I have spent a month working on my e-commerce application, but I fear that I won’t finish it by the end of the year. My tech stack includes Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Shadcn, Prisma, and PostgreSQL. The development process, especially for the admin section, is proving to be quite challenging. Although it’s a straightforward project with features like an online store interface, payment processing, authentication, and admin functionalities, the volume of work is overwhelming. I am considering pivoting and looking into options such as Shopify or Payload for the backend, although I am not yet familiar with these tools. Despite the difficulties, I’ve gained significant knowledge, including building a shopping cart, using RTK Query, managing database relationships, form handling, client-server validation, server actions, and migrating to Next.js 15, alongside learning Shadcn. For those who have experience creating similar applications, what additional tools would you suggest? Thank you!
Hey Iris85, custom apps can be time-eating monsters with endless details! before jumping ship to new tools, maybe try outsourcing specific tasks on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr. fresh eyes could ease some burden without fully abandoning your stack. Cheers to learning though, it’s a beast of a project but worth it. 
Building a custom e-commerce app is indeed a demanding task, and it’s great to hear you’ve picked up so many new skills along the way. Since you are familiar with Prisma and PostgreSQL, you might want to look into GraphQL. Integrating GraphQL could streamline your data fetching process and make management of client-server interactions easier, particularly for complex queries. If workload is a major concern, exploring third-party APIs for payment gateways and authentication might also alleviate some development pressure. While Shopify and Payload offer simpler backend solutions, building familiarity with your current tech stack could offer deeper control and customization in the long run.
it’s cool ur sticking with a complex stack, Iris85! have you thought about breaking down the project into sprints? It could help with focus and reducing overwhelm. also, consider automating some parts using tools like zapier or integromat, sometimes a lil automation can save tons of time! keep pushing forward.