The stack we use, and why
- React for interfaces built from reusable components, with a huge hiring pool
- TypeScript so the shape of data is checked at build time instead of discovered by users
- Vite and Tailwind CSS for fast builds and consistent, maintainable styling
- Node.js and Express for APIs that share a language with the front end
- PostgreSQL for relational data with real constraints and transactions
- Socket.IO when screens need to update the moment something changes
Our technology page explains each choice in more depth. The common thread is proven, well-supported tools, so hiring, scaling and maintenance stay boring.
API architecture
A web application is only as trustworthy as its API. We design REST endpoints around resources, guard every route with an explicit permission, validate input on the server, and keep real-time events behind the same rules as their REST equivalents — an unguarded WebSocket handler is a common way around an otherwise secure API.
Authentication
Sessions use JWTs in HttpOnly cookies with refresh tokens, passwords are hashed with bcrypt, and sensitive endpoints are rate-limited. File uploads are checked by their actual bytes, not the type the browser claims.
Responsive UI that holds up under daily use
Business software is used for hours at a time, so we optimise for the hundredth use rather than the first impression: dense but readable tables, keyboard-friendly forms, light and dark themes, and localisation — CR Cafe ships in English and Hindi.
Testing, deployment and monitoring
Type checking runs on every build — a type error fails the deploy — and every push to the main branch builds and deploys automatically. Database migrations apply on release, and structured logs and an audit trail make it possible to answer “what happened?” after the fact.
Example: the CR Cafe dashboard
The CR Cafe admin dashboard is a React 19, TypeScript and Tailwind application talking to a Node.js API. It shows a live grid of every station in a cafe, runs point of sale and inventory, and sends lock, restart and wake commands to PCs in real time. The case study explains how.