Software development is a highly complex and rapidly evolving industry. Even the strongest development teams can struggle to keep up with the latest technologies, skills, and trends.
That’s why it’s no surprise that being a solo software developer is especially difficult. You’ll be responsible for ideation, concept development, programming, visual design, testing, documentation, hosting, and more.
Developing a complete project yourself is not an easy task. So if you need to outsource something, it’s good to know your options. This helps effectively address the solo developer problem.
In this article, we will explain how to outsource the hosting part of software development and all the benefits that come with it.
Introduction to Solo Web Developer Problems
If you’re a developer, you’ve probably heard about the lone developer problem. If not, here’s the short version.
When individual programmers build complete projects on their own, it becomes difficult for others to maintain and build on them later.
There are many possible reasons for solo developer problems, including social isolation, increased stress levels, and psychological biases. We will discuss them in detail in the next segment.
Challenges as a solo developer
Here are some common challenges that independent developers struggle with.
- No feedback from others on your ideas.
- Lack of code review by others.
- There are no brainstorming sessions or ideas suggested by others.
- Confirmation bias, the tendency to seek information and base decisions on existing knowledge and beliefs.
- It’s inefficient because no two people are equally skilled in all aspects of creating a software product.
- Social isolation reduces our ability to generate empathy for others.
- Being overwhelmed can lead you to make more important and irrational decisions more often.
- Choose the tool you’re comfortable with rather than the best tool for the job.
Now let’s take a closer look at these challenges.
limited resources and support
Working on a project as a solo developer can be difficult due to limited resources and support. They can’t afford to invest a lot of time learning new technology, so they’re limited to using the tools they’re familiar with. Furthermore, there is a lack of support for diverse teams with different skills and proficiency levels.
separation
Social isolation can cause a variety of problems. First, without proper feedback from others, it’s difficult to create effective and relatable solutions. And if you have to cover a dozen different skills yourself, you can’t produce the same level of quality as your team. Finally, learning new development technologies without a mentor is very time consuming.
stress level
Lack of human interaction during a project can increase stress levels for a variety of reasons. This is because there is no one to turn to when a problem arises in a field in which you have little experience. Furthermore, it is very difficult to fix bugs without getting input from others, which is a source of great stress for many developers.
solution
Thankfully, there are some things you can do to address the solo developer problem. Bring in more developers or delegate parts of your project to freelancers or agencies.
Attract more developers
If you are a small business owner, you may also consider the option of hiring other experienced developers to assist you with your project. This will help you focus on what’s most important and what you’re good at.
Depending on the complexity of your project and what you need assistance with, you may consider hiring a junior developer to handle the job. Doing a cost-benefit analysis will help you make the best decision based on the level of expertise you are willing to tolerate.
outsourcing
Another option is to outsource some or more parts of your work to a freelancer or agency. For example, you may not like or be very skilled at interface design or software testing. If so, why not hire a company or individual to take over that part of the project?
Take advantage of managed hosting for your web apps
Managed hosting is especially beneficial for web developers. Here’s why:
A hosting company‘s support team is trained to work with the server stacks created for websites and web apps. They know how to configure, optimize, and recommend the best software and solutions for your web development needs.
Additionally, our hosting support engineers are very effective at recognizing and troubleshooting server-side issues. These save you the headache of identifying the source of a problem, whether it’s the application, the server, or the server software stack.
Even if the error is caused by your application, we can help by providing relevant log messages and pointing you in the right direction.
Advantages of managed hosting for solo developers
For solo developers, choosing a web host can be daunting. However, managed hosting offers a variety of benefits that make this decision much easier. One of the key benefits is the level of technical support provided. This allows you to focus solely on developing your project without worrying about server maintenance or downtime. Other benefits include:
- Let your support engineers resolve server-side issues and focus on what matters most.
- Automated monitoring eliminates the need to perform manual tests and frequent checks to ensure services are performing as intended.
- A support engineer can help reduce the time required to investigate whether the issue is server-side or application-side.
- You don’t have to configure a server software stack or keep up with the latest trends in your industry; instead, you can rely on support to do this for you.
- You no longer have to worry about network and DNS issues and configurations because our support engineers are experts in these two areas.
- You’ll receive notifications of recommended software updates and provide the update assistance you need.
Cost factors when choosing managed hosting
Depending on your budget, managed support services can add significantly to the initial price of your server. But consider all its benefits and the potential for significant time savings in the future.
Being a solo developer is a very time-consuming profession. Imagine how much value you would get if you outsourced the hosting part of your software development to a managed support team.
It can also be very stressful if you’re not an expert in server management, networking, or server software stacks. But you don’t have to when you have access to expert support 24/7.
Find the right managed hosting provider for your needs
Indeed, there is no shortage of hosting providers offering managed hosting services these days. However, with so many providers to choose from, finding the best provider for your needs can be difficult and time-consuming.
When choosing a managed hosting provider, you should consider several factors, including price, support level, support channels, and availability.
Pricing
Managed support plan pricing may vary by provider. Managed support services may be included in the price of your hosting plan, or they may be sold as add-ons with their own pricing or multiple plans.
support level
Some hosting providers or plans only support maintenance and configuration of the server’s basic software stack. Some companies offer additional services such as cybersecurity, migration, and even application-level support.
support channel
Managed hosting support can be provided through a variety of channels, including phone, chat, and email (ticket) support. Make sure you get all three, as you may prefer different channels depending on your situation. For example, a phone call may be the quickest way to report a problem, but chat is useful in a business setting or when you don’t have the luxury of speaking out loud during an online meeting.
final thoughts
Being a solo software developer can be difficult as developing a project alone comes with a lot of responsibilities and tasks. Solo developer problems are characterized by social isolation, increased stress levels, and lack of feedback.
However, there are several solutions you can consider to address this issue. For example, hire more developers or outsource parts of your project to freelancers or agencies. Another effective solution is to use managed hosting. Our hosting support team can provide expertise, troubleshooting, and optimization for the hosting portion of your development.
Managed hosting helps individual developers focus on other important aspects of their projects and ensures that the development process runs smoothly.
Choose Liquid Web for the best managed hosting support
If you’re looking for the best managed hosting support provider in the industry, look no further. With over 25 years of managed hosting experience, LiquidWeb is your trusted hosting partner.