Technology stacks are combinations of tools and technologies that are used by developers to build solutions. Each stack has its own benefits and advantages and it is up to the nature of the project a developer is working on that determines the suitability of the stack. Technology stacks are the backbone of any solid web-based project and each technology that is a part of a stack has a crucial role to play in the development process.
For instance, there are libraries and frameworks such as React and Angular that help in frontend development while there are programming languages like PHP and JavaScript that are crucial for backend development. Other frameworks or environments such as Node.js, ASP.NET and PERL are also essential for the backend.
Why are so many technologies needed to build a single web application? These backend solution stacks allow the integration of databases, API connections, server requests and the actual functionalities of the project into a web environment. With the help of frontend tools, the UI/UX (user interface/user experience) of the end user is also designed.
Common Tools for Web Development
The integration of frontend, backend, database and server is crucial for developing any web application or online platform. Thus, different tools are used for each portion of the development process.
For the frontend, there are various frameworks and libraries such as Angular, React, Bootstrap, Vue.js and Flutter. These tools allow you to build interactive and dynamic user interfaces for web-based projects. If you wish to build native iOS, Android or cross-platform applications, you can additionally use React Native. For understanding the frontend, a solid foundation in HTML and CSS is also necessary.
The frontend fundamentally deals with the user experience and design of the web environment. Frontend tools such as React help us build the graphical user interface (GUI) that will get rendered on the client or browser side.
Now, if you wish to follow traditional development practices, then you can learn operating systems such as Linux for the LAMP stack or Windows for the WAMPServer stack. However, these kinds of stacks require us to learn how to use PHP or PERL as well. Further, with the technological progress we have made, we have more easy-to-use alternatives. We have the choice of using technologies which are all JavaScript based. For instance, MEAN and MERN stacks comprise technologies that are all JavaScript based.
For backend development, we can choose from Python, JavaScript, PHP, Laravel, C#, C++, Ruby on Rails, Golang and Scala. There are also many complementary backend frameworks such as Laravel (for PHP), Node (for JavaScript), Express (for JavaScript), Django (for Python), ASP.NET (for .NET), Play (for Scala), Fiber (for Golang) and Flask (for Python). It also serves to know how to use Apache or other services such as AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.
JavaScript is both a frontend and backend language, thus, it is one of the most popular solutions for web development.
Backend technologies help us develop the core functions of the platform or application and allow us to render various features and functions from the server side. For example, if an end user interacts with any element on a web portal, various functions or server requests are triggered and relayed back to the user from the backend.
Finally, for querying, relaying and data storage, knowledge of SQL or NoSQL technologies is required. You can learn SQL technologies such as MariaDB, MySQL and PostgreSQL or NoSQL technologies such as MongoDB, Couch DB or Amazon SimpleDB.
Databases are crucial for websites and without learning how to use database technologies, we cannot develop the data architecture and data flow of a web application. Learning SQL or Structured Query Language can prove to be extremely useful for developers.
Best Technology Stacks for Web Development
In the previous decades, stacks such as LAMP were extremely popular due to being relatively simple to use for web development compared to alternatives that involve .NET development. PHP was one of the most preferred web development languages for developers across the world and was a part of many popular stacks including LAMP.
LAMP is still one of the most powerful technology stacks out there, however, with the changing times, we are slowly shifting towards more modern alternatives. Especially with the growing popularity of SaaS platforms, there is also a growing demand for cloud-based solutions. Modern stacks are also better for integrating cloud technologies. Thus, stacks that contain frameworks such as Express or Ruby on Rails are more preferred in modern times. MERN and MEAN are stacks that both use Express.
Stacks such as MERN and MEAN also prove to be extremely useful when creating highly dynamic web pages and applications. MERN or MEAN are also more developer-friendly and are more resource-efficient.
Here are the top 5 technology stacks for web development:
- MERN: It consists of MongoDB, Express, React and Node. It is one of the most popular technology stacks for web development. It is also a great technology stack for building native applications and mobile-optimised web applications.
- MEAN: It comprises MongoDB, Express, Angular and Node. It is also an extremely popular stack that is highly preferred for building single-page websites and applications.
- MEVN: It consists of MongoDB, Express, Vue and Node. Vue is another great alternative to Angular or React when it comes to frontend development. Vue is also highly flexible and can be used across desktop and mobile app development.
- LAMP: It comprises Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. It is one of the most powerful technology stacks out there which developers around the world still use for building enterprise-level platforms.
- LEAP: It consists of Linux, Eucalyptus, AppScale, and Python. This stack can be used for building advanced organisational portals and AI-enabled services.
Conclusion
There are always certain technologies in a stack that are preferred for developing certain projects. For example, Angular would be the best solution for developing a dynamic single page web application that is responsive across all kinds of devices. Similarly, React would be one of the best solutions for creating a powerful web application that does not stress out a device’s hardware.
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