FriendsBit
Blog & Case Studies
Technical write-ups from our real project work: the problems we solved, the decisions we made, and what we'd do differently.
How We Migrated the UN's Legacy WCF Services to REST API Without Downtime
When the United Nations Department for General Assembly and Conference Management needed to modernize their full-text indexing infrastructure, they turned to FriendsBit. Here's how we delivered a zero-downtime WCF to REST API migration for a system serving 193 member states.
Building a $22,000 Serverless Backend on AWS Lambda: Lessons from The Silva Way
The Silva Way needed a backend that could handle unpredictable traffic spikes without paying for idle servers. We designed and delivered a fully serverless architecture on AWS Lambda, here are all the architectural decisions we made and what it cost.
1,921 Hours of Enterprise Work: Building the CCS Platform in React + Go
Over a long-term engagement, FriendsBit built and maintained a complete enterprise platform for CCS, $77,240 of carefully delivered software across React frontend and Go backend. Here's how we made 1,921 hours of work sustainable.
Debugging a Broken Google OAuth2 Integration for a Mental Healthcare Provider
When David Bonanno's existing developer couldn't fix a critical Google OAuth2 issue blocking patient logins, he brought in FriendsBit. We diagnosed, fixed, and deployed within the same day. Here's exactly what happened.
Building BeSound: Technical Decisions Behind a Mental Health Audio App
BeSound is a mental health audio platform built around curated sound therapy content. Felix Schoeller brought FriendsBit in to build the prototype and core features in 6 weeks. Here are every technical decision that shaped the product.
Cutting 4–6 Hours of Manual Ops Per Week with PowerShell + AWS Automation
Digicom Technology Solutions needed to automate repetitive infrastructure tasks consuming valuable engineering time. We built a PowerShell + AWS automation suite that eliminated the manual work entirely, and made it accessible to non-engineers.
How to Hire a Go Developer for an Enterprise Project
Most Go developers can write a REST handler. Far fewer can build a concurrent data pipeline that holds up under production load. Here is what to look for when you need to hire a Go developer for serious enterprise work.
Hiring an AWS Lambda Developer: What Separates Good from Great
Serverless development looks simple until you are debugging a cold start issue at 2 AM or untangling a DynamoDB design that cannot support a new access pattern. Here is what to look for when you need to hire an AWS Lambda developer.
WCF to REST API Migration: Costs, Timeline, and What Can Go Wrong
Microsoft ended mainstream support for WCF in 2019. If your enterprise still runs WCF services, you already know the modernization pressure. Here is what a real WCF to REST API migration involves, from discovery to cutover.
Building a Mental Health App in React Native: What Developers Need to Know
Mental health apps have a longer list of technical requirements than most mobile categories. Audio playback, offline access, privacy by design, and sensitive data handling all need to be built in from the start, not added later.
REST API Integration for Enterprise Projects: A Practical Guide
Integrating a third-party REST API sounds simple until you are dealing with rate limits, inconsistent error formats, token refresh races, and pagination that breaks at 10,000 records. Here is how to do it properly.
SOAP API Integration: What It Takes and When You Need a Specialist
SOAP APIs are not going away. Banking, insurance, healthcare, and government systems still run on them. Integrating with one correctly requires understanding WSDL contracts, WS-Security, XML schema validation, and fault handling that most modern developers have never encountered.
OAuth2 and OpenID Connect: How to Implement Authentication the Right Way
OAuth2 is the foundation of modern authentication. It is also one of the most commonly misimplemented protocols in enterprise software. Here is how to implement it correctly, what the common mistakes are, and what happens when you get it wrong.
How to Hire a React and Next.js Developer Who Can Actually Ship
React has the widest hiring pool of any frontend framework and the widest variance in quality. Here is how to tell the difference between a developer who can build a demo and one who can build a production system.
How to Hire a React Native Developer for a Serious Mobile Project
React Native makes cross-platform mobile development accessible, but the gap between a developer who can build a demo app and one who can ship to the App Store is larger than most clients expect. Here is what separates them.
How to Hire a .NET Developer for Enterprise and Integration Work
The .NET ecosystem covers a wide range of work, from simple CRUD APIs to complex WCF migrations, Azure integrations, and enterprise platforms. Here is what to look for when your project needs a .NET developer who can handle the hard parts.
How to Hire a Node.js Developer for Backend and API Work
Node.js is everywhere, which means Node.js developers are everywhere, and the quality range is enormous. Here is what to look for when your project needs a Node.js developer who understands production backend systems, not just Express tutorial apps.