Why We Build on Next.js and Supabase (And Why It Matters for Your Business)
Yoros builds every client project on Next.js and Supabase. Here's why the tech stack choice has a direct impact on your site's performance, security, and long-term cost.
Most clients hiring a web developer don't care what tech stack is under the hood. They care that the site works, looks good, and doesn't require a phone call to the developer every time they need to change the opening hours.
Fair enough. But the stack choice has real consequences for performance, security, long-term cost, and how fast changes can be made. Here's why Yoros standardises on Next.js and Supabase — and why that's good news for you.
What Next.js Brings to the Table
Next.js is a React framework built and maintained by Vercel. It's used in production by companies like Notion, TikTok, and Twitch. For small and medium business sites, the relevant benefits are:
Performance by default. Next.js handles image optimisation automatically — converting to WebP or AVIF format, serving the right size for the device, and loading lazily. It also splits code per route, so visitors only load what they need. The result is fast initial page loads and high Google Core Web Vitals scores.
SEO-friendly from the start. Server-side rendering means search engine crawlers see complete HTML — not a blank page waiting for JavaScript to run. Every page can have its own dynamic metadata: title, description, Open Graph tags. This is the foundation of proper technical SEO.
Deployment simplicity. Vercel — the company behind Next.js — runs the deployment infrastructure. Push to GitHub, and the site is live within 60 seconds. Preview deployments on every branch. Automatic scaling. Edge CDN globally. For a South African site, the South Africa region on Vercel delivers sub-100ms response times.
One codebase. Marketing pages, admin panels, API routes, and cron jobs all live in the same Next.js project. No separate backend server, no third-party API layer to maintain, no additional infrastructure cost.
What Supabase Brings to the Table
Supabase is an open-source Firebase alternative built on PostgreSQL. For client businesses, the relevant benefits are:
You own your data. Everything is stored in a PostgreSQL database that belongs to your account. If you ever want to migrate away from Supabase, export your data and go. There is no lock-in.
Row Level Security is built in. Every table in Supabase can have rules that determine exactly who can read or write each row. Your admin can see everything. Your client can only see their own records. Public visitors can read published content but can't touch data. This isn't bolted on — it's enforced at the database level.
Authentication is solved. Email/password login, magic links, OAuth (Google, GitHub), phone OTP — all handled by Supabase Auth without writing an authentication system from scratch or paying for a third-party auth service.
Realtime is available. For dashboards and portals where live data matters, Supabase's Postgres Changes feature broadcasts database updates to connected clients in real time.
Cost is predictable. The Supabase free tier covers most small business needs indefinitely. The Pro plan is $25/month for production workloads. There are no transaction fees, no per-user costs, no surprise bills.
The Stack Nobody Has to Maintain
One of the most important long-term benefits of this stack: it requires almost no infrastructure maintenance.
WordPress sites need plugin updates, security patches, PHP version management, backup configuration, and a hosting environment that drifts over time. A badly maintained WordPress site is a security risk and a performance liability.
A Next.js + Supabase site on Vercel has no plugins to update. The frameworks update on your schedule, not automatically. Vercel and Supabase handle their own infrastructure. The codebase stays clean because there's nothing extraneous in it.
For a once-off client who owns their build outright, this means the site continues to work reliably for years without an ongoing maintenance burden.
What This Means in Practice
When Yoros builds your site on this stack, you get:
- A Lighthouse score consistently above 90 on performance
- Automatic image optimisation and CDN delivery
- Secure, role-based access to all admin functions
- A codebase that any competent Next.js developer can pick up and extend
- Infrastructure that scales with your traffic without configuration changes
The stack isn't the product. But it's the foundation that makes everything else possible.