Integrations
External services that extend Catalyst — add them intentionally as your project matures.
Read this when you're evaluating third-party services or planning which integrations to add.
Useful for architects and developers making infrastructure decisions.
What Are Integrations?
Integrations are external services your application connects to. Unlike platform capabilities (which are internal shared functionality) or packages (which are dependencies you bundle), integrations are third-party APIs and managed services that run outside your codebase.
Examples include Supabase for database and auth, Resend for email, Stripe for payments, and various analytics providers. Each integration adds capability but also adds a dependency on an external system.
Integration Principles
How Catalyst approaches external dependencies:
Add intentionally
Wait for the right moment. Add integrations at decision checkpoints, not speculatively. POC rarely needs payments.
Prefer managed
Low operational load. Choose services that handle scaling, security, and maintenance so you can focus on your product.
Document contracts
Know what can break. Track API versions, rate limits, and failure modes. Update docs when integrations change.
Included Integrations
Integrations that come pre-configured with Catalyst:
Common Additions
Integrations teams frequently add as projects mature:
Resend, SendGrid, Postmark
MVP+ when you need transactional emails
Payments
Stripe, Paddle, LemonSqueezy
MMP+ when monetization is validated
Analytics
PostHog, Mixpanel, Amplitude
MVP+ when you need usage insights
These aren't pre-configured but are straightforward to add. Documentation for each will be added as patterns are established.
Every integration is a dependency. External services can change, have outages, or sunset features. Keep integrations minimal and well-documented. The fewer external dependencies, the more control you retain over your product's behavior.
When to Add Integrations
POC
Minimize integrations. Use Supabase for data/auth if needed. Mock everything else.
MVP
Add integrations required for core user flows. Email for auth, analytics for insights.
MMP
Add monetization integrations. Payments, billing, subscription management.
PROD
Production-grade monitoring, error tracking, and operational tooling.
Next Steps
Learn about the included integrations: