I think you're right - at least 90% of servers on the web would be fine with a couple of instances at most backed by a decent db. It can get more compex dependi

I think you're right - at least 90% of servers on the web would be fine with a couple of instances at most backed by a decent db. It can get more compex depending on your resiliance requirements but it really doesn't have to be. I guess I run a CPG stack - Coreos, Postgresql, Go. Don't bother with containers as Go produces one binary which can be run under systemd. It is far simpler than kubernetes and the only real reason for other servers is redundancy. The only bit of complexity is I usually run the db servers as a separate instance or use a managed service. You can go a long way with very boring tech. I've run a little HN clone written in go on one $5 digital ocean droplet for years - it handles moderate traffic spikes with little effort.