For years our site had a Tools page listing the software we build with. This post replaces it: a snapshot of the toolkit as it stood at the end of 2025. You don't need to understand every detail, but some clients like to know what is under the hood. These are not the only tools we use, but they are our go-tos. We favor independence, open-source software, community development and coding standards over proprietary lock-in.

Cloud and servers

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS). One of the largest cloud platforms in the world, thanks to its flexible, low-cost approach. We use S3 for storage, CloudFront as a content delivery network, and SES for transactional email, and we can help you put together your own AWS architecture.
  • Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Cloud services that run on the same infrastructure Google uses internally. We use it for scalable hosting, data processing and machine learning.
  • Linux. The most popular operating system for servers. Running on Linux lets us use the full range of open-source technology, with no licensing fees or proprietary dependencies.
  • Docker. Packages an application and everything it needs into a lightweight, portable container, so it runs the same in development, testing and production.

Languages

  • JavaScript. The language of interactive web pages. We use it throughout our front-end work.
  • TypeScript. JavaScript with static types, which catches mistakes earlier and keeps larger codebases maintainable.
  • PHP. A widely used open-source server-side language and the foundation of WordPress, Magento and MediaWiki. There is a well-developed package for almost anything web-related.
  • Python. Readable and broadly useful, from web development to data analysis and AI.
  • Node.js. Runs JavaScript on the server. We use it for fast, efficient server-side applications, especially real-time services.

Content management and commerce

  • WordPress. Long past its blogging roots, the most popular PHP content management system. We build custom WordPress themes for every kind of site, from portfolios and restaurants to professional businesses and online stores.
  • Drupal. An open-source PHP platform for content-heavy sites. We have used it on many institutional projects, such as universities and hospitals, where content and taxonomy relationships get complex.
  • Shopify. A complete hosted e-commerce platform with templates and tools for inventory, payments and shipping.
  • OpenCart. A free, open-source store system for customizable e-commerce builds.

Frameworks

  • Laravel. A PHP framework with an expressive syntax and built-in routing, authentication and database tools. Our preferred PHP framework for its developer-friendly workflow.
  • CodeIgniter. A lightweight PHP framework we have used for highly customized sites that don't fit a typical marketing-site model.
  • React. A popular JavaScript framework that ties data, logic and presentation together, especially for single-page applications. It also has a sibling framework for native apps.
  • Vue.js. A progressive JavaScript framework for interfaces and single-page applications that can be adopted a piece at a time.

Styling and design

  • Tailwind CSS. A utility-first CSS framework for building custom, responsive designs quickly and consistently. This site is built with it.
  • Bootstrap. A front-end framework of ready-made layouts, forms, buttons, tables and modals, useful for building a theme or site quickly and consistently.
  • Sass. A CSS preprocessor with variables, nesting and mixins that turns repetitive styling into clean, organized stylesheets.
  • Figma. A collaborative, cloud-based tool for wireframes, interface designs and interactive prototypes.
  • Canva. An easy online design tool for graphics for websites, social media and marketing.

Data

  • MySQL. The world's most used open-source relational database and the "M" in the LAMP stack. Free, easy to use and suited to projects of any size.
  • PostgreSQL. A powerful open-source alternative to MySQL, increasingly the default for newer frameworks.

Code, collaboration and workflow

  • Git. The revision control system created by the chief architect of Linux. Essential for any project with more than one developer, and the foundation of GitHub and GitLab.
  • GitHub. Where most of our repositories live: collaborators, branches and issue tracking, and sometimes quality-assurance testing.
  • GitLab. Another Git host with the same core features. It can be self-hosted, so it is limited only by the server it runs on.
  • npm. The Node package manager and the largest collection of free, reusable code. It runs our front-end build process.
  • Visual Studio Code. A free, open-source code editor with debugging, completion and version control built in.
  • Atlassian. Jira, Confluence and Trello for project management, documentation and task tracking.
  • Google. Gmail and Google Analytics for email and site statistics, though we happily set up other email and tracking tools too.

AI

  • OpenAI. GPT models for natural-language processing, chatbots and automated content. Since this snapshot, our AI work has grown well beyond it: see our solutions.

Today we mention our tools on our solution pages and on Consulting, where you can also tell us about a project that needs them.