I start from a setup I already trust rather than re-litigating the stack every project. Here's what I reach for, what each piece is actually doing, and what goes into a build whether or not anyone asks for it.
I start from a setup I already trust, not a fresh argument about tools.
Which one a project gets depends on whether it needs a login, a database and money changing hands. When it is borderline I take the heavier one — switching mid-build is the expensive mistake.
Content-driven sites with no login and no database.
Ships in days and costs almost nothing to run.
The default the moment someone says portal, dashboard or booking.
One vendor for database, auth and storage keeps the moving parts low.
When organizations, roles and SSO are real requirements.
Only when the org model genuinely needs it — it costs more to run.
Template 02 or 03 with an AI module bolted on properly.
AI is a module on a real app, never a stack of its own.
Chosen once and used consistently, so I get faster with them rather than starting over each time. The boring, proven option wins unless there is a specific reason it cannot.
None of this is an upsell. It is the difference between a site that launches and a site that keeps running after I hand it over.