7 Architecture Decisions Every App Builder Should Make Before Writing Code

A developer-focused article argues that most app failures stem not from buggy code but from key architectural decisions made too late or never at all. Using a fictional two-person note-taking app as an example, it walks through seven critical choices — including where data is stored, how costs scale, and who owns responsibility when things break. The piece highlights real consequences such as compliance violations under data privacy laws and unexpected cost spikes after crossing storage thresholds. It stresses that decisions like managed versus self-hosted infrastructure involve trade-offs between control and operational burden, especially for small teams. The core advice is to treat architecture as a deliberate pre-coding checklist rather than something discovered under pressure after launch.