More than debating seniority, what defines for me whether the developer is really "awesome" is knowing if they have been challenged with a bit of everything: from monolithic systems that become a maintenance nightmare to complex solutions that require a team of specialists to be managed.
In one of my current projects, I lead a lean team where we develop custom systems for small businesses, such as cafes, restaurants, and bars. Initially, the idea was simple: one system per customer, like a clone of the system and business rules, but with customized design and features. But we soon realized that this approach was a path to maintenance hell.
The solution for the front: multi-tenant systems with Next.js and Tailwind Theme
We needed a solution that was scalable, flexible, and easy to maintain. That's when we found the perfect combination: Next.js and Tailwind and their theme features.
With Next.js, we can create robust and high-performance web applications with ease. And Tailwind allows us to define custom themes based on Tailwind CSS, making it easier to create multi-brand interfaces.
Environment variables to the rescue
To make the front-end dynamic, we use environment variables like BRAND. This variable controls which "instance" the front-end needs to build, with specific images, texts, and CSS for each client.
The next step: 100% headless multi-tenant architecture
In the future, we want to take this solution to the next level with a 100% headless multi-tenant architecture. This means that all system content and settings will be stored in the backend, and the front-end will just be an interface to consume this data.
Why is this the best solution?
- Scalability: We can easily add new clients without needing to modify the front-end code.
- Flexibility: We can customize each system individually, based on the client's needs.
- Maintenance: It is much easier to maintain a single system than multiple different systems.
Conclusion:
The combination of Next.js, Tailwind, and environment variables allows us to create scalable, flexible, and easy-to-maintain multi-brand frontends. If you are looking for a solution to build custom systems for your clients, this is the ideal option!
Share your experience in the comments! Have you used Next.js and Tailwind in your projects?
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