Company
Date Published
Author
Nicholas Yan
Word count
1954
Language
English
Hacker News points
None

Summary

Many large technology companies develop custom-built tools as they scale, driven by the desire for more control and seamless integration with existing systems. For instance, Google and Meta have historically created in-house solutions like Critique and Gerrit for code reviews instead of relying on platforms like GitHub, which is more commonly used by companies like Airbnb and Stripe. The tendency for companies to build their own tools—often termed "not invented here" syndrome—is debated, with arguments for maintaining control over features and integrations versus leveraging the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of external SaaS tools. The decision to develop in-house solutions may be influenced by the size of the company and the era in which it was founded, as newer companies might be more inclined to adopt external tools due to the broader availability of SaaS products. This raises questions about whether the preference for custom-built tools is an inevitable consequence of scale or a result of the company's foundational culture and era.