Frequently Asked Questions

Coretechs is a custom software development firm specializing in full-stack development of mission-critical systems and mobile apps for private companies, government agencies, and startups. We are US-based, out of Maryland and we are celebrating our 40th year!

The Coretechs team is primarily located in the Washington, DC metro area. Our headquarters is located in Kensington, Maryland. We work with clients across the United States.  We have a number of clients in the local DMV area but the majority are from across the US.

Coretechs has been in business for 40 years. We were founded in the mid-1980s and are headquartered in Kensington, Maryland. we are one of the longest-established custom software development firms in the Washington DC metro area.

Our track record means clients work with a seasoned team that has successfully navigated every major shift in software technology. From client-server systems to today’s cloud-native and AI-assisted development we’ve seen it all. As a consequence, we have maintained long-term relationships with many of our clients for ten, twenty years or more.

We have deep expertise across many sectors, including finance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and government contracting. Our flexible approach allows us to adapt to the unique regulatory and operational needs of almost any industry and in fact we’ve supported businesses across almost every known vertical.

We’re open to work with anyone but our typical client is a small to medium business that is looking to leverage an investment in custom software development to provide them an outsize advantage against their competitors.

Coretechs is US-based company, headquartered in Maryland. Many of our team are in the Washington DC Metro area while some are located elsewhere in the US.

Our project managers and developers have deep familiarity with a broad range of businesses.  Not only do we have top-notch developers but they’ve worked in a huge variety of industries such as Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals, Electronic Medical Records, Travel Document Processing, HOA Management, Industrial Cleaning, Media Relations, Employee Management, Payment Processing, Retail, Hospitality, Higher Education, Inventory Tracking and Payroll Management. So, that deep understanding of business needs puts us head and shoulders above off-shored talent.

We have some case studies of past projects here. If you need further background please contact Gil at 202-540-0002 for more information and examples.

The best way to start is to call Gil at 202-540-0002.  If you’re not ready for a call then please complete our contact form. Our sales process is covered in more detail here.

Project costs can vary widely so the best answer is to Call Gil at 202-540-0002 to get a detailed analysis of possible project costs immediately. As you might expect software development costs vary widely with simpler tasks costing thousands of dollars whereas developing new custom systems from scratch may be in the tens of thousands.

Each client is assigned a dedicated project manager and lead developer on day one. They will serve as your primary point of contact throughout your projects.

Your Project Manager is your single point of contact for scheduling, decisions, and communication. Your Lead Developer owns the technical direction and builds continuity across the entire lifecycle of your project. Additionally, Gil and the entire senior management team will also be involved and available to help as needed with any questions or concerns that may arise.

Client confidentiality is very important to us and covered in our contracts.  We’re happy to sign NDAs as needed throughout our work with our clients.

Most of our clients already have an existing code-base prior to working with us. We are happy with both maintaining and expanding on existing code or legacy systems. We will NOT make you waste time and money starting over from scratch.

Most of our new clients bring us projects originally created and managed by other developers.  We’re happy to work in whatever environment the previous developer has chosen and can start working on the project without missing a beat. Only about 10-20% of clients bring in brand new projects so we’re very comfortable with legacy projects that may have been created many years ago.

Yes, we work to build long-term relationships with our clients. We like to say “We’re never done at Version 1”!  We want to help our clients grow their businesses by increasing sales and allowing their internal team to work more efficiently due to the multiplicative ROI of custom software. This win-win keeps everyone happy which has them working with us year after year.

Asking a friend or colleague for a referral is often a good way to start. At Coretechs we have numerous testimonials on our website from satisfied clients.  We’re also happy to send you a list of references.  We have provided custom software development services for clients across the United States for 40 years.  For more information please call Gil at 202-540-0002.

Calling Gil and getting a sense of the team, their deep experience and long term commitment is a great way to start.  We have testimonials from many of our clients listed on our website.  We also can provide additional references upon request.

The best way to find out is to call Gil at 202-540-0002.  Our development process is covered in more detail here.

Project timelines can vary widely depending on the nature of the task.  However, we don’t normally see clients as a one-off interaction.  Most of our clients have been with us years.  Normally, once we’re working on a project we make updates, test, review, push to production and repeat indefinitely as the client makes requests for new and updated functionality.

Coretechs treats cybersecurity as a core engineering discipline, not an afterthought. Security is built into every phase of development from initial architecture decisions through to deployment and ongoing maintenance.

In practice this means every project includes SSL/TLS implementation, role-based user management, input validation, secure API design, and routine dependency patching as standard deliverables and not optional extras. We conduct proactive threat assessments during the design phase so vulnerabilities are addressed before code is written, rather than discovered after launch.

For clients in regulated industries, we align our security practices with applicable frameworks including FISMA, NIST, and HIPAA, and we have extensive experience delivering secure, compliant systems for government agencies and contractors in the Washington DC area.

After launch, security doesn’t stop. Coretechs provides ongoing monitoring, patching, and threat response as part of our maintenance support so your system stays protected as new vulnerabilities emerge over time.

Agent-based or AI-assisted development is a software development approach where AI tools and autonomous agents work alongside human developers to write, test, and improve code faster and more accurately.

Tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Amazon CodeWhisperer suggest code in real time, complete functions, catch bugs, and automate repetitive tasks. This allows our developers to focus on architecture and the business logic that makes your software unique. Agentic tools Like Claude Code go a step further, autonomously executing multi-step tasks such as writing tests, refactoring code, or implementing entire features from plain-language instruction guided by an experienced developer.

At Coretechs, we integrate these tools into projects as applicable. The result for clients is faster delivery, fewer defects, and more value from every development hour; with a human developer reviewing and owning every line of code that ships.

Coretechs builds full-stack custom software using a broad range of modern technologies, selected based on what best fits your project and not what’s most convenient for us.

On the back end we work in Python (Django, Flask, and FastAPI), .NET, Java, PHP (including Laravel and Drupal), ColdFusion, and Lucee. For front-end development our team works in React, Angular, and Vue.js. Mobile applications are built natively for iOS and Android, or cross-platform using React Native and Flutter. All of this cross-disciplinary knowledge gives you a single unified team managing both your web and mobile presence.

Our database expertise covers MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server. We also have specialists in GoLang, Elixir, Rust, Kotlin, Ruby on Rails, and Node.js for projects that require them.

One practical benefit of this breadth: if you already have a system built in an older or less common technology, including legacy ColdFusion or PHP codebases, we can take it over, maintain it, and modernize it without requiring a costly rewrite.

Yes, Coretechs builds native iOS and Android apps, as well as cross-platform applications using React Native and Flutter.

For projects where platform-specific performance is critical we build fully native. Where speed to market or budget efficiency is the priority, React Native and Flutter deliver a high-quality experience on both platforms from a single code-base.

Either way, one unified Coretechs team handles both your web and mobile presence. This means no separate vendors, no coordination overhead and one project manager throughout. We also support apps after launch, covering OS updates, app store submissions, and ongoing feature development as your product grows.

Yes, Coretechs can build both the web application and the mobile app for your product, managed by a single unified team throughout.

This means one project manager, one lead developer, and one point of contact handling your entire product. There are no separate web and mobile vendors to coordinate, no misaligned timelines, and no inconsistencies between platforms.

We use frameworks like React Native and Flutter to build cross-platform mobile apps that share logic and a back-end with your web application, keeping development efficient and your code base consistent. Where a fully native iOS or Android experience is required, we can build that as well.

The practical result is a faster build, a lower overall cost, and a product that works and feels consistent whether your users are on a desktop browser or a phone.

Off the shelf software is something that may meet all, some or none of your needs.  Examples include Quickbooks for accounting and Microsoft Word for documents.  If there’s a feature within those products that you’d like to work differently you have no real options to change it since every customer gets the same software.  Custom software is built to order to your specifications.  It contains only the features that you want working as you want them.  It can do anything and everything you request.  The only limitations are the time and cost to develop those features.

There are no hard and fast rules in which language to build software.  We often work in Python and .Net but we cover many other languages and technologies.  Most clients bring in existing software projects for us to work on so we have to be able work on almost any platform.

As you might expect software development costs vary widely with simpler tasks costing thousands of dollars whereas developing new custom systems from scratch may be in the tens of thousands.  Project costs can vary widely so the best answer is to Call Gil at 202-540-0002 to get a detailed analysis of possible project costs immediately.

Coretechs offers both fixed-price and time-and-materials contracts.

Fixed-price suits projects where scope and deliverables are clearly defined upfront. You agree on a total cost before development begins, giving you full budget certainty. Time-and-materials suits projects where requirements are likely to evolve or where you need to start before every detail is pinned down. You pay for hours used, with full transparency on activity and spend throughout.

For new clients, the first step is always a brief scoping conversation with Gil first. Call Gil at 202-540-0002 or visit our Pricing page to get started.

Yes. We are a trusted partner for government contractors and agencies in the DC area. Although much of our work is with businesses we have also worked on a number of government projects. Our US-based team understands the sensitivities of public sector work and delivers secure, compliant, mission-critical digital solutions.

Coretechs supports security and compliance frameworks across government, healthcare, and financial services including FISMA, NIST, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.

For government and public sector clients, we align with FISMA and NIST standards, which are standard requirements for federal agencies and contractors in the Washington DC area. For healthcare projects we build to HIPAA requirements. Fo e-commerce and financial services we support PCI-DSS compliance where payment data is involved.

Across all projects, our baseline security practices: SSL/TLS encryption, role-based access control, input validation, secure API design, and routine vulnerability patching are delivered as standard. If your project has specific compliance requirements, contact Gil directly at 202-540-0002 to discuss how we can meet them.

Yes, Coretechs has extensive experience working with government agencies and contractors in the Washington DC area, and our US-based team is structured to meet the security, compliance, and vetting requirements common in public sector engagements.

We deliver secure, mission-critical systems for federal, state, and local government clients. Our development practices are aligned to most government security frameworks. All of our work is completed by our in-house US-based team. For specific questions about security clearances, contract vehicles, or agency-specific compliance requirements, contact Gil directly at 202-540-0002 to discuss your project’s needs.