Elysia + React vs A La Pieter Levels Stack

Elysia + React

VPS (Bun)

A Bun-native server framework paired with React for SSR. Elysia leverages Bun's speed and provides end-to-end type safety through its innovative "Eden" client that infers types directly from your API routes. Elysia's declarative syntax is reminiscent of tRPC but with full HTTP control. Plugins handle validation, authentication, and documentation generation. The framework achieves exceptional throughput on the Bun runtime. This stack demonstrates what's possible when you combine Bun's performance with a thoughtfully designed type-safe server framework and React's component model.

A La Pieter Levels Stack

VPS (PHP)

The indie hacker's PHP stack popularized by Pieter Levels, creator of Nomad List, Remote OK, and Photo AI. This deliberately simple LAMP-style architecture has powered multiple million-dollar bootstrapped products. No build step, no JavaScript framework, no complex deployment—just PHP files served directly. SQLite for the database, jQuery for interactivity where needed, and vanilla CSS. The entire stack fits in a single developer's head. This approach challenges modern web development complexity. It demonstrates that successful products don't require cutting-edge frameworks—they require shipping. Perfect for solo founders and rapid prototyping.