The BuildStack Review · Issue 01
Practical writing for people who ship software.
Independent essays on web development, AI tools, and the everyday craft of modern engineering — written by working developers, for working developers.
This issue
All articles →How to Build Authentication in Next.js: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
A practical, opinionated guide to adding email + OAuth authentication to a Next.js App Router project — covering sessions, middleware, and the real-world gotchas.
Editor's selection
Featured this week
The Best AI Tools for Developers in 2026 (Used Daily, Not Just Tested)
An honest look at the AI tools that have actually changed how we work in 2026 — what they're great at, where they fall apart, and how to use them without becoming dependent on them.
How to Optimize Core Web Vitals Without Breaking a Sweat
A practical playbook for shipping fast websites in 2026 — what each Core Web Vital actually measures, the fixes that move the needle, and the ones that quietly don't.
Sections
Browse by topic
Web Development
Frameworks, patterns, and the everyday craft of shipping reliable web applications.
AI Tools
Honest reviews and practical workflows for using AI tooling without losing your edge as an engineer.
Developer Guides
Step-by-step walkthroughs that turn fuzzy concepts into things you can actually build.
Performance
Core Web Vitals, profiling, and the small details that separate a fast site from a slow one.
Best Practices
Code reviews, architecture decisions, and engineering habits that hold up over time.
Recent
Latest articles
A Practical Beginner's Guide to REST APIs
What a REST API actually is, why HTTP verbs matter, and how to design and consume one without falling into common traps. Written for developers who want a working mental model, not a textbook definition.
How to Deploy a Full-Stack App: A No-Nonsense Walkthrough
From localhost to a live URL — a clear, modern path to deploying a Next.js + Postgres app without buying into a single vendor's worldview.
Mastering React Server Components in Next.js
Server Components have changed how Next.js apps are built. Here's a working mental model — what they're for, where Client Components belong, and the patterns that scale.
TypeScript Patterns That Make Your Codebase Easier to Live With
Beyond the basics — a handful of TypeScript patterns that pay rent every day, including discriminated unions, branded types, and how to stop fighting the compiler.
Tailwind CSS vs CSS-in-JS: How to Actually Choose
A grown-up comparison of Tailwind, CSS Modules, and CSS-in-JS — what each is good at, where each falls down, and which one fits your team.
Designing a Database Schema You Won't Regret in Six Months
Schema design choices are quiet for the first month and loud for the next five years. A practical guide to the decisions that matter most early.
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