Provides research-backed technology stack recommendations using a multi-factor evaluation framework. Covers audience fit, team alignment, ecosystem maturity, future output, and current 2026 benchmarks. Includes research methodology, evidence-based scoring, and structured comparison output. Use when choosing a tech stack, evaluating frameworks, comparing tools, researching current trends, or when user asks "what should I use".
Research-backed tech stack recommendations. Every recommendation is backed by current data, not assumptions.
Before ANY recommendation, fill this:
## Project Context
**Building:** [What the project is]
**Industry:** [Domain/vertical]
**Target Users:** [Audience profile]
**Team Skills:** [What team knows vs needs to learn]
**Timeline:** [Days / Weeks / Months]
**Budget:** [Free tier / $X/month / Enterprise]
**Scale:** [Expected users, data volume, growth]
**Special Needs:** [Compliance, integrations, legacy]
DO NOT skip this. Recommendations without context are guesses.
Score each option across these dimensions:
| Factor | Weight | What to Evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Audience Fit | High | Does the stack serve your users? (Gen Z ≠ Enterprise) |
| Team Alignment | High | Learning curve? Can the team ship with this? |
| Ecosystem Maturity | Medium | Package ecosystem, community, StackOverflow answers |
| Future Output | High | How easy to add features? Scale? Pivot? |
| Update Complexity | Medium | Upgrade path, breaking changes, LTS availability |
| Methodology Fit | Medium | Agile-friendly? MVP-capable? Enterprise patterns? |
| Current Data | High | What do 2026 benchmarks, Reddit, HN say right now? |
For each option, run these searches:
| Query Type | Template |
|---|---|
| Benchmarks | "[framework] performance benchmarks 2026" |
| Community | "[tool] reddit developer review 2026" |
| Production | "[tool] production experience large scale" |
| Comparison | "[tool A] vs [tool B] 2026" |
| Pain points | "[tool] problems issues migration" |
| Confidence | Criteria | Action |
|---|---|---|
| High | 3+ independent sources agree | Present as fact |
| Medium | 2 sources agree | Present with attribution |
| Low | 1 source only | Present with caveat |
| Conflict | Sources disagree | Present both sides |
Use the evaluation framework to score each option 1-5 per factor. Total score determines recommendation ranking.
## Tech Stack Recommendation: [Project Name]
### Context Summary
Building [X] for [Y] with [constraints].
### TLDR
- [3-5 bullet recommendation summary]
### Options Evaluated
| Stack | Audience | Team | Future | Ecosystem | Score |
|-------|----------|------|--------|-----------|-------|
| **Option A** | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 18/20 |
| Option B | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 16/20 |
| Option C | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | 14/20 |
### Recommended: [Option A]
**Framework:** [X] — [Why]
**Database:** [X] — [Why]
**Auth:** [X] — [Why]
**Hosting:** [X] — [Why]
### Why Not the Others?
**Option B:** [Limitation for this project]
**Option C:** [Limitation for this project]
### Research Sources (2026)
1. [Source] — [Key insight]
2. [Source] — [Key insight]
### Risks & Mitigations
- [Risk 1] → [Mitigation]
- [Risk 2] → [Mitigation]
### Next Steps
1. [First action]
2. [Second action]
| Industry | Special Factors |
|---|---|
| Cannabis Tech | State regulations, age verification, payment complexity |
| FinTech | Security, compliance, audit trails |
| Healthcare | HIPAA, data privacy, reliability |
| E-commerce | Performance, SEO, payment integrations |
| B2B SaaS | Enterprise auth, multi-tenancy, long-term support |
| Consumer App | Mobile-first, real-time, social features |
| Use Case | Stack | Why |
|---|---|---|
| MVP / Indie | Next.js + Supabase + Clerk | Fast, free tier, batteries included |
| Enterprise | .NET + Azure SQL + Azure AD | Microsoft ecosystem, compliance |
| Mobile-first | Expo + Supabase + Clerk | Cross-platform, real-time |
| AI Product | Next.js + Vercel AI SDK + OpenAI | Streaming, edge functions |
| Content Site | Astro + MDX + Cloudflare | Maximum performance, SSG |
| Real-time | Next.js + Convex + Clerk | Built-in reactivity |
DO NOT deliver a recommendation without: