RAG vs fine-tuning: how to choose for your business
Retrieval-augmented generation and fine-tuning solve different problems. Here is a practical way to decide which one your AI project needs.
5 min readIT services · Web · Cloud · AI · Core ML
Engineering the web, cloud & AI that steers your business forward
EastHelm is a software engineering partner. We build fast websites and platforms, resilient cloud infrastructure, and AI and machine learning systems that work in production.
- 4
- Core disciplines
- Full-stack
- Idea to production
- 1 day
- Reply time
- Next.js
- React
- TypeScript
- Node.js
- Python
- AWS
- Azure
- Google Cloud
- Kubernetes
- Terraform
- PostgreSQL
- LLMs
- RAG
- AI Agents
- PyTorch
- MLOps
- Computer Vision
- GraphQL
What we do
Four disciplines. One accountable team.
Most technology problems cross boundaries. A fast website needs sound infrastructure; a useful AI feature needs good data and a solid product around it. We cover the whole chain.
Why EastHelm
A helm you can trust
A helm is where direction is decided. We act as your steady hand on the technical course: opinionated where it helps, transparent always.
- 01
Engineering first
We are builders. Architecture, testing and maintainability get as much attention as the interface.
- 02
Production-grade AI
Every AI feature ships with evaluation, guardrails and monitoring, so you can trust it past the demo.
- 03
Clear, honest delivery
Small increments, visible progress and straight answers about trade-offs, timelines and cost.
- 04
Built to hand over
Clean code, documentation and infrastructure as code. Your team can own what we build.
Technology
Modern tools, chosen for the job
We are pragmatic about technology: proven foundations, current best practice, and no cargo-culting.
Frontend
- React
- Next.js
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- React Native
- Astro
Backend & Data
- Node.js
- Python
- FastAPI
- Go
- PostgreSQL
- Redis
- Kafka
- GraphQL
Cloud & DevOps
- AWS
- Azure
- Google Cloud
- Kubernetes
- Terraform
- Docker
- GitHub Actions
AI & ML
- LLMs & RAG
- AI agents
- PyTorch
- scikit-learn
- MLflow
- Vector databases
- Computer vision
How we work
From first call to steady state
A simple, predictable process, with working software in front of you early and often.
- 1
Discover
We learn your goals, users and constraints, and define what success looks like.
- 2
Design
Architecture, UX and a delivery plan, with risks surfaced early.
- 3
Build
Iterative delivery in short cycles with demos, automated tests and CI from the start.
- 4
Launch
Staged rollouts, monitoring and runbooks so go-live is uneventful.
- 5
Evolve
Measure, learn and improve, with ongoing engineering support as you grow.
EastHelm Products
Services today. Products next.
We are turning what we learn from client work into products of our own. Tell us what you would like to see and be first in line when they launch.
See what's comingInsights
Practical notes from the engine room
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Search engines can run JavaScript, but that does not make client-only rendering a good idea. Here is why server-rendered pages remain the safest foundation for SEO.
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Before you commit to savings plans, look for the common sources of cloud waste: idle resources, oversized instances, data transfer and missing ownership.
4 min readFAQ
Common questions
What does EastHelm do?
EastHelm is an IT services company. We design and build websites and web platforms, cloud and DevOps infrastructure, generative AI applications and core machine learning systems.
Who do you work with?
Startups, scale-ups and established businesses that need a dependable engineering partner, either to deliver a project end to end or to extend an existing team.
How do projects typically start?
With a short conversation and a discovery phase to agree scope, success measures and a delivery plan before any large commitment is made.
Will you build products of your own?
Yes. Alongside services, we are developing EastHelm products. Get in touch if you would like to hear about them first.
Ready to set your course?
Tell us what you are building. We will reply within one business day with honest next steps.