Get a Simple, Scalable-Enough Architecture
Answer four questions about scale, data sensitivity, real-time needs, and team skill, and get an instant, reasoned architecture recommendation with a component list.
- 4 quick questions, no signup
- Reasoned recommendation, not a generic template
- Includes a short component checklist
A sensible starting point, not a formal system design — revisit as usage patterns become clear.
Tell Us About Your Constraints
Four quick choices — we'll reason out an architecture recommendation.
Your Recommended Architecture
Based on your scale, data sensitivity, real-time needs, and team skill.
Suggested components
How the Recommendation Works
- Tell us your expected scale. Small, medium, or large user bases shift the recommendation toward more or less structure.
- Tell us your data sensitivity. Regulated or sensitive data pushes toward clearer internal boundaries.
- Tell us your real-time needs. Heavy real-time requirements (chat, live collaboration) can justify a dedicated service.
- Tell us your team's skill and size. A solo founder gets the lowest-overhead option; an experienced team can take on more structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What architecture patterns does this recommend?
Monolith-first, serverless/managed backend, modular monolith, or lightweight services — four patterns commonly appropriate for early-stage products, each with different tradeoffs in operational overhead and readiness to scale.
Why does it default to simpler options?
Over-engineering architecture before you have real usage data is one of the most common ways early teams waste their runway. The tool is deliberately biased toward the simplest pattern that still fits your constraints.
How is the recommendation decided?
A priority-ordered rule list checks your four answers in sequence and returns the first matching pattern — deterministic, not a black box or random suggestion.
What if my data sensitivity is high but my team is solo?
The rules weigh multiple factors together — high data sensitivity nudges toward a modular monolith even for a small team, since clear internal boundaries around sensitive data reduce risk without requiring a large ops team.
Should I follow this literally?
Treat it as a strong starting sketch, not a final system design. Revisit the recommendation once you have real usage patterns, and bring in an experienced engineer for anything involving regulated data.
Once you have an architecture direction, check the minimum auth needs with the Authentication Scope Checker, or read more on MVP technical planning.
How We Compare
| Feature | MVPHub | Lucidchart | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided architecture recommendation | Included | Not included | Limited |
| No-signup instant result | Included | Not included | Included |
| Transparent recommendation logic | Included | Not included | Not included |
| Diagram drawing and documentation tooling | Not included | Included | Not included |
Lucidchart is used to diagram the architecture once chosen, and ChatGPT can suggest an architecture from a free-form prompt with variable consistency. MVPHub recommends a starting architecture from structured MVP requirement inputs.
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