First and Last Web & Interactive Tools Logo
First and LastWeb & Interactive Dev
Service Pillar II · Functional Ecosystems

Web ApplicationArchitecture & Pricing

Reliable engineering estimates for authenticated, database-driven software. We price the structural integrity of SaaS platforms, Client Portals, and Internal Tools—not the net worth of the client.

Est. 2026

A Functional Ecosystem is not a website. It is a secure, database-driven operating system designed to manage business logic, not just display content.

When to choose this service: If your project requires users to log in, data to be securely stored and mutated, or complex workflows to be enforced (e.g., Client Portals, SaaS Platforms, Internal Tools), you are building a Functional Ecosystem (Service II).

If your primary goal is purely marketing, brand presence, or public information without user accounts, refer to Service I (Web Architecture).

AuthenticatedState-DrivenDatabase-BackedSecure RBAC

Estimate the Physics

Calculate the engineering load based on Entities, Roles, and Workflow complexity.

Custom Functional Ecosystems

Data Architecture & Entities

Define the core data objects (the 'Nouns') your system must manage. Every entity requires dedicated schema design, secure API handlers, and UI management components.

Data Entities
Examples: Users, Invoices, Products, Bookings, Tickets.
2

Access Control & Permissions

Define how users interact with your data. Standard systems distinguish between Users and Admins, while Multi-Tier systems allow for granular department-level permissions.

Permissions Model

Process Automation & Workflows

Define the complexity of your business processes. Pricing is driven by the number of automated state transitions, conditional logic steps, and sequential approval chains.

Logic Nodes
Steps in a state machine (e.g., 'Draft -> Approved -> Published').
0
System Architecture · Live Estimate

The Physics of Cost

We do not price based on your budget. We price based on the structural load of the system. In Service II (Functional Ecosystems), three specific engineering vectors drive the complexity.

1. Entities (The Nouns)

Every distinct type of data (e.g., "Invoice," "User," "Project") requires a database schema, API endpoints, Zod validation rules, and UI components to Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD). More nouns = more mass.

2. Roles (The Access)

Security costs money. If a "Client" sees different data than an "Admin," we must engineer conditional logic checks on every server action and page render. Granular permission systems (RBAC) exponentially increase testing rigor.

3. Workflow (The Logic)

The complexity of the state machine. A simple "Save" is cheap. A workflow where "Application Submitted" triggers an email, updates a dashboard, and unlocks a new form requires chained server-side events and failure handling.

The Type B Chassis

Included in Base Architecture

Every Service II project begins with a fixed engineering cost to initialize the Authenticated Environment. This covers Next.js 16+ setup, Database Connection pooling (Postgres/Supabase), Authentication provider integration (Auth0/Clerk), and Security Headers (CSP/HSTS). You cannot build a skyscraper without pouring the concrete first.

The No-Dilution Rule

We never lower the standard of engineering to meet a lower price. The only lever we pull to reduce cost is Scope.

If the budget is constrained, we build a smaller system that is still engineered to perfection. We do not build "cheaper" versions that compromise security.

We would rather lose the project than build a digital asset that will fail you.

The Invisible Floor (Non-Negotiable)

  • Server-Side ValidationWe never rely on client-side checks. Every data mutation is strictly validated on the server to prevent corruption.
  • RBAC by DefaultRole-Based Access Control is hard-coded into the architecture. We do not build "admin panels" that are just hidden URLs.
  • Encryption at Rest & TransitSensitive data is never exposed. We enforce HSTS headers and secure connection pooling on Day One.

The Service II Tech Stack

We do not use no-code tools. We build proprietary assets owned 100% by you.

Next.js 16+ App RouterReact Server ComponentsTypeScript StrictPostgreSQL / SupabaseTailwind CSS v4React Actions (Mutations)Edge Caching

Pillar II: Web Applications Pricing FAQs

Questions about custom functional ecosystems, architecture, security, and costs.

Need more information?

Visit Full FAQ Hub