Making Tech Decisions as a Solo Developer

Decision making. Two words I hated most at the beginning of my programming journey. The truth is, decision-making is one of the most important parts of our work as programmers, developers, or engineers.

New to tech? Then you need to quickly learn how to make decisions about your tech stack and projects. This skill can save you years in your career.

My Journey into Mobile Development

When I started with mobile development, I was excited (don’t get me wrong, I still am). Mobile was always something I wanted to do. But in the beginning, I landed a job in corporate – working on a Java stack. I was happy, because I had to start somewhere.

After layoffs, I experimented with Python, but mobile was always the dream. Last September, I finally got a chance to work as an Android developer. It was a great opportunity with Kotlin. I already had some experience with Kotlin, so it wasn’t a brand-new language or ecosystem for me.

In my free time, I started experimenting with mobile projects. You know how it goes – you want to explore new libraries. My first app was meant to be a simple To-Do List, but I leveled it up. I integrated a calendar library so users could pick a day and see their tasks for that date. Later, I added a budget tracker and dark mode.

After that project, I built a Sudoku solver and explored Firebase possibilities. Everything I learned on side projects I could later use at work. That’s when I realized why decision making is critical both in free-time projects and production apps.

Right now, I’m working on an iOS weather app, and in this article, I want to share what I’ve learned about decision making as a solo developer (and also as a developer in a team).

Why Tech Decision Making Matters for Developers

When you start a side project or production work, you need to choose the right technologies, architecture, and test stack. Or you can just pick something and pray it was the right choice.

But are you ever truly a “solo developer”? Even if you’re the only mobile developer on the team (like me), you’re not completely alone. You can always learn from your colleagues.

If I’ve learned one thing in tech, it’s that everything is connected through algorithms. Backend developers can inspire your thinking about data and logic. Frontend colleagues can share valuable UI tips.

And if you’re working on personal projects? Join professional communities – for example, I’m part of the Kotlin Slack community, and it’s awesome. Or build friendships with other programmers. Tech is about cooperation, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Challenges Every Solo Developer Faces

Let’s be honest. There are challenges when you’re the only one in your role.

Code reviews in my case are mostly about optimization, not platform-specific issues. New possibilities in the Android or iOS ecosystems? I need to explore them alone.

And if I pick the wrong library or experimental technology, I’m the one paying the price.

My biggest mistake? Choosing Kotlin Multiplatform with shared UI for iPads. The app looked bad and wasn’t what our users wanted. I lost a month before I restarted with Swift and SwiftUI, which provided the native experience we needed.

Sometimes a mistake is just a lesson in disguise.

How to Choose the Right Tech Stack as a Solo Developer

If you’re working on your own and need to choose a stack, here are some criteria that help me:

Sustainability: Pick something stable, not experimental. Look for technologies with strong communities. New tech may look exciting, but it often lacks resources.
Generality: Ever heard of the bus factor? You don’t want to be the only person who understands the project. Use tech that other mobile developers can easily pick up.
Community and documentation: Widely used tech has great support. Most problems you’ll face were already solved by someone else – and yes, even AI knows about it.
Compatibility with future growth: Think about scaling. What happens when your app grows or when a team takes over your solo project? Choose tech that can support long-term development.

Practical Steps for Building Mobile Apps

So, how do I approach mobile app development? I start with a book.

I know some developers say books are outdated. I disagree. My first programming steps came from a Java book five years ago. Then I studied SQL, Git, Python, Linux, Android, and now iOS. Books give you the foundation you need – for example, how the mobile app lifecycle works.

After books, I use roadmaps. I love roadmap.sh. It helps me map the big picture, choose technologies, and then go deeper with my own research.

From there, my workflow looks like this: