Join the .NET Architects Club: https://www.skool.com/mj-tech-community-5418/about
Get the 2026 .NET Developer roadmap here → https://the-dotnet-weekly.ck.page/2026-roadmap
Want to master Clean Architecture? Go here: https://bit.ly/3PupkOJ
Want to master Modular Monoliths? Go here: https://bit.ly/3SXlzSt

What tech stack should you choose for a side project in 2026?

In this video, I walk through the complete stack I’d personally choose if I were starting a new side project today. This is mostly focused on practical .NET and SaaS-style applications, where the goal is to build fast, keep complexity under control, and still have room to grow.

I cover the main parts of the stack:
- Back-end
- Front-end
- Database
- Authentication
- CI/CD
- Hosting and deployment

I also talk through the trade-offs behind each choice and mention a few alternatives I’d consider depending on the project.

This is not about picking the most trendy tools. It’s about choosing a stack that helps you ship.

Topics covered:
- .NET for the back-end
- React and TypeScript for the front-end
- Postgres as the default database
- Keycloak for authentication
- GitHub Actions for CI/CD
- Hetzner, Dokploy, and Coolify for hosting and deployment

Let me know in the comments what your side project stack looks like in 2026.

Enforcing Software Architecture With Architecture Tests
https://www.milanjovanovic.tech/blog/enforcing-software-architecture-with-architecture-tests

Shift Left With Architecture Testing in .NET
https://www.milanjovanovic.tech/blog/shift-left-with-architecture-testing-in-dotnet

Check out my courses:
https://www.milanjovanovic.tech/courses

Read my Blog here:
https://www.milanjovanovic.tech/blog

Join my weekly .NET newsletter:
https://www.milanjovanovic.tech

Chapters

We Are .NET

A personal tech stack recommendation for side projects in 2026, covering backend (.NET), frontend (React with TypeScript and Vite), database (PostgreSQL), authentication (Keycloak), deployment (Coolify/Dokploy on a VPS like Hetzner), and CI/CD (GitHub Actions). Alternatives are discussed for each category, including Blazor, Angular, Vue, SQL Server, Firebase, Auth0, AWS Cognito, DigitalOcean, and Hostinger. The stack is primarily aimed at SaaS-style web applications, with flexibility to swap components based on project needs.

My Complete Tech Stack for Side Projects in 2026