Custom full-code sites

Custom-built websites.
No CMS, no compromise.

For ambitious projects that deserve better than a generic CMS, I build full-code web applications in clean PHP, Laravel or Node.js. Maximum performance, unlimited scalability, flawless technical SEO, controlled security — you keep total control over your product.

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5,0/5 · 65 verified reviews 50+ projects shipped 10 years

CMSs like WordPress or PrestaShop are perfect for 80% of projects. But for the remaining 20% — SaaS products, platforms, dashboards, line-of-business applications, complex marketplaces — custom development becomes necessary. Not to look "more modern", but because it is the only way to get native performance (no CMS layer on top), an architecture that scales, security you control (no CMS attack surface), and code shaped entirely around the business.

Custom development is justified when bending a CMS costs more than replacing it: pricing rules no module covers, a catalogue with unusual relationships, deep ERP integration, volumes that bring a generic CMS to its knees. It is not justified for a standard catalogue, however large — PrestaShop then costs less and is easier to maintain. The real difference lies in what comes after: with no community and no automatic updates, maintenance has to be planned from the scoping stage.

Features

What you get.

01

Clean, modern code

Modern architecture (DDD, Clean Architecture, hexagonal). PSR standards for PHP. Automated tests (PHPUnit, Jest). Systematic code review. Git-versioned with PRs.

02

Native performance

No heavy CMS overhead. Lighthouse score 95+. Statically generated pages (SSG/ISR) when relevant. Redis cache, queue workers, CDN.

03

Controlled scalability

Designed to grow: database sharding, job queues (Redis, RabbitMQ), microservices when appropriate, Kubernetes deployment if needed.

04

Maximum security

No CMS attack surface. OWASP Top 10 ready. Security testing. GDPR by design. Robust authentication (JWT, OAuth2, 2FA).

05

I18n & SEO

Full multi-language support. Hreflang, dynamic sitemap, rich schema.org, OG/Twitter cards. SSR/SSG depending on SEO needs.

06

Use cases

SaaS, B2B/B2C platforms, dashboards, marketplaces, business applications, complex configurators, ERP/CRM API integrations.

07

CI/CD & DevOps

GitHub Actions/GitLab CI pipelines. Automated tests, automated deployments to staging/prod. Sentry monitoring, structured logs.

08

Modern stack

Backend: PHP 8.2 + Laravel/Symfony, Node.js, Python. Frontend: React/Vue/Next.js/Nuxt. Database: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB depending on needs.

Method

How we proceed.

01

Product scoping

Product workshop to define the precise functional scope. User stories, user journeys, data model. Choice of technical stack.

1-2 weeks
02

Technical architecture

Architecture documentation (frontend, backend, database, infra). Technology choices. Environment setup (dev, staging, prod).

1 week
03

UX/UI design

Figma mockups of the entire journey. Design system. Interactive prototype for validation.

2-4 weeks
04

Iterative development

2-week sprints. Client demo at the end of every sprint. Automated tests written in parallel. Systematic code review.

6-20 weeks
05

Testing & QA

Exhaustive functional testing. Load testing. Security testing (OWASP audit). Client sign-off. Fixes.

2-3 weeks
06

Production launch & ongoing operations

Progressive rollout (canary release when relevant). Active monitoring. Long-term corrective and evolutive maintenance.

Ongoing
Real cases

A few examples.

Plateforme SaaS B2B

Multi-tenant SaaS with SSO authentication, real-time dashboards, REST API, CRM integrations.

Marketplace B2C verticalisée

Marketplace with advanced search engine (Elasticsearch), split payments, complex workflows.

FAQ

Frequent questions

Why custom-built rather than a CMS? +
For use cases where a CMS becomes a bottleneck: critical performance, massive scalability, highly specific business logic, complex API integrations, high security requirements. If you find yourself "forcing" your project into a CMS, it's usually a sign the CMS isn't the right fit.
How much does a custom-built site cost? +
Simple MVP: €15,000 to €35,000. Full web application: €35,000 to €100,000. Multi-tenant SaaS or complex platform: €80,000 to €250,000+. Time-based billing (€600-800/day) or fixed-price, whichever you prefer.
What is the timeframe for a custom project? +
MVP: 2 to 4 months. Full application: 4 to 8 months. Very complex projects: 8 to 18 months. Agile method with intermediate deliverables to regularly validate progress.
Which technical stack should I choose? +
It depends on the project. For traditional web apps: PHP 8.2 + Laravel or Symfony, MySQL/PostgreSQL. For real-time needs: Node.js + WebSocket. For scalable SaaS: Next.js + headless API. I recommend the stack suited to your context, not the trendy one.
And after launch? +
Corrective maintenance (bugs), evolutive maintenance (new features), 24/7 monitoring. Fixed-price ongoing operations package or time-based billing. Full documentation provided for maximum autonomy.
Can I take the code and switch providers? +
Absolutely. The code is yours, hosted on your own Git repo. Full documentation. No vendor lock-in, unlike some SaaS solutions. That's one of my commitments.
See also

Related pages.

PrestaShop Expert France Shopify & Shopify Plus Expert WooCommerce Expert WordPress Expert
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