Custom web applications
Secure, database-driven applications designed for your workflows, your users and your data, and built to scale as you grow.
Line-of-business applications
Internal tools & dashboards
Customer and partner portals
Chicago · Since 2002
Custom software that connects and automates your business.
We design and build web-based, database- and API-driven applications that tie your systems together, automate the busywork, and give businesses and startup ventures a platform to grow on.
20+
years building for the web
Data + APIs
at the core of everything we build
End to end
strategy, design, code, hosting
What we do
Software built around how your business actually works
Disconnected systems, manual hand-offs, spreadsheets holding everything together? We build the applications, databases and APIs that turn them into one connected, automated operation.
APIs & integrations
We connect your applications to each other and to the outside world, so your data moves where it's needed without anyone retyping it.
API design & development
Third-party & legacy system integration
Data sync, migration & cleanup
Business automation
We replace repetitive manual work with reliable automated processes, which frees your team to focus on the work that matters.
Workflow & approval automation
Automated reporting & alerts
Ecommerce, ordering & billing flows
Startup ventures
A technical partner for new ventures, from first prototype to production platform, with the architecture to grow on.
MVP & product development
Scalable data & API architecture
Ongoing product iteration
WordPress plugin development
Custom plugins that turn WordPress into a business application
Stringing plugins together works until your business rules get complex. Then you end up with “plugin madness”: dozens of add-ons, scattered data and reports nobody trusts. We build one orchestration plugin that puts your business in charge.
One source of truth. A data model designed for your business acts as the central authority across every plugin.
Extend, don't pile on. We extend proven plugins through their hooks instead of adding another paid add-on.
Connected to your systems. SSO, APIs and data feeds tie WordPress into the tools you already run.
We offer
Custom plugins in PHP
Database design
Hooks & filters
Theme development
Custom front-end & admin UI
Plugins we extend
WooCommerce
Gravity Forms
Gravity Flow
LearnDash
Uncanny Automator
The Events Calendar
Advanced WordPress hosting & maintenance
Hosting run by real developers, not level 1 support
Custom code, plugins that need regular updates, snippets and hooks, or trouble with performance, caching and reliability? A traditional host may not have the skills to keep your site running at its best. You get a direct line to our US-based developers, who have hands-on plugin development experience.
Maximum performance. We tune every caching layer: PHP opcache, Redis object caching, page caching, browser caching and CDN.
We know WordPress inside out. As expert plugin developers, we know exactly where to look when something breaks, from plugin conflicts to bugs we fix with other plugin authors.
Serious about security. We patch, update and block malicious traffic, and we built our own free, open-source plugin to stop bots.
Capabilities
Caching
Database tuning
Plugin updates
Custom code hooks
Data transfers & migrations
API integrations
Security
Hosting & DNS
Technologies
WordPress
PHP
SQL
Redis
AWS
Turnstile
Also: UX & interface design · Technology assessments & consulting
What we've built
Platforms that run real businesses
Startup venture
Linescape
We partnered with Linescape to grow it into a thriving, competitive business. The web application runs on an API that turns raw data into usable, actionable search results, on a platform that's fast, solid and reliable.
Read what Linescape says →Tecture product
Tessera Venue Tickets
Our own ticketing platform, built from the ground up. Venues sell tickets their way, on a system they control, with no per-ticket fees.
Explore Tessera →Case studies
How we've connected and automated real operations
A closer look at the problems we solved, how we solved them, and what we built.
EFTS
Medical Library Association · with the National Library of Medicine
Automating interlibrary loan billing for thousands of medical libraries
EFTS replaced a two-decade-old billing system that was outdated, insecure and relied on manual processing. Member libraries crowdfunded the year-long project.
Custom data-exchange API integrated with NLM's DOCLINE, so loans flow in automatically with no manual entry
Real-time "Wallet" accounts, funded by ACH or credit card, with optional auto-funding
Accounting-style dashboard of receivables, payables and unbilled items
Integrated with MLA's AMS (SSO), billing and accounting platforms
Phased rollout with data migration, escrow transfer and full financial reconciliation
API integration
Payments
Automation
UX research
React · Next.js
Project rescue · v2 platform rebuild
Rescuing an unfinished AI-assisted rewrite and taking it to launch
Another vendor built and launched v1. A developer then used AI to rewrite it as v2. It was far along when it reached us, but it was unfinished, buggy, and missing key features.
Full code review to decide what could be kept and what had to be rebuilt
A clear plan to stabilize the codebase and complete the project
Built the missing ecommerce, subscriptions and search features
Migrated all data from v1 to v2
Launched v2 successfully
React
Next.js
Code review
Ecommerce
Data migration
WordPress AMS
Tecture Association Platform
Turning WordPress into a complete association management system
We orchestrate WordPress plugins and connected services into one integrated business database that runs memberships and programs, automates staff work, and gives members self-service.
Membership tracking, auto-renewals and segmented renewal email journeys
Workflows for awards, grants, certifications and more, with staff inboxes and approvals
Single sign-on across the website and connected platforms
Personalized member dashboards and filterable directories
LMS, ecommerce with member pricing, and sync with an existing AMS
WordPress
Workflow automation
SSO
Data sync
Client stories
Partners who stick with us
Great design, technology… and coffee
“Tecture has been a great technology partner in developing Linescape into a thriving, competitive business. The website is contemporary, eye-catching and most of all, easy to use. The technology platform is fast, solid and reliable.”
David Tarizzo
Linescape
Developing a world-class system
“Some companies do their job and everyone walks away happy. Others go beyond that level and have a real commitment to the project and to the organization. It is our good fortune that Tecture is in the second category.”
Ben Munger, PhD
Interim Executive Director, American Board of Preventive Medicine
Great results, highly recommended
“Ben and team stepped in to fix an important web project where our contractors had literally dropped out of sight. They incorporated the best elements of our half-finished project and delivered great results.”
Cy Griffith
Director of Marketing, Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella
About Tecture
Business know-how, serious engineering, thoughtful user experience
Since 2002, Chicago-based Tecture has combined practical business sense, deep data and development experience, and careful user experience work to build solutions that help organizations grow.
We work with established businesses and startup ventures. Our goal is always the same: connected, automated software that makes you more efficient, more stable and more profitable, and that your customers enjoy using.
Assess
Understand your goals, systems and constraints.
User experience
Shape the experience with your team and users.
Build
Develop, integrate and test against real data.
Support
Host, maintain and improve over the long run.
Contact
Let's talk about your project
Tell us a little about what you're working on, and we'll get back to you within one business day.
Phone
Office
500 W Madison St, Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60661
Hours
Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm CT