1. Entities (The Nouns)
Every distinct type of data (e.g., "Invoice," "User," "Project") requires a database schema, API endpoints, Zod validation rules, and UI components to Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD). More nouns = more mass.
Reliable engineering estimates for authenticated, database-driven software. We price the structural integrity of SaaS platforms, Client Portals, and Internal Tools—not the net worth of the client.
When to choose this service: If your project requires users to log in, data to be securely stored and mutated, or complex workflows to be enforced (e.g., Client Portals, SaaS Platforms, Internal Tools), you are building a Functional Ecosystem (Service II).
If your primary goal is purely marketing, brand presence, or public information without user accounts, refer to Service I (Web Architecture).
Calculate the engineering load based on Entities, Roles, and Workflow complexity.
Define the core data objects (the 'Nouns') your system must manage. Every entity requires dedicated schema design, secure API handlers, and UI management components.
Define how users interact with your data. Standard systems distinguish between Users and Admins, while Multi-Tier systems allow for granular department-level permissions.
Define the complexity of your business processes. Pricing is driven by the number of automated state transitions, conditional logic steps, and sequential approval chains.
We do not price based on your budget. We price based on the structural load of the system. In Service II (Functional Ecosystems), three specific engineering vectors drive the complexity.
Every distinct type of data (e.g., "Invoice," "User," "Project") requires a database schema, API endpoints, Zod validation rules, and UI components to Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD). More nouns = more mass.
Security costs money. If a "Client" sees different data than an "Admin," we must engineer conditional logic checks on every server action and page render. Granular permission systems (RBAC) exponentially increase testing rigor.
The complexity of the state machine. A simple "Save" is cheap. A workflow where "Application Submitted" triggers an email, updates a dashboard, and unlocks a new form requires chained server-side events and failure handling.
Every Service II project begins with a fixed engineering cost to initialize the Authenticated Environment. This covers Next.js 16+ setup, Database Connection pooling (Postgres/Supabase), Authentication provider integration (Auth0/Clerk), and Security Headers (CSP/HSTS). You cannot build a skyscraper without pouring the concrete first.
We never lower the standard of engineering to meet a lower price. The only lever we pull to reduce cost is Scope.
If the budget is constrained, we build a smaller system that is still engineered to perfection. We do not build "cheaper" versions that compromise security.
We would rather lose the project than build a digital asset that will fail you.
We do not use no-code tools. We build proprietary assets owned 100% by you.
Questions about custom functional ecosystems, architecture, security, and costs.
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