API & Backend
Backends that hold up under real load.
AppStartDev designs and builds the backend systems that power web, mobile, and operational software. Secure, observable, and built to last past the first six months in production. We design backend systems as core product infrastructure, with attention to reliability, security, and operations.
Common builds
REST and GraphQL APIs, authentication and authorization, integrations with third-party services and legacy systems, background jobs and queues, scheduled work, webhook pipelines, data import / export tools, admin and operational tooling, cloud infrastructure setup.
What we plan for
Failure modes we plan for, not patch later.
Backend code that has not seen production is theory. We design APIs and data systems with the assumption that something will fail, and we make that failure cheap.
Network calls fail.
Timeouts, retries, idempotency keys, and circuit breakers wherever the cost of the call is real.
Data outlives code.
Migrations are reversible. Schema changes stay backward compatible until we can prove no client depends on the old shape.
Load is uneven.
Background jobs absorb spikes. Hot paths stay short. Caching where it earns its keep, not everywhere.
Secrets leak eventually.
Credentials rotate, scopes stay minimal, audit trails are append only and reviewed on a schedule.
How an engagement runs
Step 1
Discover
Goals, users, systems, constraints, risks.
Step 2
Shape
Release plan, design direction, scope clarity.
Step 3
Build
Focused cycles, working software, regular reviews.
Step 4
Ship & Support
Performance, security, QA, deployment, handoff.
Stacks we work with
Hire us when this is true
When a frontend team needs a real backend behind it, when an existing API has scaling or reliability issues, when integrations with external systems are critical to the product, or when the existing backend is too entangled to change safely.
FAQ
Can you take over a backend another team built?
Yes. We start with a code review, runtime audit, dependency review, and risk assessment. Then we plan a stabilization or refactor path, depending on what the situation actually needs.
What about hosting and infrastructure?
We work with major clouds (AWS, Azure, GCP). We can set up infrastructure from scratch or work within your existing cloud account. We document what we build so your team or another team can take it over.
How do you handle scaling?
Honestly. Most products don't need exotic scaling. We pick boring, proven architectures by default and only reach for complexity when the actual load justifies it. We plan for observability so the moment you do need to scale, you can see exactly where.
Have a backend to build or stabilize?
Tell us what's running today, what's hurting, and what you need it to do six months from now.