Web development is constantly evolving, and selecting the right technology stack can be crucial to creating reliable, scalable, and efficient applications. MERN and MEAN are the two popular stacks, but other stacks like Django, JAMstack, and LAMP are also widely used. These stacks are used to create efficient and reliable online apps and have become more popular.
This detailed blog is one of the answers you're looking for when selecting the right stack technology. Many technologies in the market allow app developers to create feature-rich mobile apps with excellent characteristics. That's when choosing the right stack becomes important. What is a stack? The stack refers to a set of technologies or tools used to build and operate a software application or system.
It includes programming languages, frameworks, databases, frontend and backend tools, etc. Among these, the MERN stack, MEAN stack, and full-stack development are great choices, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. This blog will take a deep dive into these stacks and their meanings, exploring their components and differences to help you make an informed decision. So let’s begin!
MEAN Stack is a JavaScript-based technology stack used for web application development. MEAN stands for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js.
It clarifies development by using JavaScript for both the frontend and backend, which can lead to faster development and debugging. However, the MEAN stack is primarily used for web applications.
To understand the MEAN stack, examining each component closely is essential.
Before moving on, let's take a look at how to select the right stack. Some questions are taken into consideration.
What are your project requirements?
The MEAN stack offers several features that make it a strong option for building web applications. However, it's a JavaScript-based open-source, flexible, and rapid technology for development.
MEAN is a versatile JavaScript-based technology stack for building web applications. Its real-world application is for various domains, from e-commerce platforms to social media dashboards.
Real-world example of MEAN stack
The MEAN architecture is designed to make web applications in JavaScript and handling JSON incredibly easy. The MEAN architecture operates by perfectly integrating its four core components, like MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js.
Let's have a look at the working architecture of the MEAN stack.
1. Angular.js front-end: Angular.js allows you to extend your HTML tags with metadata to generate a dynamic, interactive web experience more efficiently. Angular has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a front-end JavaScript framework, including form validation, localization, and communication with your back-end services.
2. Express.js and Node.js server-side: The next level is Express.js, running on a Node.js server. Express.js calls itself a fast, unopinionated, minimalist web framework for Node.js.
Express.js has a strong model for URLs and handling HTTP requests and responses. By making XMLHTTP requests, GETs, or POSTs from your Angular.js front end, you can connect to Express.js functions that power your application. Those functions then turn to MongoDB Node.js drivers.
3. MongoDB database: MongoDB database, a NoSQL database, stores and retrieves data in a flexible JSON-like format. If your application stores data, such as comments or content, then you’ll want a database that is just as easy to work with as Angular, Express, and Node. That’s where MongoDB comes in.
JSON documented in your Angular.js frontend can be sent to the Express.js server, where it can be processed and stored directly in MongoDB for later retrieval.
The MERN stack brings together both proven and latest approaches to build powerful software applications for the frontend, backend, and data systems. Because it only uses JavaScript-based platforms to create dynamic web applications.
Many software development firms specialize in the MERN stack, which integrates cutting-edge technologies like Node.js, Express, React.js, and MongoDB. Components of the MERN stack are MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js.
Key features of the MERN stack.
Full-stack technology refers to a set of tools and programming languages that a full-stack developer works with for both the front-end and back-end of a website or web application. Full-stack developers work on the entire stack of an application, encompassing front-end and back-end development languages, server APIs, and databases.
Full-stack developers often handle how the frontend, backend APIs, and database layers are structured in a project. Based on the project requirement, the developer may switch development roles. Full-stack development is often ideal for small and mid-sized enterprises that need a team with flexible and broad skill sets.
Let’s understand some basic features of full-stack development.
MEAN applications, which use MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js, can be accessed across multiple platforms because they are web apps. MEAN is specially suited for real-time applications, particularly those running in the cloud and single-page web applications built with Angular.js; it can also be used for other use cases, such as workflow management tools and interactive forums.
There are various uses for the MEAN stack as well. All the components are JavaScript-based, and automatic integration between the stack components is straightforward. Express.js and Angular is popular and well-supported, but other back-end JavaScript frameworks are also widely used.
All the MEAN stack components are open source, offering a generous, free opportunity for developers. Express.js makes routing and managing HTTP requests and responses super easy and adds great support for middleware to handle JSON endpoints. Angular is a powerful tool for building dynamic HTML pages and connecting with a back-end server.
JavaScript is a good modern language, but it wasn’t originally designed to build back-end servers. Since the MEAN stack is based on JavaScript, including the back end with Node.js, it may encounter issues and performance problems at scale due to the nature of Node.js's architecture.
In addition, since the development speed is so rapid, business and server logic might suffer from poor isolation.
Let’s deep dive into the world of the MERN stack. MERN stands for MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js. It offers flexibility, allowing you to use its components independently.
To know more about the complete guide for full-stack, click on (link).
The differences between MERN, MEAN, and full-stack development highlight the various factors and characteristics of each. Full-stack is used to generate any application according to business requirements. The MERN and MEAN stacks refer to specific technologies for developing JavaScript-based apps, offering great performance.
Let’s check the difference between these 3 stacks.
In web development, selecting the perfect stack can be challenging. Here we help you find the right choice based on your project needs. All three stacks are widely used and have strong career potential. Each stack has strong career opportunities depending on your goals.
However, to select one stack for mobile and web app development, you should focus on various factors, such as features, functionalities, project requirements, and more. The project requirements will drive your decision to select the technology stack after a thorough analysis.
Many businesses find it difficult to commit to one stack due to the overwhelming number of choices. To choose the perfect stack, you need to understand the project's needs and the ideal budget. However, this blog explains the key differences among the three stacks.
MEAN uses the classic three-tier structure, which consists of a database tier (MongoDB), an application tier (Express.js and Node.js), and a display tier (Angular.js). If you’re using Node.js and want a JavaScript-only full stack, MEAN is a good fit. MongoDB stores data in a JSON-like format. The MongoDB query APIs are defined in JSON, and its command line interface (CLI) is a JavaScript interpreter. It’s even simpler and easier to develop apps in the cloud using MongoDB Atlas, the cloud-native database as a service from the creators of MongoDB.
In addition to being essentially a JavaScript/JSON data store, MongoDB offers strong native Node.js drivers, is built for horizontal scale-out, and has many sophisticated features like indexing and querying deep into JSON documents. We often find the MEAN stack behind interactive services or data-driven apps. Using a web application based on a MEAN stack typically means it's on-demand, requesting data from the database for each session or user account.
Since MongoDB Atlas comes with end-to-end encryption, a firewall, and built-in credentials, we advise using the MEAN stack with MongoDB Atlas. This is the best way to secure your MongoDB. The MEAN stack has a concrete three-tier separation that, if used with best practices and correct network isolation, should prevent your end users from accessing the business logic and your database layer.
Copy and paste below code to page Head section
Yes, MERN is a full-stack technology stack. Developers using it can handle both frontend and backend, making it suitable for full-stack roles. The MERN stack is beneficial for full-stack web development because all components use JavaScript, allowing developers to use a single language across the entire application.
Your project needs the expertise of your development team, and your preferred technological environment will determine whether MEAN or MERN is the superior choice. Angular gives a strong frontend framework for MEAN, a well-known and popular technological stack.
Yes, MEAN is high in demand among developers as it promises career opportunities in web development.
It depends upon your choice or goals whether you want to learn the MERN stack or full stack. Full stack gives wide skilled across various technologies and project types. MERN offers a more efficient way of using JavaScript for both frontend and backend development.
Yes, most developers agree that full-stack programming is a bright career path. In today's digital world, where web applications are common, there is a great need for developers who can handle both front-end and back-end development.
Full-stack developers need to manage a wide range of technologies like databases, APIs, frontend frameworks, and backend systems, which can be challenging. Always remaining updated with rapid changes in technology across both frontend and backend can be time-consuming and challenging.
