A digital design agency’s tech stack is more than a toolbox. It is a statement of how they think, solve problems, and build for what comes next.
At Metajive, our technology choices are a direct extension of our core values, especially our focus on growth. We do not only build for where your business is today; we select frameworks like Next.js and Craft CMS so your technology does not become the ceiling on your growth.
Below is the stack that helps us push boundaries, support ambitious ideas, and challenge design conventions. When you understand the “why” behind our decisions, you see how we prioritize long-term value over short-term shortcuts.
We use a headless architecture that combines a sophisticated frontend with a flexible content layer. Clients get the freedom of Craft CMS with the security and performance of a purpose-built Next.js frontend.
A headless Craft CMS implementation gives several key advantages:
- Stronger security by design
- Decoupling the CMS from the presentation layer is not just for performance and scalability. We isolate the data plane completely from the public, effectively neutralizing all server-side injection vectors. As well, Craft's powerful first-party core covers most of what modern business sites need, eliminating the reliance on vulnerability-prone third-party plugins typical of monolithic CMS stacks.
- Better maintainability and scalability
- Less plugin sprawl means cleaner architecture. Teams can maintain and evolve the system without inheriting years of technical debt from outdated extensions. A decoupled stack permits frontend and backend teams to work independently and concurrently, too, allowing both the system and the teams that maintain it to scale efficiently as your needs scale.
- Built for speed and SEO
- A headless Craft CMS setup with Next.js is built with performance in mind. Features like content caching and static site generation help pages load faster, which directly supports better SEO and stronger Google rankings.
In short, this setup gives our clients freedom today and headroom for tomorrow.
We consolidate our infrastructure on AWS so we have deeper control and less bloat than typical SaaS-heavy architectures. Here is our preferred stack for web projects:
- AWS for asset storage and frontend hosting
- Craft CMS (PHP-based) as the backend content platform, as well as to transform and serve optimised, right-sized images across devices
- GraphQL to connect content from backend to frontend
- Next.js as the core frontend framework
- Vimeo for responsive, high-quality video delivery
This is our default foundation. It lets us move fast, keep setup consistent, and deliver reliable performance across projects. Any project that does not follow this pattern is the exception, and there is always a clear reason.
Our mindset is simple: build long-term value, not one-off wins. The way we standardize our stack is intentional. It helps us scale teams quickly, onboard new talent efficiently, and keep the quality bar high as our partners grow.
We use a standardized, modular stack because it allows us to scale our team with velocity and precision. This ensures that as our partners grow, our internal expertise and capacity grow right alongside them, hitting our “non-negotiable” bar for greatness every time.
Continuous improvement sits at the core of Kaizen—one of our guiding values. And React is one of the tools that helps us consistently deliver the best work.
React sits at the core of our frontend approach. It is widely adopted, well understood, and supported by a large community. That matters for two reasons:
- It expands the pool of strong developers who can contribute.
- It increases developer velocity, which means better features, shipped faster, with fewer bugs.
With Next.js, we bring the frontend and backend layers closer together. Using JavaScript across both sides means a single language can cover most of the stack. A lot of backend-adjacent work no longer requires a dedicated backend specialist, which streamlines collaboration and reduces bottlenecks.
Choosing a self-hosted Craft CMS installation is another deliberate decision in favor of scalability and control.
- Custom schemas and matrix fields
- Craft does not force a rigid data model. We design fields to match the project, not the other way around. With matrix fields, editors can build pages from reusable “blocks,” similar to a LEGO set for content. It feels flexible for editors and structured for engineering.
- Operational control and predictability
- Because we self-host, we control server specs like speed, processing power, and memory. We can right-size infrastructure, avoid surprise SaaS overages, and dial performance up as traffic grows.
- Open integration surface
- Self-hosting also means we can install plugins and integrate third-party systems without arbitrary platform restrictions.
On top of that, everything sits on PHP, which remains one of the backbones of the internet. It is reliable, powerful, and highly battle-tested. The ecosystem has matured over decades, with proven solutions for common challenges in security, performance, and scaling.
This stack also keeps us in control of data and compliance. Content and user data remain on our servers, and we can enforce security measures that support standards such as SOC 2.
We value tried-and-tested tools, but not at the expense of progress. We use AI in practical ways to improve documentation, testing, performance, and accessibility. The goal is not to replace our team, but to amplify what they can do.
For example, we combine a plugin like AI Alt Text with custom AI instruction files that govern how our agents work. That lets us generate alt text at scale while still keeping a human review layer. When an AI-generated description is off, a team member can correct it quickly because the heavy lifting is already done.
In many organizations, alt text is weak or missing altogether. By giving our team the right tools and workflows, we improve accessibility and differentiate the quality of our builds.
More importantly, we care deeply about how technology can refine processes for our clients. Our focus is a tech stack and a team that can continuously ship effective, measurable digital products, not just impressive demos. That is where our excitement lives.