Getting Started with SaaS Boilerplates

SaaS Boilerplate is one such service that allows businesses to use coded templates for starting a web project almost instantly. With SaaS-based Boilerplates, an organisation cuts down efforts towards the development of redundant functionalities such as site-wide navigation, database connection, user management, roles configuration, etc. This allows code reusability, saves time and effort to configure a project.

Boilerplates can be used for a wide complexity of applications with differing use-cases. To understand this well, let us understand the key benefits of adopting SaaS Boilerplates.

Focus on Core Development
Boilerplate templates cover mundane features that are required in pretty much all web applications, such as user registrations & logging, newsletter subscription, contact form, basic pages navigation setup, social media integration, etc. This allows developers to start almost immediately on building the core functionality of the application rather than spending effort on redundant tasks.

Multi-tenant Applications
When developing SaaS applications, multi-tenancy is a critical feature. Multi-tenant applications share the same underlying code and infrastructure while catering services to multiple clients. This allows businesses to offer a subscription-based software delivery model without developing code for each of its customers separately. Boilerplates, by nature, are delivered through a SaaS model, thereby allowing code reusability and improved bottomline.

Scale as Needed
When deploying applications on the Cloud, SaaS applications can be scaled-in and out as needed. Using a Serverless Architecture and platforms such as AWS Lambda and Azure Functions, sudden traffic spikes can be handled without compromising on application performance.

Subscription & Billing
Most applications require payment and subscription functionalities. In popular SaaS Boilerplates, payments are offered out-of-the-box. This allows developers to avoid the tedious steps of getting compliance certifications, as well as skip integrating payment gateways with the application.

The preferred way of deploying SaaS applications is to go with a Serverless architecture. Relatively new, Serverless architectures are cheaper than legacy monoliths or cloud-based computing services. Adopting a serverless model allows an organisation to cut down on the engineering lead time substantially.

Besides being cheaper and easier to setup, Serverless frameworks are fundamentally event-driven that aid the development of highly-efficient, scalable and resilient applications on such frameworks. Additionally, SaaS applications on a Serverless architecture are also supported by advanced features such as built-in fault tolerance, automated administration, and avoiding single point of failures.

Let us explore the three popularly used SaaS Boilerplates that leverage the power and flexibility of a Serverless framework.

Serverless SaaS Boilerplate
Built on Typescript, Serverless SaaS is one of the recent, but highly popular boilerplates that lets you build a React-based full-stack SaaS application almost instantly. Serverless SaaS comes pre-built with several out-of-the-box features that leverages server-side rendering of boilerplate codes, making it an efficient platform to help you quickly start with the core application development.

Key features of Serverless SaaS Boilerplates include:

• Runs on a Serverless architecture that aids a highly-optimised, super-scalable, and cost-efficient platform.
• Allows the provisioning of multi-tenant applications – this allows a single instance and code base to be reused among multi-parties, thereby bringing ease of setup and cost-efficiency.
• Comes pre-integrated and enabled with the Stripe monetisation app that allows users to pay for any service.
• Pre-built user authentication, landing pages, blog, contact forms, etc. to help save time on redundant tasks.
• Pre-integrated with Google Firebase, TailwindCSS, Next JS, Postmark, and several other helpful apps.

React Milkshake
Milkshake is a popular SaaS Boilerplate that uses React JS to build front-end applications in a few easy clicks. With React Milkshake, developers get basic features pre-built that allows developers to have working applications ready in no time. Additionally, Milkshake offers powerful tools such as a powerful Command Line Interface, React Helmet for SEO, React Redux for state management using and styles components.

Key features of React Milkshake include:

• Milkshake comes in three variants for varying uses. The minimal variant includes standard state management, application navigation using a sidebar, multiple layouts & themes, and default optimisation for search engines.
• Allows Firebase integration for user authentication, privilege management, data storage, etc. to scale an application with additional features.
• Milkshake comes with NextJS enabled for building server-side API as well as SEO optimisation of routes.

Laravel Spark
Boilerplates by Laravel Spark are another popular choice that offers embedded libraries of redundant, but much-needed features to build applications. Unlike Serverless SaaS and Milkshake, Spark doesn’t restrict users on the choice of frontend platform for building applications.

Key features of Laravel Spark include:

• Allows developers their choice of framework for frontend development. For backend development, it leverages the power of Laravel written in PHP.
• Laravel Spark is particularly good for payment-based applications as it supports PayPal, Stripe, and Paddle. To maintain application and payment level security, Spark also allows two-factor authentication
• Pre-integrated features on subscriptions and support for custom/standard invoices.

While there are numerous benefits and use-cases of using SaaS Boilerplates for getting an application developed, we covered a few of those in this article today.

We also learned-

• Laravel Spark is the top choice if financial integration is an important requirement in your application. It is also preferred when you require flexibility with the front-end framework.
• Serverless SaaS should be your best choice if your application requires multi-tenancy. Also to reap advanced benefits of a Serverless framework, Serverless SaaS Boilerplate should be the obvious choice.
• React Milkshake comes packed with extensive features and tools allowing developers a wide range of customisation for building SaaS applications. This makes Milkshake particularly popular due to its extensive out-of-box integration support and pricing plans.

To know more about Boilerplates and how Vsourz Digital can help get your SaaS Application production-ready, contact us here.