Blog

June 30, 2026

Enterprise Search: Setting Up Your Own Enterprise Search

Enterprise search enables effective searching of corporate knowledge, including PDFs. In this article, we’ll show you the different types of searches and how to set up your own enterprise search step by step.

May 28, 2026

Enterprise AI: Cloud vs. On-Premises Solutions Compared

When choosing enterprise AI, one question often makes the difference: Where can data be stored? This article compares popular cloud tools with local AI alternatives and helps you determine which approach is best for your business.

May 28, 2026

Tips for Planning a Robust Web Application

When building a web application, people tend to think first about technology. Yet success is often determined as early as the planning phase. This article highlights the questions that really matter.

April 30, 2026

Process Optimization with AI: Automating Business Documents

Orders, delivery notes, and invoices often arrive as PDF files or via email and are then manually entered into the ERP system. With AI, these steps can be automated and significantly streamlined. This article explains how this works in practice and what matters most.

April 23, 2026

Azure OpenAI: Running GPT Models in Compliance with the GDPR

A way to host your own AI applications in a GDPR-compliant manner: Language models such as GPT-5 can be operated within Microsoft Azure. This article describes how to configure Azure environments within EU data residency standards, offering a powerful option if you are already working within the Microsoft ecosystem.

March 16, 2026

DevOps in a team: When do you need your own experts?

Many software teams start out without a dedicated DevOps role: infrastructure, deployments, and CI/CD are handled on the side – often supported by one or two dedicated developers. This can work surprisingly well for quite a long time.

February 16, 2026

GEO optimization: Your website in AI search

How to deal with GEO and SEO in 2026? This article shows you how to set up your website so that it remains visible in AI search systems: with GEO as an extension of your SEO strategy.

February 12, 2026

AI and data protection

How AI and data protection can be effectively combined in companies, what risks cloud-based AI entails, and when local AI is the better choice.

January 20, 2026

Managed hosting in Germany

Managed hosting is often seen as a solution for particularly large or heavily trafficked applications. In reality it is suitable for all scenarios in which availability, security, and reliable operation are crucial.

December 09, 2025

Local AI: Three use cases for every industry

Here are three practical AI use cases that help companies speed up information workflows, reduce errors, and relieve teams over the long term, while staying compliant with data-protection regulations.

November 27, 2025

Rails Update: When is it necessary?

An overview of the opportunities, risks, and alternatives to Rails updates, with practical guidance to help technical decision-makers choose the right path for their application.

November 20, 2025

Implementing your own AI in the midmarket: How to succeed

AI is already a major topic among small and medium-sized businesses, but its widespread adoption is still in its early stages. This article offers guidance and support based on our experience implementing AI projects for small and medium-sized businesses. Are you considering developing your own AI solution? Then you’ve come to the right place.

New: Rails LTS Active Maintenance

Your Rails application is running but technical debt is piling up? You don't have your own or only have a small development team, and value a secure application? You want to improve the performance of your app and keep errors to a minimum?

October 21, 2025

Optimizing cloud costs

Cloud platforms such as AWS have been the standard for hosting and running workloads for a long time now. But as usage grows, so does uncertainty: Why are costs rising even though usage seems to remain stable? Many teams eventually face this question.

October 07, 2025

LLM with RAG

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) combines the power of large language models (LLMs) with up-to-date, company-specific knowledge without compromising sensitive data. In this article, we show the advantages RAG offers companies and how the approach can be integrated into your own infrastructure step by step.

September 11, 2025

Recap: Rails World 2025

Team makandra visited the Rails World conference! Once again with a large team – and for the first time – with a booth to support the conference and engage in conversation with as many people as possible.

August 30, 2025

Local LLMs in organisations: Using AI securely

Local LLMs enable companies and organisations to use AI securely and in compliance with data protection regulations. They harness the potential of your internal company data while maintaining complete data sovereignty.

August 28, 2025

Why work with test-driven development?

At first glance, software development and gardening have little in common. But just as some plants need support, test-driven development helps to build code that is stable and reliable right from the start.

August 26, 2025

Cognitive biases in UX design

How cognitive biases and heuristics influence user experience design and how you can use them specifically to create better digital user experiences.

August 15, 2025

Accessible Website: Who has to comply in 2025

A barrier-free website: Who is required to comply by 2025? We answer your questions about the BFSG in relation to your company website.

August 11, 2025

Rails LTS: The story behind the product

Official support for Rails 2.3 expired in 2013, but many companies were still using the version. A tweet gave makandra the idea to fill the gap. That's how Rails LTS came about.

August 01, 2025

Accessibility from 2025: laws and requirements

Digital accessibility is mandatory since June 2025. What does this mean for your company? We explain the most important laws, terms and requirements that you should know now.

July 30, 2025

Does AI accelerate development?

AI tools are considered productivity boosters – but do they deliver on their promise? And what does all this have to do with gambling in casinos? We asked our colleagues how they use AI in their everyday work as developers and what advice they would give to juniors on working with AI.

July 22, 2025

Next.js: We are expanding our technology stack

We have always relied on stable, maintainable technologies. Now we are expanding our stack with Next.js, creating new opportunities for fast, interactive applications. Read here to find out what this means for our customers.

July 11, 2025

EOL Rails version with Heroku: How to keep your apps secure

It's official since March 17, 2025: Heroku has updated its guidelines for supporting Rails versions. These changes will affect many developers and teams who are still working with older Rails versions that have already reached end of life (EOL).

July 10, 2025

Accessible Website: The Practical Checklist

What really matters when it comes to digital accessibility? We explain the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and their four key principles. You’ll also get five practical guidelines to help you get started with making your website accessible right away.

July 03, 2025

Atomic Design & Design Tokens

A modular structure of UI building blocks based on the atomic design principle creates a common language between design and code. In this article, we show you how to use design tokens to create consistent interfaces and efficient development processes – including practical examples.

July 02, 2025

The CLOUD Act: What companies should know about US clouds

The CLOUD Act is an American law that allows US authorities to access data stored by US companies. In this article, we explain what this means for European companies using cloud services from the US.

June 17, 2025

On Premises Wiki - Benefits

We explain how an on-premises wiki works, what advantages it offers over cloud-based solutions, and how it can help ensure data protection, compliance, and high availability.

June 03, 2025

Low Code, No Code, Vibe Coding – Software Trends Today

Are they the future of software development or will they even make traditional programming obsolete? What you should know about the potential and limitations of low-code and no-code platforms and vibe coding with AI.

May 13, 2025

Cost check: Subscription vs. custom-built solutions

Whether you're a startup, an established mid-sized company, or a large enterprise, choosing the right software solution has a lasting impact on your costs, flexibility, and long-term success. We’ll show you what matters – and how to make the most cost-effective decision.

April 08, 2025

Knowledge management within the company

and how it ensures sustainable success.

April 03, 2025

Custom CMS vs. AEM

We compare Adobe Experience Manager with the use of proprietary custom software: Where does each solution score points, and when should you consider custom development?

March 08, 2025

Women in Tech: Get to know our colleagues

We are introducing our colleagues Lisa, Nino, Katrin and Emma from the software development and DevOps departments.

March 04, 2025

Trainee Talk: Get to know our trainees

We asked two of our trainees about their experiences and start at makandra.

February 26, 2025

Expanding Our Management Team

At makandra GmbH, we are strengthening our leadership team: Fabian Rimpl joins Dr. Thomas Eisenbarth as Co-Managing Director.

January 17, 2025

4 good reasons to write an app in Ruby on Rails

From the perspective of experienced Ruby on Rails developers: Why Ruby on Rails is the best choice for your next web application.

December 17, 2024

MVP-Development

In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about MVPs (Minimum Viable Products): Definition, advantages and differences to MMP, Prototype and Full Product.

November 26, 2024

kununu Top Company 2025

We are delighted to have been honored with the kununu award for the fourth time in a row.

November 05, 2024

Recap: Rails World 2024

That was Rails World! We share our impressions and insights from makandra at the Rails World conference in Toronto.

October 29, 2024

Automation of business processes

In this article, we show you how to identify and implement optimization potential in your processes.

October 15, 2024

Core Web Vitals

Google has implemented core web vitals to evaluate and optimize the performance of websites. Here you can find out everything you need to know about this topic.

October 08, 2024

IaC: Challenges and Solutions

Challenges with IaC and how you can overcome them. Includes a free white paper.

October 01, 2024

Rails 8 Release

The new Rails 8.0 brings new features, optimized processes and also marks the end of community support for Rails 6.1 - everything you need to know now.

September 24, 2024

Working at makandra: Our company culture

A glimpse into our company culture and daily work life.

September 19, 2024

makandra cards: Knowledge Database for Web Dev

Solutions, ideas, best practices and tips in the field of web development, Ruby on Rails and DevOps.

September 03, 2024

How to successfully digitize business processes

In this article, we will show you why you should digitize your business processes and how to do it successfully.

August 27, 2024

Custom software vs. standard software

Best practices for deciding for or against individual software. Including a free whitepaper (German language) to support your informed decision.

August 13, 2024

Design by makandra: Our website relaunch

In this interview, Laura Hacker, Head of UI at makandra, talks about the process and the thoughts behind the redesign of our company website.

July 30, 2024

Ruby on Rails: The Framework's Advantages Today

In this article, we provide a brief insight into the history of Ruby on Rails and highlight the advantages of the framework.