The Tech Stack: Sheets to Vercel
Last Updated: April 2026 | By Engineering Team
How do you build a highly scalable, real-time food delivery app without the massive infrastructure costs of a traditional database? At Zwet Food, we challenged the status quo. We built a architecture that is lightweight, secure, and incredibly cost-effective.
1. The Google Sheets "Database"
Instead of a complex SQL database, we use Google Sheets as our primary data store. This allows our operations team to update menus, prices, and stock levels using a familiar spreadsheet interface. Our custom Apps Script (GoogleCloud) layer turns these sheets into a high-performance JSON API.
The Secure Vercel Gateway
Directly exposing a spreadsheet to the internet is risky. That's why we built a Serverless Secure Gateway on Vercel. All requests from the app pass through this gateway, where they are sanitized, verified (using HMAC signatures), and then proxied to the database. This masks our backend logic and keeps your data safe.
2. Vanilla JS & PWA Architecture
In rural India, data is precious. We skipped heavy frameworks like React or Angular. Instead, Zwet Food is built using Vanilla JavaScript and modern CSS3. This results in a bundle size that is 80% smaller than our competitors, allowing the app to load in under 2 seconds even on slow connections.
3. Offline-Ready with Service Workers
Our app is a full Progressive Web App (PWA). Thanks to our advanced Service Worker logic, the core app shell and menu are cached on your device. You can browse the menu even if you lose your internet connection temporarily. Once you're back online, your actions are synchronized with the server.
A hybrid architecture designed for resilience and performance.
4. Real-Time Push Notifications
We use the Web Push API to send you real-time updates about your order. Whether your order is accepted, out for delivery, or has arrived at your door, you'll get a native notification on your phone just like a traditional Android or iOS app.