There are loads of technology stacks out there; several are popular within various niches of software development such as web apps or mobile app development.
Ahead, we will explore some of the widely known tech stacks in web application development and see what it means when a job description advertises for a “MEAN” or “MERN” stack developer. To understand these, we will need to start with what is a tech stack.
What Is A Tech Stack In Web Application Development?
A tech stack is a combination of programming languages, frameworks, and databases used to create a website or a web application – together, these skills make a “stack”.
This stack typically consists of front-end and back-end technologies that are made up of:
- Framework – libraries of codes already written by other developers, so you don’t have to build your web application from scratch.
- Web Server (HTTP Server) – to handle requests from an internet browser to a web server.
- Programming Languages – logics and instructions that communicate between humans and machines.
- Databases – to allow data handling and data manipulation.
- Operating System (OS) – that handles communication between computer hardware and software.
Popular Tech Stacks In Web Application Development
There are several tech stacks out there; a few popular ones, their programming languages, and uses are given ahead.
- MEAN Stack:
MongoDB, Express.JS, AngularJS, and Node.JS.
Used for apps similar to YouTube, Netflix, and PayPal.
- MERN Stack:
MongoDB, Express.JS, ReactJS, and Node.JS.
Used at companies like Facebook and Airbnb.
- LAMP:
Linux, Apache, MySQL, and Python.
Popular for high-traffic websites including Facebook and Wikipedia.
- Django:
Django, Python, Apache, and MySQL.
Used for building websites like Instagram.
Understanding all the above languages and their purpose might be difficult. Not to worry, we will explain some of the prevalent ones ahead, as quickly as possible.
Client-Side Programming – Front-End Development
The front-end is where the users interact with your web application. The end-users are typically the clients, hence the name client-side programming. It includes languages such as:
1. Node.JS: It is designed to build network applications that can be easily scalable.
2. ReactJS: It is a widely used JavaScript framework for building complex and dynamic web applications.
Server-Side Programming – Back-End Development
It is called back-end because the computations, data processing, data storing, and data management are hidden from the client’s view, hence it is occurring on the back-end (or behind the curtain). Here are some of the popular languages for back-end development:
1. Express.JS: It can receive JSON documents and store them in MongoDB, and is excellent for URL routing and handling HTTP requests.
2. Django And Python: Django, a framework for Python language, adds plenty of features and functionalities to the web application right out of the box, which can be edited with Python.
Database Technologies
When you have the front-end and back-end, you will need a place to store your data, right? Hence, the need for databases; here are the technologies used for databases:
1. MySQL: It is a database management language that presents data in an organized row, column view.
2. MongoDB: It is an open-source database that can store massive amounts of data in JSON documents.
Summing It Up
For the popular question, what is web application development, there is no quick answer. There are numerous programming languages involved that fit into various technology stacks. Some of the widely used ones are discussed above.
The good news is that almost all of these languages, along with databases, are entirely free-to-use or have some form of free tiers. So, you can get started learning and working with them immediately without paying a single buck.
However, the process will take a long time, and for your web application development, learning a single programming language won’t nearly be enough.
If you want to skip this arduous and long web app development process and want a functioning and scalable software, let us know and we will assist you in any and every way we can!
The article was written in cooperation with the experts of SoftKraft – Outsourcing Software Development for Startups
