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Pillar 2 · Independent Engineering

Software that makes you independent — when the question calls for it.

Some projects don't fit the Microsoft stack — whether for sovereignty reasons, regulatory requirements, cost structure, or a missing standard product. That's what Independent Engineering is for: custom software on modern, often European platforms, with the same practical depth as our Microsoft world.

45-min architecture conversation 30-min initial conversation

Four disciplines

What Independent Engineering means at arades.

Four clearly bounded disciplines in which we deliver platform-independently. Microsoft, when it fits — Independent, when it must.

Engineering

Custom Software & Web Platforms

Tailored applications with modern frameworks: TypeScript, Next.js, Nest, Postgres, Hetzner/STACKIT hosting. Sovereign, performant, maintainable — and independent of US cloud providers when the matter calls for it.

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Mobile

Mobile Apps

iOS and Android apps with .NET MAUI, React Native, or native Swift/Kotlin. Deeply integrated with Microsoft Entra, Dynamics 365, and Intune — for Field Service, Sales, and customer apps with App Store distribution or Intune deployment.

View Mobile Apps
AI · Open

Open AI Integrations

OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Mistral, Aleph Alpha, local LLMs on Ollama — we integrate the model that fits the task. Also GDPR-compliant and EU-hosted. AI isn't just Microsoft Copilot.

View Open AI Integrations
Web · Corporate

Corporate Websites

Editorially maintainable corporate websites with modern headless CMS architectures. Astro, Next.js, Sanity, Storyblok. Multilingual, SEO-optimized, performant. EU hosting on Hetzner or STACKIT — no US-CDN lock-in.

View Corporate Websites

Honest boundaries

Microsoft Cloud or Independent Engineering — when which?

We have both worlds under one roof. That makes us rare advisors: we recommend the platform that fits the task — not the one we want to sell more of.

Microsoft Cloud fits when …

  • You already have a Microsoft stack in use (Microsoft 365, Azure)
  • Standard CRM/ERP functionality is sufficient
  • Time-to-value is more important than tailored depth
  • You want platform consistency across tools
  • Microsoft license-bundle effects (E3/E5) are attractive to you
  • You want a broadly certified advisory landscape

Independent Engineering fits when …

  • You have sovereignty requirements (BSI, NIS2, strict GDPR)
  • Your use case doesn't match a standard solution
  • You want to step out of Microsoft license pricing
  • EU hosting is mandatory (German states, public authorities, BAFIN-regulated)
  • You want to use specific AI models (other than OpenAI)
  • You need open-source advantages (protection against vendor lock-in)

Technology selection

The technologies we build with.

We choose the right tool per project. This list isn't exhaustive — it shows what we typically choose from.

Frontend & Web

TypeScript Next.js React Astro SvelteKit Tailwind CSS

Backend & Data

Node.js / NestJS Python / FastAPI PostgreSQL Redis ElasticSearch .NET (when applicable)

Hosting & Cloud

Hetzner STACKIT OVH IONOS Azure (when applicable) AWS (when applicable)

AI & LLMs

OpenAI Anthropic Claude Mistral (EU) Aleph Alpha (DE) Ollama (self-host) Vercel AI SDK

Open Source & sovereign

Nextcloud Mattermost Outline n8n Plausible Mautic

DevOps & tooling

Docker GitHub Actions Terraform Sentry Grafana Cloudflare

Concept before build

Before we build — we clarify with you whether Microsoft, Independent, or hybrid fits.

Platform-independent architecture advisory is a standalone service in the "Advisory & Analysis" cluster — upstream of every engineering engagement when needed. Build vs. buy, Microsoft vs. open source vs. best-of-breed, cloud-sovereignty strategies. Concepts and recommendations, not built systems.

View Advisory & Architecture (services) Fixed price on request

45-min architecture conversation

Complex project? Let's open the whiteboard.

45 minutes of technical depth — build vs. buy, Microsoft vs. Independent, cloud sovereignty. Bring your team, we bring the experience.

Book architecture conversation View Microsoft Cloud