business apps is probably not an ideal choice for a consumer-facing app. They may well be able to do it, but will be less likely to point out flaws in your thinking. Another way to put this is: ask for the URL to something similar they've created (and go try it!).
If they do those things, whatever they recommend will be better than anything you come up with. And if they don't, it doesn't matter anyway :)
Finally, if you haven't already, put together wireframes of as many screens as you can think of - even if it's with pen and paper - and show up with those. They can be terribly ugly, as long as they show what information and choices you envision on each screen and let you talk through why. That will eliminate a ton of uncertainty and effort. Google for pen paper wireframes if you aren't familiar with this.