We are evolving our life in the digital era. Today building an application that also from the scratch you need a software stack in both standardized & consistent form. For creating a robust backend, you need a set of tools that can reduce your development time & streamline resources as well. Today, we have several software stacks such as ROR, LAMP, & many others that have made the stack field crowded.
That is the reason why most developers prefer a combination of technologies to get better & faster results for mobile & web app development. MEAN Stack is the best example of that kind of technology.
What is MEAN?
MEAN which is an abbreviation of MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js, and Node.js is a collection of user-friendly full-stack JavaScript frameworks. These frameworks are suitable for building dynamic applications and websites. It’s an open-source stack for developers for a swift and organized method that builds prototypes of MEAN-based web applications. One major advantage that MEAN stack provides is the language. JavaScript is a single language that runs on every tier of the application.
This helps in a great deal to make the approach to web & app development more efficient and modern.
Let’s See How The Mean Stack Architecture Works.
- In JavaScript, AngularJS is the client-side language. So, when the client makes any request, it first gets processed by the AngularJS.
- After that, the request enters the Node.js which is phase 2. It’s also called as a server-side language.
- After phase 2 the request enters phase 3 (ExpressJS) where it requests the database.
- Once the request is made by the ExpressJS, the MongoDB retrieves all the data and returns the response to ExpressJS.
- Similarly, the ExpressJS returns the response to NodeJS which ultimately returns it to the AngularJS.
Why Learn MEAN Stack?
The demand for Mean Stack Development Services has increased due to its versatility of building a web & mobile application that is robust, fast, and maintainable. Since everything on MEAN programming is written in JavaScript, it facilitates a unique execution environment for server-side and client-side. Your website is incomplete without JavaScript. Because it is the single language that runs the entire Mean Stack and immensely boosts the communities of active developers.
Another chief reason to learn MEAN Stack is the employment opportunities that it offers. Employers are constantly looking for engineers who possess a sound knowledge of JavaScript and MEAN Stack technologies such as MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js, and Node.js.
Now let’s get some perspective by comparing these technologies in terms of their growth over the years.
Web development framework: Node.js and Express.js
The web server and the web development framework the MEAN stack web development has already adopted by big firms such as LinkedIn, Microsoft, and SAP. The other web development frameworks competing against these are Rails, Django, and Laravel. Let’s have a look at the below graph which clearly shows the domination of the MEAN stack web development technologies over the rest. After framework let’s have a look at the databases.
Database: MongoDB
It’s the database that MEAN stack uses. Apart from that, it’s the default database for the Meteor.js project. Cassandra, Neo4j, and Couchbase are another rival database. Let’s see the trends for these databases.
Front end JavaScript frameworks: Angular.js
The ‘A’ in MEAN stack stands for Angular.js. React.js, Emberjs, and backbone.js are its rival technologies.
What is the contribution of each component to MEAN?
MONGODB
The role of MongoDB in the MEAN stack is to store the application’s data. Since, both the database and the application use the JavaScript, it eliminates the need for translation when the object goes from application to the database and vice-versa. MongoDB is well-known for its scalability in both performance and storage. It’s also well-known for foolproof management of massive amounts of data. MongoDB also facilitates you to add fields to the database without reloading the entire table.
ANGULARJS
AngularJS is a JavaScript front-end framework that is highly popular. In MEAN stack the Angular JS server is used to develop the user-facing side of the application. The front end, backend, and database all are built on the JavaScript. Due to which there’s a smooth flow of data among all the parts of the application. Angular JS is an ideal front-end framework due to its easy-to-use templates and well-tuned performance. Moreover, you can develop an app simultaneously for both mobile and desktop.
Ease Of Isomorphic Coding
A distinct advantage of using MEAN Stack Development Technology in web development is that it makes the transfer of code written in one framework to another easy.
Not only does this lead to a significant increase in productivity but it also ensures better performance as well since the data transfer among the application layers takes place in the form of JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format.
Express.JS
Express.js forms the backend of the MEAN stack. It manages the interactions between the database and the front end. It ensures that the data is transferred smoothly to the end-user. Express.js has a minimalist approach – it has the potential to handle all the processes efficiently. It’s important to note that the minimalistic nature doesn’t mean featureless. Express.js also prevents you from overwriting variables. With this, you cannot accidentally redefine a variable that you have created previously. This helps in saving a great deal of time and money.
NODE.JS
In MEAN stack the Node.js acts as a backbone. Express.js is developed specifically to work on top of Node.js. Moreover, Angular JS also connects to Node.js seamlessly to facilitate the fast data serving. Node.js has an inbuilt web server, which makes it easier for you to deploy the MongoDB database to the cloud. Node.js’ USP is its scalability. Moreover, it can support a million simultaneous connections. Node.js is more compatible to work with low-resource requests as compared to resource-intensive resources.
Advantages Of Mean Stack Development Technology:
Vivid Flexibility
Developing with MEAN Stack development technologies, Hire Mean Stack Developers can test the applications of a cloud platform with ease. The flexible platform allows developers to build, test, and introduce applications in a hassle-free manner.
Further, it is easy for developers to add extra information once you have added a field to the form. The MongoDB framework allows full cluster support along with automatic replication.
High Speed & Re usability
Characteristically, development with MEAN Stack is high in speed. It is reusable due to the non-blocking architecture of Node.js. AngularJS, the open-source JavaScript framework offers MEAN Stack tech with testability, reusability, and maintenance conveniences.
The AngularJS framework stands distinctly against its counterparts and offers numerous JavaScript UI libraries with its promise of code-less browser-independence, natural blending with HTML.
This makes it fit to be adapted for application development, two-way binding, and finally, a clean separation of presentation from UI logic. Once developed libraries can be seamlessly reused for front-end as well as back-end resulting in a significant boost to productivity.
Open-source Nature
Being open-source in nature, MEAN Stack technologies are frequently updated for the benefit of developers.
Great User Interfaces
MEAN Stack development supports MVC (Model view controller) architecture. It thus provides quality user interfaces.
Javascript Object Notation (JSON)
JSON is omnipresent in MEAN stack development. Angular and Node.js frameworks both offer JSON. MongoDB, on the other hand, is a database framework that offers to store all the data in JSON format.
JSON is also used by the Express JS framework. The use of JSON throughout MEAN Stack development facilitates the smooth data flow without any rewriting and reformatting to the different layers.
Cost-effectiveness
When compared to other technology stacks, the requirement of a total number of developers is less when it comes to MEAN Stack. Other tech stacks require developers who are well-versed in technologies like JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP. MEAN stack is a cost-effective method of web development that relies on JavaScript proficiencies of developers only. Thanks to a rich ecosystem and community following due to its open-source and free to use a feature, it is fairly easy for any business or development organization to adopt it.
Widespread code sharing and reuse within the MEAN stack reduce a considerable fraction of the development time thereby leading to lower overall development cost.
Cloud Compatibility
MEAN Stack web development makes use of libraries and public repositories thus, reducing the overall cost of development. The use of MongoDB.js framework allows integration of cloud functionalities on the website thus reducing the disk space cost.
Single Language Usage
When working with MEAN Stack technologies, the complete code for the development takes place in JavaScript, including both client-side to server-side development. This makes MEAN stack development easy to learn for both front end developers and backend developers.
There is no need for developers to spend time worrying about the compatibility of code between different layers. The development process becomes comparatively simpler and neater.
It in itself is easy to understand, grasp, and use during the development. As a developer, all you need to know, and master is the JavaScript (ECMA-Script) language for all the components from the presentation layer (Angular) to the database (MongoDB).
Extensive Library
Node.js features a massive library with a variety of JavaScript modules which in turn make the process of web application development with Node.js very easy.
Ease Of Debugging
As MEAN Stack features the use of a single language to work with across layers, it is easier to trace the execution thread. Developers can watch how the data gets manipulated and debug the flow with a consistent set of free open-source tools.
Summing-Up
From the above information, it’s clear that Mean Stack is improving day by day. Shiv Technolabs Pvt. Ltd. is a leading Mean Stack Development Company that extensively using Mean Stack development to deliver cutting-edge mobile & web apps.