tech-for-founders

Technical fluency for non-technical founders building products with small teams, agencies, contractors, or AI coding tools.

This repo is not about teaching you to code.

It is about helping you:

• scope an MVP without buying fantasy
• evaluate vendors and contractors without getting steamrolled
• make better build versus buy decisions
• understand what your first engineer is actually telling you
• use AI coding tools without confusing a demo with a product

The content overlaps with tech-for-pms, but the examples change. This version is built for founder decisions:

• hiring the first engineer
• reading an agency quote
• deciding whether an AI-generated prototype is real progress
• understanding what you are paying for in architecture and infrastructure

Repo structure

• 01-how-software-systems-work-for-founders.md
• 02-how-the-internet-works-for-founders.md
• 03-how-ai-products-work-for-founders.md
• 04-how-databases-work-for-founders.md
• 05-how-deployment-works-for-founders.md
• 06-how-to-read-architecture-diagrams-for-founders.md
• 07-how-to-work-with-engineers-and-contractors.md
• 08-build-vs-buy-vs-ai-generate.md
• 09-what-to-ask-before-signing.md
• glossary.md

Working definition of "technical enough"

Technical enough for a founder means:

• you can tell whether a quote reflects real complexity or padded complexity
• you can separate prototype speed from production readiness
• you can make smarter hiring and vendor decisions
• you can ask for evidence when someone says something is "too complex" or "basically done"

How to use this repo

1. Read 01, 03, 08, and 09 first if you are actively building now.
2. Use the meeting question at the end of each file before contractor or engineer calls.
3. Memorize the glossary. It will save you money.