Backend
Backend recipes
61 admin-reviewed Backend starting points in the Vault, each installable with one command. Browse every category →
.NET + Postgres + Redis: Fintech-oriented Baseline
A security-conscious starting point for financial and payments-adjacent backends: .NET API, Postgres for ledger/transaction records, and Redis for session and rate-limit state. This is a starting baseline only, not a certified or verified PCI-DSS/regulatory-compliant stack — your own security and compliance review is still required before handling real financial data.
by @ops
.NET + Postgres + Redis: Insurance Policy Quoting Engine
Rate calculation and quote generation before a policy exists — distinct from Insurance Claims Processing: that handles claims after something happens, this is underwriting math and quote state before a customer ever buys.
by @ops
.NET + Postgres + Redis: Retail Point-of-Sale (POS) Backend
In-person transaction handling, cash drawer reconciliation, and receipt records — distinct from e-commerce/inventory recipes built around online orders: this is the in-store, register-shaped side of retail.
by @ops
.NET + Postgres + Redis: Warehouse Management System (WMS) Backend
Bin locations, pick routes, and receiving records — distinct from Inventory & Order Management: that's e-commerce-facing stock/order data, this is the physical warehouse-operations layer underneath it.
by @ops
Audit Log / Activity Trail Service
An append-only activity trail — who did what, when, to which record — as its own service instead of scattered console.logs or an afterthought column. Redis buffers writes so logging never blocks the request that triggered it.
by @ops
Bulk CSV Import & Data Validation Service
User-uploaded bulk file processing — row-by-row validation and async import via a worker, with a real error report instead of a silent partial failure. Distinct from ETL: that pulls from external systems on a schedule; this is a user clicking 'import' on their own file, right now.
by @ops
Bun + Postgres + Redis: License Validation & Anti-Piracy Check-in Service
Ongoing runtime license validation for desktop/plugin software — distinct from Digital Asset & License Delivery: that issues a license at purchase, this is the repeated phone-home check every time the software actually runs.
by @ops
Content Moderation Pipeline
A flag-and-review queue for user-generated content — Postgres for submissions and moderation decisions, Redis for the queue, a worker for automated pre-screening before a human ever looks at it. For any platform with comments, uploads, or listings that aren't pre-vetted.
by @ops
Customer Onboarding Progress Tracking
Onboarding checklist steps and completion state per account — distinct from Drip Campaigns: that's the emails sent during onboarding, this is tracking whether the user actually did the things.
by @ops
Data Deduplication & Entity Resolution Service
Matching and merging likely-duplicate records (contacts, customers, companies) via a worker doing the actual resolution — the backend behind "these two records are probably the same person" at any real scale of data.
by @ops
Document Generation Service
PDF/invoice generation as its own service — templates and records in Postgres, a worker that generates documents asynchronously instead of blocking a request while a PDF renders.
by @ops
Dynamic Pricing / Rate Card Engine
Real-time price calculation from rules (demand-based, time-based, tiered) — distinct from Usage Metering (bills for consumption) and Membership (gates access): this recipe just calculates what something costs right now, it doesn't bill or gate anything itself.
by @ops
Elixir + MySQL + Mailpit
A Phoenix-style Elixir API on MySQL instead of Postgres, with local email testing via Mailpit.
by @ops
Elixir + Postgres + Redis: IoT Device Fleet Command & Control
Sending commands TO a device fleet and tracking acknowledgment state — distinct from the Rust + Kafka + ClickHouse IoT Telemetry recipe: that ingests data FROM devices, this is the reverse direction, a control plane rather than an ingestion pipeline.
by @ops
Elixir + Postgres + Redis: Smart Home Automation Rules Engine
If-this-then-that automation logic evaluated against device state — distinct from IoT Fleet Command & Control: that sends commands and tracks device state, this is the rules/automation LAYER deciding when those commands should fire.
by @ops
File Upload & Media Processing
Postgres for records, MinIO for S3-compatible object storage, and a background worker already wired in for the actual processing — resizing images, transcoding video, generating thumbnails — instead of doing it inline and blocking the request.
by @ops
Fraud & Anomaly Detection Scoring Backend
Scores transactions/events against rules and patterns via a worker, flagging anomalies for review — distinct from the Audit Log recipe: that records what happened, this decides whether what happened looks wrong.
by @ops
Internal Admin / Back-office Tool Backend
A CRUD-heavy backend shaped for internal tooling — the API behind an admin panel or ops dashboard, not a public product. Postgres for records, Redis for session/cache, nothing over-engineered for a tool only your own team uses.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Kafka + Postgres: Order Saga / Distributed Transaction Backend
Saga orchestration for multi-step transactions across services — Kafka carrying saga events, a worker managing compensation logic when a step fails partway through. For teams past a single-database transaction being enough.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres + Redis: Healthcare-oriented Baseline
A security-conscious starting point for patient-data-adjacent backends: Spring Boot API, Postgres for structured clinical/administrative records, and Redis for session state. This is a starting baseline only, not a certified or verified HIPAA/regulatory-compliant stack — your own security and compliance review is still required before handling real patient data.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Batch Payroll Processing Backend
Pay periods, batch calculation runs, and a worker processing payroll on schedule — a vertical baseline distinct from Expense Reporting and Timesheets: those track hours and claims, this is the actual pay-run calculation and record-keeping.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Clinical Trial Data Capture (EDC) Backend
Structured research data capture for clinical trials — distinct from the general Healthcare-oriented Baseline: that's patient-data-adjacent backends broadly, this is specifically regulated trial data capture with its own audit and protocol-adherence requirements.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Government Benefits Case Management
Benefit applications, case worker assignment, and eligibility decision records — distinct from Grant Application & Review: that's discretionary funding decisions, this is structured public-sector benefits processing with its own compliance shape.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Loan Origination & Underwriting Backend
Loan applications, underwriting decision records, and approval workflow — distinct from the Insurance Quoting Engine: same shape of problem, different regulated vertical, real lending-specific data model.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Supply Chain Traceability & Chain-of-Custody
Batch/lot tracking through a supply chain with a full chain-of-custody record — distinct from Fleet Tracking (vehicles) and Vendor Management (supplier relationships): this tracks the product itself moving through custody, food-safety and pharma-adjacent.
by @ops
Java (Spring) + Postgres: Utility Billing & Meter Reading Backend
Physical meter readings and utility billing calculation, a worker processing reading batches into bills — distinct from Usage Metering & Billing: that's SaaS API consumption, this is real utility meters (water/gas/electric) and their own billing cycle rules.
by @ops
Multi-tenant SaaS Starter
Tenant-scoped Postgres schema convention with Redis for tenant-aware sessions and caching — the foundation every B2B SaaS ends up needing, built in from the start instead of retrofitted after the first enterprise customer asks for data isolation.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Applicant Tracking Baseline
Job postings, applications, and interview-stage pipeline state — the backend behind an ATS or internal hiring tool, with Redis for the pipeline-board views that need to stay fast.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Course & Learning Management Baseline
A starting point for course/lesson-structured products: enrollment, progress tracking, and completion state in Postgres, Redis for session/progress caching. Vertical-flavored baseline, same pattern as the Fintech and Healthcare starters — not a certified LMS/SCORM-compliant stack.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Crowdfunding Campaign Baseline
Time-boxed campaigns with funding goals and reward tiers, Stripe-connected, a worker handling pledge capture at campaign close. Distinct from Nonprofit Donor & Campaign: that's ongoing fundraising relationships, this is one campaign with a deadline and a goal.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Dating & Matching Algorithm Baseline
Profile compatibility scoring, swipe/match state, and mutual-match detection — a starting shape for any two-sided matching product, not just dating specifically.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Employee Directory & Org Chart Baseline
Employee records, reporting lines, and org structure as queryable data — a simple internal-tooling vertical baseline, same pattern as the other Backend baselines.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Equipment & Asset Tracking Baseline
Owned equipment, assignment/checkout history, and maintenance schedules — distinct from Inventory & Order Management: that's sellable stock moving through a sale, this is owned assets that come back.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Event Registration & Ticketing Baseline
Event listings, ticket tiers, registration, and check-in state, with Stripe wired in for paid tickets. The backend behind an event platform, not a generic e-commerce checkout.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Expense Reporting & Reimbursement Baseline
Expense claims, receipt records, and approval-chain state — distinct from Timesheet: that tracks hours worked, this tracks money employees are owed back.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Field Service Dispatch Baseline
Work orders, technician assignment, and job status in the field — distinct from Booking & Appointment Scheduling: that's the customer reserving a slot, this is dispatching someone to actually do the work.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Fleet & Vehicle Tracking Baseline
Vehicle location, maintenance schedules, and driver assignment — the logistics-vertical counterpart to Geofencing & Location Tracking, focused on a managed fleet rather than general mobile location features.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Franchise & Multi-location Operations Baseline
Per-location performance, compliance checklists, and franchisee records rolled up to an owner view — a starting shape for any multi-location operator, not a single-site business.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Grant Application & Review Baseline
Grant applications, reviewer assignment, and scoring/decision workflow — distinct from Nonprofit Donor & Campaign: that's fundraising, this is giving money away in a structured, auditable way.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Nonprofit Donor & Campaign Baseline
Donor records, campaigns, and recurring-donation billing via Stripe, with a worker handling the recurring charge cycle. A vertical baseline for donation/fundraising platforms specifically, not generic subscription billing.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Physical Access Control / Badge System Baseline
Badge/access records, door-event logs, and access-group permissions — a real, if niche, vertical baseline for office/facility access systems.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Procurement & Purchase Order Baseline
Vendors, purchase orders, and approval workflow before money leaves the building — distinct from Inventory & Order Management: that's selling stock, this is buying it.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Property & Lease Management Baseline
Listings, leases, tenants, and maintenance requests as structured records — the operational backend behind a property management product, not a public listings site.
by @ops
Node + Postgres + Redis: Vendor & Supplier Management Baseline
Vendor onboarding, contract terms, and performance/scorecard tracking over time — distinct from Procurement: that's the transactional PO flow, this is the ongoing vendor relationship.
by @ops
Node + Postgres: Insurance Claims Processing Baseline
Claims intake, adjudication status, and document attachment records, with a worker processing claims through their status pipeline. A starting baseline for claims-adjacent backends — not a certified or regulator-approved insurance system.
by @ops
PHP + MySQL + Redis: Legacy CMS Migration Bridge
An API layer in front of an existing legacy MySQL-backed CMS database, Redis caching the translation layer — for teams modernizing incrementally instead of doing a risky big-bang rewrite of a system still running production content.
by @ops
PHP + Postgres + RabbitMQ
A queue-driven PHP backend (no framework baked in) using Postgres and RabbitMQ for async job processing.
by @ops
PHP + Postgres + Redis: Real Estate Listing Syndication Backend
Syndicating property listings out to multiple external platforms with a worker handling the sync — distinct from Property & Lease Management: that's landlord/tenant/lease operations, this is MLS-style multi-platform listing distribution.
by @ops
Python + MariaDB + Redis: Legacy-friendly Baseline
A Python backend built around MariaDB — a natural fit for teams migrating off older MySQL-family systems without a database rewrite — with Redis for caching and session state layered on top.
by @ops
Python + Postgres + Redis: Personal Finance Budgeting & Categorization Backend
Transaction categorization and budget tracking for a consumer finance app — distinct from the Ledger recipe (business double-entry accounting) and Digital Wallet (stored value): this is the Mint/YNAB-shaped personal budgeting category.
by @ops
Ruby + Postgres + Redis: B2B Contract Lifecycle & Renewal Management
Contract terms, renewal dates, and auto-renew/notice-period tracking with a worker flagging upcoming renewals — distinct from Subscription Dunning: that's payment-failure recovery, this is the contractual side of B2B relationships, often on annual terms with no billing event to hook into.
by @ops
Ruby + Postgres + Redis: Gradebook & Assessment Backend
Assignments, scores, and grade calculation as structured records — distinct from the Course & Learning Management baseline: that tracks enrollment/progress through content, this is specifically grading and assessment.
by @ops
Ruby + Postgres + Redis: Podcast Dynamic Ad Insertion
Per-listener dynamic ad insertion into podcast audio feeds, with Redis for fast ad-slot decisioning at request time — distinct from Server-Side Ad Serving: that's general web ad placement, this is specifically audio/podcast-feed insertion.
by @ops
Ruby + Valkey + MinIO
A lean Ruby API (no Rails) using Valkey for caching and MinIO for S3-compatible object storage.
by @ops
Rust + Postgres + Redis + Kafka: Order Matching Engine
A price-time-priority order book and matching engine — Kafka carrying order events, Redis for the live book state, Postgres for settled trade history. Infrastructure pattern for anyone building a market/exchange-shaped product, not investment guidance.
by @ops
Rust + Postgres: Cryptographic Key Management Service
Key lifecycle, rotation tracking, and signing-operation records in Postgres, Rust for the performance and memory-safety a crypto-adjacent service actually wants. Distinct from Secrets & Config Management: that's general app secrets, this is specifically key material and signing operations.
by @ops
Rust + Redis + Kafka: Real-time Bidding (RTB) Ad Exchange Backend
Sub-100ms bid-request handling for a real-time bidding ad exchange — Kafka carrying bid events, Redis for the fast auction state. Distinct from Server-Side Ad Serving: that places ads directly, this is the exchange protocol connecting multiple bidders on a strict clock.
by @ops
Server-Side Ad Serving Backend
Ad slot definitions, targeting rules, and impression/click tracking served server-side — a real, distinct vertical for anyone building ad-supported placements without relying entirely on a third-party ad network.
by @ops
Social Graph / Follow-Feed Backend
Following/followers as a real graph, with Redis-cached feed generation instead of an expensive JOIN on every page load. The same shape of problem Stacktora's own Vault profile/follower system has to solve.
by @ops
Time Tracking & Timesheet Backend
Time entries, projects, and approval state in Postgres, Redis for the active-timer state that needs to be fast. The backend behind any internal time-tracking or client-billing-hours tool.
by @ops
Waitlist & Invite-code Access Backend
Signup waitlists, position tracking, and invite-code-gated access — the backend behind a controlled rollout or invite-only launch, not a full membership system.
by @ops