Stack Compass Guide

Stack Compass Guide helps developers and architects make better technology and architecture decisions using simple, practical decision paths.

Choose a category → Choose a topic → Answer a few questions → Get a clear recommendation.

Architecture

Architecture decision guide illustration

Core structural decisions about how your application is built.

Choose the right overall structure, how parts of your system talk to each other, and how it will grow over time.

  • Example: Monolith vs. Microservices, CQRS vs. CRUD, Event-driven vs. Request/Response.

Data & Storage

Data and storage decision guide illustration

How data is stored, modeled, and accessed.

Decide between database types and data models based on your application's needs.

  • Example: SQL vs. NoSQL vs. NewSQL, Graph vs. Relational, In-Memory vs. Distributed Caching.

DevOps

DevOps decision guide illustration

Build, deploy, and run your systems reliably.

Compare tools for automating builds and releases, running containers, and managing your servers.

  • Example: GitHub Actions vs. GitLab CI, Docker vs. Podman, Kubernetes vs. Nomad.

Frontend & UI

Frontend and UI decision guide illustration

How your application looks and behaves in the browser.

Choose how your frontend is structured and delivered to users.

  • Example: SPA vs. MPA, SSR vs. CSR.

Security

Security decision guide illustration

How users log in, who can access what, and how sensitive data is kept safe.

Make informed decisions to protect users and data.

  • Example: JWT vs. OAuth2, Secrets Management (Env, Config, Vault).

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