The Web Stack We Build On, and Why
Vikrama builds on a small, deliberate stack: Next.js for sites and applications, plain HTML for speed-critical landing pages, Shopify for D2C stores, and WordPress where a team needs to own its own content. Each choice is made for the job rather than the trend, favouring speed, maintainability, and what the client can run.
Vikrama builds on a small, deliberate stack: Next.js for sites and applications, plain HTML for speed-critical landing pages, Shopify for D2C stores, and WordPress where a team needs to own its own content. Each choice is made for the job rather than the trend, and the priorities are speed, maintainability, and what the client can actually run after we hand it over. A stack is a set of tradeoffs, not a status symbol.
This is the studio's own view, not a generic survey. We build what we sell and we run what we recommend, so the stack below is what we reach for and the reasons we reach for it.
What we build on
Next.js for sites and applications. Server rendering for clean, crawlable pages, a strong component model, and good performance defaults make it our default for sites that have to rank and applications that have to scale. This site runs on it, and so does the Dizios dashboard in Labs.
Plain HTML for speed-critical landing pages. When a page exists to load almost instantly and convert, a framework is weight it does not need. Plain HTML is how the Heritage Prime and Industrial Water Solutions landing pages reach 99 to 100 on mobile PageSpeed. The simplest tool that does the job is the right tool.
Shopify for D2C stores. For a D2C brand, a hosted commerce platform handles payments, inventory, and checkout reliably, so the work goes into the funnel and the brand rather than into rebuilding commerce plumbing. The CutePotatoIndia rebuild on Shopify moved add-to-cart from 1.14% to 3.8%, with the platform handling the parts that should not be reinvented. The case study has the detail.
WordPress where a team needs to own content. When the client needs to publish and edit without a developer, WordPress is the honest choice, built lean. The reasoning is in custom website vs WordPress.
How we choose
The rule is to match the tool to the job and to what the client can maintain. A fast, maintainable site the team can run beats a clever stack they cannot. We avoid adding tools for novelty, because every extra piece is something to maintain and something that can break. The fewest moving parts that meet the need is the goal.
What we avoid by default
Heavy abstractions and infrastructure that a growing business does not need yet, container orchestration for a brochure site, a custom CMS where a hosted one works, a microservice split where one service is fine. These get reached for too early and cost more than they return. We add complexity when a real need appears, not in case one does.
The stack is one part of what makes a business website actually convert. For an example of how this stack ships in production, see the D2C practice page.
Want a stack chosen for your job rather than the trend? Start with our audit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best stack for a business website in 2026?
The one that matches the job. For a site that has to rank and grow, a server-rendered framework like Next.js works well. For a speed-critical landing page, plain HTML is often best. For a D2C store, a hosted platform like Shopify. The best stack is the simplest one that meets the need and that the team can maintain.
Why use Next.js for a business website?
Server rendering produces clean, crawlable pages that rank, the component model keeps a growing site maintainable, and its performance defaults help speed. It suits both content sites that need to rank and applications that need to scale, which is why it is a common default.
Should a small business build a custom CMS?
Usually not. A hosted or established CMS covers most needs at a fraction of the cost and maintenance of a custom build. Build custom only when a real, validated requirement cannot be met otherwise, since a custom CMS is a long-term maintenance commitment.
Is Shopify or a custom store better for D2C?
For most D2C brands, Shopify, because it handles payments, inventory, and checkout reliably and lets the effort go into the funnel and brand. A custom store makes sense only at a scale or with a requirement that the platform genuinely cannot serve, which is rare for a growing brand.