Why I started techflak — and the problem with dev tool reviews

The problem

Every "best tools for developers" article I've ever read has the same fingerprints: vague praise, no concrete numbers, affiliate links disguised as recommendations, and star ratings that tell you nothing.

I've shipped enough projects to know the difference between marketing copy and a real opinion. The real opinion includes the part where it breaks, the part where the pricing surprise hits, and the moment you realize you should have chosen differently.

That's what techflak is.

What you'll get every week

• One honest review with a FLAK SCORE — a 0-100 number that means something
• One comparison or deep dive — the kind that actually helps you decide
• No sponsored content without disclosure — if money changes hands, you'll know

The FLAK SCORE

A number from 0 to 100. It's a weighted composite of developer experience, documentation quality, pricing transparency, reliability, and support. The breakdown is always shown. You can disagree with my weights.

Anything above 70 is genuinely worth considering. 40–70 means "it depends." Below 40 means I'll explain exactly why it failed.

First review next week

I'm starting with hosting — the category where marketing vs. reality gaps are widest. Railway, Vercel, Render, and Fly.io all claim to be the best DX. Let's find out.

— Shafqat