Embracing the 3-Month Rule: A Pragmatic Approach to startup Development

In the world of startup development, one piece of wisdom stands out from the crowd: “Do things that don’t scale.” At first glance, this advice may seem counterintuitive, particularly for tech enthusiasts focused on creating scalable solutions from the outset. However, I’ve found success in applying a structured approach to this concept while developing my AI podcast platform over the past eight months.

Introducing the 3-Month Rule: every unscalable hack I implement receives a trial period of three months. During this time, each solution must demonstrate its value or face the chopping block. This method allows me to prioritize learning and adaptation rather than getting bogged down in perfect, complex architectures that may not serve my current needs.

Why the 3-Month Rule Resonates with Startups

startups thrive on agility and rapid iteration. We often hear engineers discuss the need for scalable systems—microservices, Kubernetes, and the latest design patterns aimed at managing thousands of users. However, at the startup level, striving for scalability can lead to unnecessary complexity and resource expenditure on potential problems that may never arise. The 3-month rule focuses on deploying straightforward, sometimes “suboptimal” code that moves beyond the theoretical and into real-world applicability.

A Look at My Current Infrastructure Hacks

Here’s how I’ve approached the “non-scalable” element of my project:

1. Consolidated Infrastructure on a Single VM

I’ve centralized my entire setup—including the database, web server, and background jobs—on a single $40 per month virtual machine (VM). While this approach lacks redundancy, it has proven invaluable for understanding my actual resource needs. After two months, I found that my AI platform never exceeds 4GB RAM. The elaborate Kubernetes architecture I nearly implemented would have only served to complicate my operations.

2. Hardcoded Configurations for Simplicity

No configuration files or environment variables clutter my codebase. Instead, hardcoded constants define key settings, such as pricing tiers and maximum user limits. This straightforward approach allows rapid changes and efficient tracking of modifications via version control. In just three months, I’ve deployed three pricing adjustments, which took mere minutes compared to the potentially week-long setup for a configuration service.

3. SQLite for Production Needs

Yes, I’m utilizing SQLite for a multi-user web application, and it performs admirably, handling up to 50