The 3-Month Rule: A Practical Approach to Non-Scalable Solutions
In the world of startups, the popular advice from Paul Graham to “do things that don’t scale” often gets overlooked when it comes to technical execution. After spending eight months developing my AI podcast platform, I’ve cultivated a straightforward framework to help navigate this concept: every experimental or unscalable solution is granted a lifespan of three months. At the end of this period, it must either demonstrate its worth and be refined into a robust solution, or it will be phased out.
As engineers, it’s ingrained in us to prioritize scalable solutions from the outset. We focus on complex design patterns, microservices architectures, and distributed systems—all aimed at effortlessly managing vast user bases. However, this approach frequently represents a shift in mindset more suited for larger enterprises.
In the startup realm, creating scalable code too soon can often lead to expensive delays. This is why my three-month rule compels me to embrace simpler, less polished solutions that can be deployed quickly. This strategy not only accelerates my learning curve but also reveals the genuine needs of my users.
Current Infrastructure Strategies: Embracing Simplicity
1. Consolidated Operations on a Single Virtual Machine
All essential components—database, web server, background jobs, and Redis—are hosted on a single, $40/month virtual machine without redundancy. While it may seem reckless, this approach has provided invaluable insight into my resource utilization. Within two months, I discovered my platform, deemed “AI-heavy,” only peaks at 4GB of RAM. My initial plans for a robust Kubernetes setup would have resulted in managing empty containers. Each crash—yes, it has happened twice—has offered real data on what breaks, and surprisingly, it’s not what I predicted.
2. Hardcoded Settings for Enhanced Clarity
Instead of using configuration files or environment variables, I have constants simply defined within my code base:
python
PRICE_TIER_1 = 9.99
PRICE_TIER_2 = 19.99
MAX_USERS = 100
AI_MODEL = "gpt-4"
This straightforward approach allows me to quickly search my entire code for specific values. Changes require minimal redeployment, which I’ve executed three times in as many months, demonstrating that my initial investment of complexity might not be necessary. This saves significant engineering time and energy.
3. Utilizing SQLite for Production
Contr
One Comment
Great insights! I really appreciate how the 3-Month Rule emphasizes rapid experimentation and learning over premature scalability concerns—a mindset that’s especially vital for startups. Your approach to leveraging simple, low-overhead infrastructure like a single VM, hardcoded settings, and SQLite demonstrates that knowing when to “build big” versus “keep it simple” can save time and resources early on.
One point to consider as you iterate: as your platform grows, it’s crucial to periodically reassess whether these foundational choices still serve your goals. For instance, transitioning from SQLite to a more scalable database might become necessary once your user base exceeds initial expectations, but the key is that your initial simple solutions gave you valuable real-world data to inform these decisions.
This pragmatic, time-boxed experimentation is a smart way to balance agility with learning—something many startups can learn from. Looking forward to seeing how your framework evolves!