About
A small studio that ships real software
AppDook is a product studio based in Surat, India. We have spent over a decade building apps and platforms for founders, agencies and established businesses - and learning, mostly the hard way, what actually makes a software project succeed.
We started as a couple of developers taking on work that was larger than we were, and we have kept the same shape on purpose. Small enough that the people you meet are the people who build the thing. Experienced enough that we have already made most of the mistakes on somebody else's budget.
Most of what we do is unglamorous. Working out what a client actually needs rather than what they asked for. Choosing the boring technology that will still be maintained in five years. Writing the documentation nobody wants to write. The interesting parts of software are usually downstream of getting the dull parts right.
We work with founders who need a first version that will not have to be thrown away, and with established teams who need capacity or a capability they do not have in-house. In both cases the goal is the same: leave behind something the client can own and operate without us.
We are based in Surat, Gujarat, and work with clients across India, Europe, North America and Australia. Remote collaboration has been normal for us since long before it was normal generally.
At a glance
- Founded
- 2014
- Based in
- Surat, Gujarat, India
- Team size
- Small and senior
- Works with
- Startups and established teams
- Engagement
- Project or retained
How we work
Four things we will not compromise on
Say the difficult thing early
If the scope is wrong, the deadline is unrealistic, or the feature will not do what you hope, you hear it in week one rather than week nine. Uncomfortable early conversations are considerably cheaper than comfortable late ones.
Build it to be handed over
Every project is written as though someone else will maintain it, because eventually someone will. One documented way to do each thing, and a README that explains the decisions rather than just the commands.
Ship small, ship often
Two-week iterations with something running at the end of each. You see progress continuously instead of getting a reveal at the end, and course corrections cost days rather than months.
Accessible by default
Keyboard navigation, contrast and semantic markup are part of the definition of done, not a later audit. It is the right thing to do, and the same structure that helps assistive technology is what search engines read.
Work with us
Think we might be a fit?
Email [email protected] or use the form. We read everything and reply within two working days.