For SaaS, product adoption can be a double-edged sword. As user bases grow, so do feature requests – often to the point where development teams struggle to keep up. Enter Dylibso, a San Francisco-based startup founded in 2022, with a solution that promises to change the game: XTP, an off-the-shelf plugin system that allows multi-tenant SaaS platforms to become extensible in an easy and secure way.
The Problem XTP Solves
SaaS companies often find themselves drowning in a sea of feature requests, many of which are one-offs that don’t align with their core roadmap. This can lead to frustrated users and stretched development resources. XTP aims to solve this problem by empowering end-users to customize applications to their specific needs, without requiring intervention from the original developers.
The Power of “Squishy” Software
Dylibso’s concept of “squishy” software is at the heart of XTP. This approach allows end-users to bend and mold an application to do something new – something its creators might not have predicted or don’t have the resources to build themselves. By making software extensible with XTP, companies can maximize product flexibility to meet users’ dynamic needs, ensuring that their product grows alongside their customers.
The Inspiration Behind XTP
The idea for XTP was born from CEO Steve Manuel’s experience at Cloudflare, where he worked on the JavaScript edge platform “Workers.” This platform allowed Cloudflare customers to expand on hardcoded configuration options using the power of a programming language. The flexibility this provided inspired the Dylibso team to create a solution that could bring similar extensibility to all software.
How XTP Works
XTP provides a secure way for SaaS platforms to run end-user code directly in their application. It offers near-native performance and an easy programming model that can be tailored to each application’s specific needs. This level of customization was previously only available in specialized platforms like Shopify Functions for e-commerce or Cloudflare Workers for developers.
The Team Behind the Innovation
Dylibso was founded by a trio of experienced technologists:
- Steve Manuel, CEO (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevemanuel/)
- Ben Eckel, CTO (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-eckel-b025831a3/)
- Zach Shipko, Chief Researcher
Current Status and Future Prospects
Since its founding in 2022, Dylibso has made significant progress. The company raised a Series Seed round in 2023 and has successfully launched XTP. Looking ahead, Dylibso aims to become the leading solution for software extensibility in the world of enterprise SaaS companies within the next four years.
The team envisions XTP becoming the gold standard for end-user customization of software, breathing new life into stale platforms while enabling amazing new functionality for others. They believe that their concept of “squishy” software will be widely recognized and accepted throughout the industry.
Conclusion
As SaaS platforms continue to evolve, the need for customization and extensibility becomes increasingly crucial. Dylibso’s XTP offers a promising solution to this challenge, allowing companies to focus on their core product while empowering users to tailor the software to their specific needs. With its innovative approach and experienced team, Dylibso is well-positioned to make a significant impact on the future of SaaS development and customization.
