How do you decide when to invest in custom tooling versus using off-the-shelf solutions?
Nikola Mrkic
9 replies
When does your team choose to build custom solutions, and when do you rely on existing tools? What has been your experience with both approaches?
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Benson Gao@bensongao
At the start of a project, I prefer using ready-made solutions. However, as the product grows more complex and the user base expands, and the ready-made solutions can no longer meet the requirements, I lean towards developing my own solutions
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tabsmagic.com
For me, it depends on the scale of the project.
It's really a question of flexibility for me. Off-the-shelf tools are great for general needs.
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To me it's always a binary, price decision.
I'll go with whichever option is cheaper.
Deciding when to invest in custom tooling versus using off-the-shelf solutions involves several considerations. If your business has unique requirements that standard solutions cannot meet, custom tooling may be warranted, as it can be tailored to fit specific workflows and processes, providing a competitive advantage.
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I think it depends on your specific needs and budget. Off-the-shelf solutions can be great for getting up and running quickly without a lot of dev effort. But as you scale, the limitations can become painful. Building your own custom tools tailored to your unique workflow and requirements, while a bigger initial investment, can really pay off in the long run in terms of productivity and flexibility. I'd start with off-the-shelf, but keep an eye out for when you start outgrowing them and custom tooling makes sense.
I lean towards off-the-shelf solutions early on for speed, but as complexity grows, custom tooling becomes more appealing. The key is finding the tipping point where the benefits of customization (flexibility, performance, user experience) outweigh the upfront dev costs. I look at projected growth and assess if the tool is core to our unique value prop. If yes, it's often worth investing in making it our own vs generic, even if it slows the roadmap initially. Thoughts?