11 Top Reasons To Choose Mean Stack For Your Next Project

Building a mobile and web application can be an arduous task and every developer expects the best results on the first try. Yet, a robust backend created with the right set of tools can optimize development time and help you streamline your resources. Which can further help in the development of state-of-the-art web and mobile apps. Lately, developers around the globe are utilizing a combination of technologies to get efficient results for mobile and web app development and one such technology is MEAN stack development.

Mean Stack is one of the fastest-growing open-source development frameworks which aids developers to develop complex web applications very easily and quickly. Additionally, it is popular among developers for its potential resourcefulness in terms of web development. 

Now you must be thinking what is MEAN stack and why is it so popular?

Let’s first dive into its brief introduction.

What is the MEAN stack?

The term Mean Stack refers to a set of collected JavaScript frameworks used for building complex web applications. 

MEAN stack full form is MongoDB (database system), Express.JS (back-end web framework), Angular JS (back-end web framework), and Node.JS (back-end runtime environment). JavaScript holds all of these frameworks together.

MEAN Stack Deployment Architecture

Here is the typical flow of information within various components of the MEAN stack. Each module communicates with the other to maintain the flow of the data from the  Backend/Server to the  Frontend/Client. MEAN is written in one language for both client-side execution and server-side. The picture below explains the flow:

• When a client makes a request it is first processed by AngularJS which is a client-side language in JavaScript.
• After that request enters into the second stage which is Node.JS. Node JS parses the request. Node JS is a server-side language in JavaScript.
• In the third stage, Express JS requests the database.
• MongoDB retrieves the data and returns the response to the Express JS
• Subsequently, Express JS sends a response back to Node.JS. Node JS forwards it to Angular JS to display results.

Components of MEAN

Each component of the MEAN stack performs its function. These are all JavaScript-based technologies.

MongoDB

MongoDB is the document database that is utilized for the development of backend applications to store data as JavaScript Object Notion (JSON) documents. So MongoDB stores the application’s data. 

As both the application and the database use JavaScript so the need for the translation is nullified when the object goes from an app to a database or the other way around. MongoDB is preferred for its scalability in performance as well as in storage. It also enables the users to include fields in the database without reloading the entire table. Plus, MongoDB is cost-effective and can be used to move server-side and client data.

In addition to all of this MongoDB is also accounted among the Top 4 databases for react-native application development.

Express JS

Express JS is the backend web application framework. It is a considerably lightweight server. It helps the development process by utilizing Node.JS and aids the APIs whilst developing the required web applications. Express.JS also merges with Node.JS as the development process gets more straightforward. 

Express.JS allows speed facilitates secure applications and manages the communication between the database and frontend. With Express, you cannot accidentally redefine variables because it halts and prevents overwriting them - thus saving money and time.

AngularJS

Angular is one of the most popular frameworks today. It is forecasted to be among the Top 11 JavaScript frameworks in 2024. It is built and maintained by Google. In the MEAN stack, AngularJS helps build single-page dynamic web apps quickly. Due to its easy-to-use templates and ultra-supreme performance, it is termed an ideal front-end framework. Moreover, both desktop and mobile applications can be constructed simultaneously with Angular. Hire Dedicated Angular Developers for your next project and experience the power of Angular in action.

Node.JS

Node.JS is a programming language used to create extremely scalable server-side applications.  It can serve as the best backend for the development of web as well as mobile applications. This framework provides a library of JavaScript modules to simplify web development methods. Node.JS also behaves as a backbone whereas Express JS works on the top of Node.JS. Plus, AngularJS connects with Node JS. and facilitates swift data serving. Node.JS best selling point because of its scalability.

Why Use Mean Stack?

The top 11 reasons why you should use the MEAN stack are given below:

Fast and straightforward

For development purposes, the apps and websites that usually run on a single language such as JavaScript are fast and easy.

Efficient and Active Developer Community

It works on Java Script which is the most used programming language globally. It also comes with the advantage of having the most active and responsive developer community. Thus, making solutions easier and accessible for all parties.

Flexibility

MEAN is highly adaptable because the developers can develop, test, and release the app without any difficulty. Furthermore, MEAN enables the developers to include extra data.

Single Language Development

The use of a single language throughout the development process for both client-side and server-side makes the development process neat.

Cost-effective

The deployment cost for the application developed by the utilization of the MEAN stack is cheaper as the components are free of cost and it can run on any server. With the inclusion of this approach, it becomes easy to interchange the front-end frameworks with others for instance ReactJS, Vue, and other Angular versions without any influence on the back-end logic and system.

Open Source

All components of the MEAN stack are open-source and updated often, enabling the developers to customize code based on their development needs. In addition to this, Node.JS gives a rich library of JavaScript modules.

Isomorphic

It allows isomorphic coding meaning that developers can easily shift their ready-made code from one framework to another. Intrinsically, the codes that are once written in one framework can be reused in other frameworks are called isomorphic codes. Additionally, this code works flawlessly as if written natively. 

User-Friendly with Top-notch UI

Angular is quite popular for its top-level User Interface (UI) and User experience (UX) in any web and mobile app development. So most of the mean stack projects that demand high-quality UI/UX use AngularJS as it is considered one of the best front-end technologies. It also helps MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture thus giving high-quality user interfaces.

Convenient for the Cloud

This Stack uses public libraries and repositories for the process of development. This also decreases the overall cost of development. Also, MongoDB uses cloud functionalities in the app that decreases the rate of disk space.

Re-usable

The MEAN stack is high-speed and reusable because of the non-blocking architecture of Node.JS. Other than this, Angular JS  is an open-source JavaScript framework, thus offering reusability, maintenance, and testability.

Mean Stack Free Hosting

MEAN stack developers can have free or cheap web hosting platforms. Like Redhat open shift, Microsoft Azure, A2 hosting and Xervo, etc.

Because of these reasons, the mean stack is used around the world in different kinds of projects.

Mean-Stack Project List

Its increased scalability and handling capacity of concurrent users make it much more favorable for the development of cloud-native applications.  

It is not suitable for every application but Angular JS aids in to development of Single Page Applications which mostly have all the information and functionalities for the user on a single page. 

The types of  web or mobile app projects that can be developed with MEAN-STACK are below:

• Calendars
• News
• Expense Tracking
• Mapping and locations

Some popular mean stack applications are YouTube, Flickr, Forbes, Tumblr, Shutterstock, Facebook, Paytm, Netflix, Instagram, etc.

Conclusion

Nowadays, the combination of different frameworks, each possessing its unique ability gives the best results. Other than the MEAN stack, the MERN stack is also being used widely.

 Andrew Hunt, the co-author of the famous book The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master said:

"In some ways, programming is like painting. You start with a blank canvas and certain basic raw materials. You use a combination of science, art, and craft to determine what to do with them." 

MEAN stack has become one of the most popular frameworks because, from single-page applications to advanced complicated ones, it provides developers with the perfect platform to construct dynamic applications. 

If you are thinking of developing a web or mobile application with the help of the MEAN stack application then book your consultation with InvoZone here because our experienced web and mobile app developers can save you from all the hassle and provide you with the best and most cost-effective web and mobile app solutions.