The hidden costs of building your own admin panels

Launching your app is the beginning. Ever realized you'll need another app to manage it? Many founders underestimate the hidden costs. Let's investigate them.

Admin interfaces, also known as admin panels, aren't complicated per se. You need a list of your database tables, a way to see what they have, and change their content.

But things can get complex quickly. I've been in the trenches for years making software for clients and myself. Building and maintaining an admin interface has always been a bigger headache than I expected, and the final product always fell short 🤕

Here's a breakdown of areas to consider before building your own:

1. 🔐 Security

Whoever has access to your admin panel has your data. Robust authentication, including 2FA, and strict, invitation-only access are non-negotiable.

2. 🚦 Authorization

Granular access control prevents chaos. Give team members only the permissions they need. Separate sensitive operations (like payments) from routine tasks. Even if you're a one-person team, this will help prevent mistakes.

3. 🔎 Search capabilities

Quickly finding data is crucial. Ever spent hours hunting for a specific user? This kind of friction can lead to less-than-ideal customer service and eat time you could use to do marketing or sales instead. Effective search functionality, filters, and pagination can make life much easier but might also add unexpected development costs.

4. ⚙️ Managing data

Seamless CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations are essential. Can you easily edit user profiles or product details? Speed and data integrity are key. Add protections to prevent costly errors.

5. 🛠️ Growing and maintaining two separate apps

As your app grows, so does your admin panel's complexity. Adding subscriptions? New features? Each requires admin updates. Factor in the ongoing development and maintenance costs. It's a second app you're building.

Don't let admin panel development eat the resources you could be using to improve your business. Consider these factors early to save time, money, and headaches down the road.

Launch faster and scale with ease: Flashboard provides a robust admin panel solution that grows with your business. Create a panel in seconds and see if it's right for you!