# SoftFix LLC blog ## [How to plan an MVP that is actually viable](https://softfix.dev/blog/how-to-plan-an-mvp) An MVP is the smallest version of your product that real users can rely on for one important job. Plan it by naming that job, listing the steps a user takes to get it done, building only those steps well, and leaving everything else for later. “Minimum” is about scope, not quality: the parts you build should be fast, reliable and secure, because early users judge the whole product by them. ## [How we built softfix.dev: fast, prerendered and readable by AI](https://softfix.dev/blog/how-we-built-softfix-dev) softfix.dev is a React site that is prerendered to plain HTML at build time, so every page arrives complete — fast for people, and fully readable by search engines and AI crawlers without running JavaScript. Each page also has a Markdown twin, the site publishes llms.txt, a sitemap and an RSS feed, describes itself with schema.org structured data, and is served as static files with strict security headers and no tracking cookies. ## [How to write a software project brief (with a template)](https://softfix.dev/blog/software-project-brief-template) A good software brief explains the problem, not just the features: what the business wants to achieve, who will use the software, what they need to do, which systems it must connect to, and the budget and timeline you are working with. One or two pages is enough. It gets you comparable quotes, better questions from the teams you talk to and a scope everyone can agree on before work starts. ## [Launching a software product: the marketing checklist](https://softfix.dev/blog/software-launch-marketing-checklist) A good launch is mostly preparation. Before launch day you need a clear one-sentence positioning, a website that explains the product and captures interest, a list of early users who already want it, and a short plan for where you will announce it. After launch, the work is listening: measure where users come from, where they drop off and what they ask for, then improve the product and the message together. ## [Why is my website slow — and how do I fix it?](https://softfix.dev/blog/why-is-my-website-slow) Most slow websites are slow for a handful of reasons: images far larger than they need to be, too many third-party scripts, slow or distant hosting, and pages that cannot show anything until large files have downloaded. Measure first with real-user data such as Google’s Core Web Vitals, then fix the biggest item on the list — usually images and scripts — before thinking about a rebuild. ## [Website or web app: which one does your business need?](https://softfix.dev/blog/website-or-web-app) A website tells people about you; a web app lets them do something — log in, book, order, track, manage. If visitors mostly read and then contact you, you need a website. If they need accounts, their own data or a workflow that changes what they see, you need a web app. Many businesses need both: a fast public website for search and sales, and an app behind a login for customers or staff. ## [How to choose a software development company](https://softfix.dev/blog/choosing-a-software-development-company) Choose a software development company by the products it has actually shipped, how clearly it explains its process and pricing, and what happens after launch. Look for a discovery phase, a fixed scope and quote, working software shown regularly, full ownership of the code for you, and a plan for maintenance — not just a low hourly rate. ## [Software maintenance: what it includes and what it costs](https://softfix.dev/blog/software-maintenance-cost) Software maintenance is everything that keeps software working after launch: fixing bugs, updating frameworks and dependencies, patching security issues, adapting to new browsers, devices and integrations, and improving performance. A common rule of thumb puts it at 15–25% of the original build cost per year; most businesses pay for it as a fixed monthly care plan. ## [How to make a business website rank — and get cited by AI](https://softfix.dev/blog/website-seo-and-ai-visibility) Search engines and AI assistants reward the same foundations: content that is in the HTML rather than only rendered by JavaScript, one clear topic per page, structured data that names your organisation and services, fast and stable pages on mobile, and content that answers real questions directly. SEO gets you ranked, answer engine optimisation (AEO) gets you quoted, and generative engine optimisation (GEO) gets you cited by AI assistants. ## [Which business processes should you automate first?](https://softfix.dev/blog/business-process-automation) Automate first the work that is frequent, rules-based and error-prone: copying data between systems, approvals and notifications, recurring reports and first-line customer questions. Map the workflow, estimate the hours it costs today, automate the step with the clearest payoff, then measure the time saved before moving to the next. ## [Fix or rebuild? What to do with legacy software](https://softfix.dev/blog/fix-or-rebuild-legacy-software) Most legacy systems should be fixed, not rebuilt: an audit, a list of the riskiest problems and step-by-step improvements usually deliver value faster and with less risk than a rewrite. A rebuild makes sense when the technology is unsupported, the architecture can’t support where the business is going, or every change costs more than building it again. ## [Native vs cross-platform apps: which should you build?](https://softfix.dev/blog/native-vs-cross-platform-apps) For most business apps, a cross-platform framework such as React Native or Flutter is the better choice: one codebase ships to iOS and Android, costs less to build and maintain, and performs well for forms, lists, maps, payments and notifications. Go fully native when the app depends on heavy graphics, advanced device hardware or the newest platform features on day one. ## [Custom CRM vs off-the-shelf: how to decide](https://softfix.dev/blog/custom-crm-vs-off-the-shelf) Choose an off-the-shelf CRM when your sales process is standard and you want to start this week. Choose a custom CRM when your process is what makes you different, when you pay for several tools stitched together, or when per-seat pricing and coarse permissions hold you back. Many businesses start off-the-shelf and move to custom once the workarounds cost more than the build. ## [How much does custom software cost?](https://softfix.dev/blog/custom-software-cost) Custom software costs what its scope costs: the number of features and user roles, the platforms it runs on, the systems it must integrate with, the depth of design and the support it needs after launch. The most reliable way to price it is a short discovery phase that turns your idea into a written scope — then a fixed quote against that scope, split into milestones. --- SoftFix LLC — Software solutions studio. Build. Fix. Scale. Contact: hello@softfix.dev · [Start a project](https://softfix.dev/contact)