Best-of-Breed Is Back: How to Build a Modern HR Tech Stack

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Trevor Higgs | June 2026

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For a decade, the conventional wisdom in HR technology was clear: buy the suite. One vendor, one platform, one throat to choke. Best-of-breed was dead.

Except it wasn't. It was just waiting for the technology to catch up.

The Death (and Resurrection) of Best-of-Breed

The original argument against best-of-breed was compelling: integration is a nightmare. Every point solution means another data silo, another vendor to manage, another system that doesn't talk to the others. Better to buy everything from one vendor and accept "good enough" across the board.

That argument made sense in 2010. It doesn't make sense in 2026.

Here's what changed: APIs became standard, not premium. Integration platforms emerged that connect any SaaS tool to any other. Data standards like HRIS-XML and HR Open Standards made interoperability possible. Companies also realized that "one vendor for everything" meant one vendor's limitations for everything.

Why APIs Changed Everything

The technical revolution that enabled the best-of-breed renaissance is simple: modern APIs made real-time data exchange between systems trivial.

A decade ago, connecting your ATS to your assessment platform required a custom integration project, months of development, ongoing maintenance, and fragile connections that broke with every update. Today, pre-built connectors handle it automatically. Data flows in real time. Updates propagate instantly. No custom code required.

This isn't theoretical. The practical example is that a mid-market company can now run Greenhouse for applicant tracking, a dedicated HRIS for employee management, Catalyzr for cognitive assessment, and a workforce analytics platform with all data shared automatically through pre-built integrations.

The Composable Enterprise

The composable enterprise isn't just a buzzword. It's an architectural philosophy: build your technology stack from interchangeable, best-performing components that connect through standardized interfaces.

For HR technology specifically, composability means choosing the best tool for each function rather than accepting whatever the suite vendor offers. It means deploying new capabilities in weeks instead of waiting for the suite vendor's roadmap. It means replacing a single component without ripping out the entire stack. And it means avoiding vendor lock-in entirely.

Evaluating Vendors for Integration-Readiness

Not all "integrations" are created equal. When evaluating vendors, ask pointed questions. How many pre-built integrations do you have? The answer should be specific: "We integrate with Greenhouse, Lever, SAP SuccessFactors, ADP, and 50 more" is better than "we can integrate with anything."

What does "integration" actually mean? Real integration means real-time, bidirectional data flow. Not CSV exports. Not nightly batch files. Not "our professional services team can build that."

What happens when the other system updates? The best integrations are maintained by the vendor and updated automatically. The worst require you to rebuild every time your ATS updates its API.

How long does integration setup take? If the answer is more than hours, question why.

A Framework for Building Your Stack

Start with your core system of record, usually your ATS or HRIS. Build outward from there, adding capabilities based on your highest-priority needs. For each addition, verify that the vendor offers pre-built integration with your existing tools. Test the integration before you commit, not after.

The guiding principle: best tool for each job, with data flowing automatically between systems. No compromises on capability. No compromises on integration.

Best-of-breed is back. And this time, the technology makes it work.