How I Build MVPs That Don’t Need a Rewrite in 6 Months
Most MVPs move fast but fall apart later. Here’s how I build MVPs that stay flexible without overengineering.
Who this is for
This post is for founders and engineers building an MVP who want to move fast without creating a mess they’ll regret a few months later.
Most MVPs don’t fail because of missing features.
They fail because:
- the codebase becomes hard to change
- every new feature feels risky
- velocity drops right when things start working
That usually leads to a painful rewrite.
The goal of an MVP isn’t perfection —
it’s building something that can change easily.
MVP Does Not Mean Messy
Fast does not mean careless.
An MVP should be:
- simple
- flexible
- easy to understand
If an MVP feels scary to touch after a few months, something went wrong.
The Principle I Optimize For: Change
Early-stage products change constantly:
- features get dropped
- assumptions break
- users behave differently than expected
So instead of optimizing for scale, I optimize for change.
That means:
- fewer abstractions
- clearer boundaries
- boring, predictable tech
Start With a Simple Architecture
I usually start with:
- a single codebase
- a clear separation between frontend and backend
- straightforward APIs
- one primary database
Not because it’s “best practice” —
but because it’s easy to reason about.
You can always split things later. Untangling chaos is much harder.
Be Careful With Abstractions
Abstractions feel smart early on.
They become painful when:
- requirements change
- edge cases appear
- nobody remembers why they exist
In an MVP:
- duplicate a little code
- name things clearly
- refactor only when patterns are obvious
Clarity beats cleverness.
Data Models Matter More Than Features
Features change.
Data models tend to stick.
I spend time early on:
- understanding core entities
- defining relationships clearly
- avoiding premature normalization
A good data model makes future features easier.
A bad one makes everything harder.
Don’t Ignore Deployment and Environments
An MVP that only works locally isn’t real.
From the start, I make sure:
- deployments are automated
- staging and production are separated
- failures are visible
If shipping is painful, iteration slows down.
What I Avoid in Early MVPs
On purpose, I usually avoid:
- microservices
- heavy infrastructure
- complex caching layers
- “future-proof” abstractions
Not because they’re bad —
but because they’re rarely needed this early.
The Goal of a Good MVP
A good MVP:
- is easy to extend
- is easy to delete parts of
- doesn’t fight you when requirements change
If you can confidently add or remove features without fear, you’ve done it right.
Related Reading
Building an MVP? These might help:
- Why I Choose Boring Technology — stability over novelty
- From Monolith to Microservices — when to split and when to stay
- My Services — if you need help shipping your MVP
Final Thought
The best MVPs don’t feel impressive.
They feel:
- calm
- simple
- easy to work with
That’s what gives you real speed —
not hacks, not shortcuts, not rewrites.
Build for change first.
Everything else comes later.