Backend & API
we leadPython development
Primary language for AI apps, RAG pipelines, eval harnesses, data workflows, and FastAPI / Django services. The lingua franca of the AI stack.
Sample projects we'd take
RAG ingestion pipeline + FastAPI + pgvector
$15k–$35k · 3-5 weeks
Document ingestion pipeline (PDFs, HTML, Markdown, Slack archives, Notion exports). Chunking strategy + embedding model selection + reranker. Postgres + pgvector. FastAPI query layer with eval harness (20-50 cases) baked in. Truth Oracle 4-of-4 review on retrieval quality.
Airflow + dbt training data pipeline
$10k–$25k · 2-4 weeks
Nightly pipeline that ingests from N sources, validates with dbt tests, transforms to LLM training format, registers in a feature store. Reproducible and idempotent.
AI agent system with operator-in-the-loop
$20k–$50k · 4-8 weeks
Multi-agent workflow (LangChain / DSPy / custom): plan → tool-use → review checkpoint → execute. Operator approval gates on high-stakes actions. Full audit log.
Why Python in 2026
Python is the lingua franca of the AI stack. PyTorch, Transformers, vLLM, LangChain, LlamaIndex, DSPy, FastAPI, Airflow, dbt, pgvector clients, OpenAI / Anthropic / Google SDKs, Hugging Face — every meaningful tool in our delivery chain is Python-first. The GIL is annoying for high-concurrency CPU work, but for AI orchestration (which is mostly I/O-bound network calls to model providers and databases) it doesn’t matter. Async Python with FastAPI handles thousands of concurrent RAG queries without breaking a sweat.
Honest caveats
Python is the wrong call when sub-millisecond latency is non-negotiable (use Go, Rust, or C++), when memory safety must be compiler-enforced (use Rust), or when you need a single-binary deploy with no runtime (use Go). We also avoid Python for greenfield mobile work — wrong ecosystem.
When to pick this · when not to
When to pick
AI / ML, data engineering, rapid API prototyping, scientific computing.
When not to pick
Sub-millisecond latency budgets or memory-safety-critical systems.
Different language?
If your project isn't a fit for Python, we'll recommend the right one. Send the brief — we'll come back inside 48 hours with our honest pick.