Why the name?

The JavaScript ecosystem is so exciting - we are always coming up with newer ways to build web software.

I don't know about you, but one of the reasons why I opted to base my career in web development on JavaScript was to build things quickly and easily.

But with the constant state of chasing the next trend or reinventing the wheel, or in most cases ignoring that the wheel ever existed, we've been busy glorifying our hammers ⚒️ instead of building amazing things with them.

Boring technology

We don't build web software in a vacuum; we do it to solve problems in our workplace, create an MVP for that killer idea, and so on.

There are so many exciting problems to be solved with web software that it begs the question: Why are we wasting time and resources on what to build with?

There are amazing technologies that have been tried and tested, which you can depend on.

There is a school of thought that calls tried, tested, and stable technologies "boring tech," and The Boring JavaScript Stack is a tribute to that school of thought. It is also a contrarian movement against the trend in the JS ecosystem of chasing the shiny.

With The Boring JavaScript Stack, you can get off the rat race in the JavaScript ecosystem and move fast by building with stable and boring technologies.

Boring is good

Someone once expressed concerns with the name - The Boring JavaScript Stack. Their concern is that "...many will still be scared of the name."

The fact that many people get scared by the name actually proves my point about glorifying the hammer instead of the building. It seems like the focus is on the wrong things.

We've got to stop getting excited about tools and start getting excited about the problems we are solving with them.

Boring technologies are...

• stable
• tried
• tested
• stable(trust me, it's worth saying again.)
• predictable

Boring is good for business

I'm pretty sure that when you solve problems via web software in your business, you are not in the business of burning through tools to build your solutions with.

Rapidly evolving technologies can be more of a hindrance than a help. Instead of propelling your business forward, they can become stumbling blocks, impeding progress and diverting attention from what truly matters – delivering the services that your users depend on you for.

In the realm of business, the reliability and steadiness of a "boring" tech stack can be a secret weapon, allowing you to stay focused on your core objectives and ensuring the sustained success of your venture.

Boring is good for teams

Because your tech stack is boring, onboarding new teammates becomes easy because they can quickly get started. The technologies in the stack are stable, allowing them to hit the ground running.

In addition to the ease of onboarding, a "boring" tech stack often translates to reduced maintenance overhead. Stability and predictability in technology choices mean fewer surprises and less time spent troubleshooting unexpected issues.

This allows the team to focus on delivering value to users rather than constantly grappling with the latest trendy tools or dealing with the complexities of bleeding-edge technologies.

Moreover, a standardized and well-established tech stack fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing within the team. Team members can easily support each other, as they share a common understanding of the tools and processes in place.

This uniformity also facilitates the creation of best practices, enabling the team to optimize their workflows and maintain a cohesive and efficient development environment. In the long run, a "boring" tech stack can contribute to a more sustainable and productive team dynamic.

Solve exciting problems

Want excitements? Who doesn't 😁! Don't look to your tools for that excitement, look to the problems you are solving.

For example, Lemon Squeezy using a flavor of The Boring JavaScript Stack - Laravel is the web framework of choice, not Sails. They are busy solving the exciting problem of enabling creators to receive payments on the internet. I am also building Hagfish and Sailscasts on The Boring JavaScript Stack!

In fact, the more boring your stack is, the quicker you can let the tools fade into the background while you zoom in on the problems you are solving. Your tools are supposed to enable you to be awesome, not for them to be awesome in your eyes.