Backend & Platform Building
Scalable Backend Architecture That Powers Growth Without Rewrites
Build robust APIs, databases, and platforms using the right tool for your context—from rapid prototypes with Supabase to enterprise-grade systems with NestJS. Architected to scale from MVP to millions of users.
Intro
Most startups outgrow their first backend architecture within 18 months, requiring expensive rewrites. Most enterprises struggle with legacy systems that can't evolve fast enough to compete with agile competitors. Both problems stem from backend architecture mistakes made during initial development.
The solution isn't picking a single "best" technology—it's strategic technology selection based on your actual requirements, growth trajectory, and team capabilities. WAYF maintains expertise across six backend platforms precisely because different contexts demand different solutions.
Need to launch an MVP in 4 weeks? Supabase provides production-ready backend infrastructure with zero DevOps. Building a complex enterprise system? NestJS offers the architectural patterns that prevent chaos at scale. Managing content-heavy workflows? Wagtail delivers flexibility without fragility.
Over 10 years and 100+ projects, we've architected backends that scale from prototype to Series C funding, from side project to public company. We choose technology based on your success criteria, not our comfort zone or resume building.
Our Backend Technology Stack
Node.js enables full-stack JavaScript teams, shares code between frontend and backend, and handles concurrent requests efficiently with its event-driven architecture. The npm ecosystem provides 2 million+ packages solving virtually any integration challenge. Perfect for real-time applications, APIs consumed by React/React Native frontends, and teams maximizing JavaScript expertise. Powers Netflix, LinkedIn, PayPal, and thousands of high-scale platforms.
NestJS brings TypeScript, dependency injection, and opinionated architecture patterns to Node.js—creating maintainable codebases that scale across teams. The modular structure prevents spaghetti code even in complex systems with dozens of services. Built-in support for GraphQL, microservices, WebSockets, and testing makes enterprise features straightforward rather than afterthoughts. Choose NestJS when you need 10+ engineers working on a codebase simultaneously without stepping on each other.
Payload delivers a powerful headless CMS with type-safe APIs, flexible content modeling, built-in authentication, and file management—all deployable anywhere Node.js runs. Unlike SaaS CMS platforms charging per user/request, Payload is self-hosted and infinitely scalable. The developer experience combines speed with control: launch content APIs in hours, not weeks. Perfect for content-heavy sites, e-commerce product catalogs, and applications needing complex content workflows without vendor lock-in.
Supabase provides authentication, PostgreSQL database, real-time subscriptions, file storage, and API generation—all managed infrastructure you don't have to build or maintain. Unlike Firebase, you own your data in an actual PostgreSQL database with full SQL access and migration flexibility. Launch MVPs in days with production-grade security and scale to millions of users without rewriting. Perfect for startups validating ideas quickly, side projects becoming businesses, and applications needing real-time features.
Wagtail combines developer-friendly content modeling with intuitive editor experiences—built on Django's battle-tested Python framework. The StreamField system enables sophisticated content layouts without custom code for every variation. Perfect for publishing platforms, universities, government sites, and enterprises needing workflow approvals, multi-language support, and content governance. Trusted by Google, NASA, and MIT.
Convex delivers real-time database subscriptions, serverless functions, and reactive queries with automatic caching—eliminating the complexity of building real-time infrastructure. Write TypeScript functions that automatically become API endpoints. Database queries reactively update connected clients without polling or WebSocket management. Perfect for collaborative apps, dashboards with live data, and applications where real-time sync is table-stakes.
Why Strategic Backend Selection Matters
Backend Development Capabilities
API Development
RESTful APIs with OpenAPI/Swagger documentation
GraphQL schemas with Apollo Server or Mercurius
API versioning and backwards compatibility
Rate limiting and request throttling
Authentication (JWT, OAuth2, SAML)
API security and input validation
Authentication & Authorization
User registration and login flows
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Role-based access control (RBAC)
Social authentication (Google, GitHub, etc.)
Single Sign-On (SSO) integration
Session management and token refresh
Background Jobs & Processing
Async task queues (Bull, BullMQ)
Scheduled cron jobs and recurring tasks
Email sending and templating
Image processing and optimization
PDF generation and reports
Data import/export pipelines
DevOps & Infrastructure
Docker containerization
CI/CD pipeline setup (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI)
Cloud deployment (AWS, GCP, Azure, DigitalOcean)
Load balancing and auto-scaling
Monitoring and alerting (Sentry, DataDog, Prometheus)
Performance profiling and optimization
Ideal Use Cases
Multi-tenant architecture with user management, subscription billing, role-based permissions, and analytics. NestJS provides the architectural patterns that prevent collapse as features accumulate. Supabase accelerates MVP launches when you're validating market fit before committing to custom infrastructure.
Product catalogs, inventory management, order processing, payment integration, and fulfillment orchestration. Payload CMS handles complex product data with type-safe APIs. Node.js processes transactions reliably while integrating with Shopify, Stripe, and logistics providers.
Collaborative tools, live dashboards, chat applications, and multiplayer features. Convex eliminates the complexity of building real-time infrastructure, while WebSocket-enabled Node.js solutions provide complete control for complex scenarios.
Editorial workflows, multi-channel publishing, SEO optimization, and content governance. Wagtail delivers sophisticated content management for publishers, while Payload provides flexible headless architecture for modern JAMstack approaches.
Complex business logic, compliance requirements, legacy system integration, and scalability across departments. NestJS's modular architecture and TypeScript type-safety prevent the chaos that typically plagues enterprise codebases.
Mobile apps, IoT devices, partner integrations, and future unknown clients all consuming the same backend. We design API contracts that remain stable while implementation details evolve, preventing client-breaking changes that sabotage release schedules.
Our Backend Development Services
Custom API Development
We build RESTful and GraphQL APIs tailored to your data models and client needs. This includes authentication, authorization, validation, documentation, and comprehensive testing. Your API launches secure, documented, and ready for consumption by web apps, mobile apps, and third-party integrations.
Database Architecture & Design
We design database schemas optimized for your query patterns, scalability requirements, and data integrity needs. This includes normalization strategies, indexing optimization, migration planning, and backup solutions. Your database handles current load efficiently while scaling to 10x growth without rewrites.
Backend-as-a-Service Implementation
We accelerate development by leveraging managed services like Supabase and Convex when appropriate. This includes schema design, authentication setup, real-time subscriptions, file storage, and edge functions. You launch in weeks rather than months while maintaining production-grade reliability.
CMS Development & Integration
We implement headless CMS solutions (Payload, Wagtail, Contentful, Sanity) that empower marketing teams without requiring developer involvement for routine content updates. This includes custom content models, editorial workflows, preview modes, and API delivery. Your content reaches production instantly.
Microservices & Distributed Systems
We architect microservices that decompose monoliths into independently deployable services. This includes service communication patterns, data consistency strategies, and deployment orchestration. Your system scales horizontally and teams work independently without stepping on each other.
Legacy Modernization
We migrate monolithic PHP/Ruby/Java applications to modern Node.js architectures incrementally, maintaining uptime while transforming underlying systems. This includes API extraction, database migration, and staged rollouts. Your technical debt decreases while feature velocity increases.
Infrastructure & DevOps
We set up deployment pipelines, monitoring infrastructure, and scaling strategies that turn code into production systems reliably. This includes Docker containers, CI/CD automation, cloud resource management, and incident response procedures. Your backend deploys confidently and recovers quickly from issues.
Why Work With WAYF for Backend Development?
We maintain production expertise across six backend platforms, letting us recommend based on your actual needs rather than our preferred hammer. Need Supabase for rapid MVP validation? We know its limitations and when migration becomes necessary. Require NestJS for enterprise complexity? We've architected systems supporting 100+ engineers.
We've seen codebases collapse under scale dozens of times. We know which shortcuts create technical debt and which enable velocity. Your backend launches ready for current needs while anticipating the problems that emerge at 10x, 100x, and 1000x scale.
Backend systems handle sensitive data, financial transactions, and user trust. We implement security as default behavior: parameterized queries preventing SQL injection, input validation stopping malicious payloads, authentication protecting resources, encryption securing data in transit and at rest. Your backend passes security audits without emergency remediation.
We document architectural decisions, API contracts, database schemas, and operational procedures. When we transition projects to your internal teams, they have everything needed to maintain and extend systems confidently. No tribal knowledge locked in developers' heads.
We monitor systems post-launch, respond to incidents, optimize performance under real load, and evolve architecture as requirements change. Backend systems aren't "finished" at launch—they require ongoing care. We provide that or train your team to operate independently.
Pricing Guidance
* Pricing varies based on complexity, data requirements, integrations, and team size. Schedule a discovery call for a detailed estimate specific to your project.
