--- title: "Software choices playbook ยท Agent Wranglers" url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack updated: 2026-10-21 licence: "All rights reserved" --- # Software choices playbook By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers). Updated 2026-10-21. A playbook of default software choices for web apps, APIs and the services behind them. The other playbooks say what to build and how to check it on any stack. This one names the software we would pick when nothing forces another choice. Every pick passes the same five tests in the first chapter. It has been in production use for years. It still gets regular releases. Many teams use it. AI coding tools know it well, because it fills their training data. A new developer can learn it from its own documentation in a day. We pick open source whenever it passes the tests, and name a paid service only when no open source option does the job. Every pick carries a cost badge, from Open source to Paid. Each pick says when to choose something else. An existing system that works is a reason to keep it. Picks were checked against each project's own release pages in October 2026. Re-run the checks in the first chapter before you adopt any of them. **For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `Agent Wranglers software choices playbook`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link. ## Chapters 1. [How to choose](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/how-to-choose): Every pick here is proven, maintained, popular, known to AI tools and easy to learn. It also has an open licence or a way out. (3 required, 5 recommended) 2. [Languages and runtimes](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/languages-and-runtimes): Write TypeScript on a Node.js LTS line, or Python, with the package manager each one ships with. Learn SQL. Leave versions that are out of support. (1 required, 5 recommended, 2 avoid) 3. [Web frameworks](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/web-frameworks): Our picks for the front end, the build, the server and the checks at the edge of your app. Each passes the five tests, with dates and numbers. (1 required, 7 recommended, 1 optional, 2 avoid) 4. [Databases and storage](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/databases-and-storage): We pick PostgreSQL and SQLite for data, Redis or Valkey for caches and jobs, and an open ORM. Postgres search, SeaweedFS and sharp or Pillow do the rest. (9 recommended, 2 avoid) 5. [Testing and code quality](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/testing-and-code-quality): Our picks for test runners, browser and accessibility tests, linters, formatters, type checkers, security scanners and the bot that updates dependencies. (11 recommended, 1 avoid) 6. [Delivery and infrastructure](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/delivery-and-infrastructure): Our picks for code hosting, CI, containers, image scans, infrastructure code, servers, proxies, certificates, DNS and secrets, checked against the five tests. (10 recommended, 1 avoid) 7. [Operations tools](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/operations-tools): The tools we pick to watch a live app. Traces, metrics, dashboards, logs, errors, uptime checks, paging and Postgres backups. (8 recommended, 1 optional, 1 avoid) 8. [Product services](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/product-services): Our picks for payments, email sending and layout, sign-in, PDFs, push, text messages and analytics. Each comes with its evidence and a way to leave. (10 recommended, 1 optional, 2 avoid) 9. [AI software](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/ai-software): AI software is young, and most of it fails the five-year test. Build on the boring layer of official SDKs, JSON Schema, PostgreSQL and your test runner. (7 recommended, 1 optional) See all 92 rules on one page in the [checklist](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/stack/checklist). ## Related playbooks - [Setting up the project](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ai-assisted-development/setting-up-the-project) in the AI development playbook. Write the chosen software and its versions into the agent's instructions file, so it never guesses. - [Supply chain and setup](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/adversarial-testing/supply-chain-and-setup) in the Security testing playbook. Every package you pick becomes code you run. Lock, audit and review it before it ships. - [Documentation](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/engineering/documentation) in the Engineering playbook. Record each choice and its exceptions as a decision record, so the next developer knows why. - [Infrastructure as code](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/infrastructure/infrastructure-as-code) in the Infrastructure playbook. Install the picked servers and services from code, so the stack can be rebuilt the same way.