Full-stack Vs Mean Stack Vs Mern Stack: The Right Technology Stack For You

By Author: Ishita Juneja
Total Articles: 2
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As the popularity of newer stack options is rising, there is a question that is often asked: which technology stack is best for web applications? There are three most competitive stacks available, which are the full stack, MEAN stack and MERN stack.

These three stacks compete with each other on various factors like reliability, scalability and flexibility. So, while choosing a stack for your development, you should consider the same factors. So, let's see which of these stacks is better for your development in this detailed guide.

Full stack Framework

The Full-stack framework is the traditional stack which has been in use for decades now. Full stack basically means that the whole web application is created with a single language. So, the front-end and the back-end are developed in the same language.

There are many reasons why full stack is great for development. A full-stack web app is straightforward to maintain as there is only one language used throughout the web app. Moreover, the upgradation of teh app also becomes easier for the same reason.

However, a full-stack development service ...
... is only suitable for small and medium-sized applications. So, you can't target a large-scale enterprise with a full-stack framework. Another reason small and medium enterprises get attracted towards full stack development is the price. A full stack is a cost-effective option for both the developer and teh service taker.

Now, let's understand full-stack development with an example. Suppose you must create a web application for a company as a full-stack developer. So, it means you will create the full web app with a single mainstream language such as JavaScript.

The first thing you'll work on is the client-side architecture, which is the front end. Then, you will create the back-end that includes the database and the web server. So, all these things will be developed with JavaScript only.

Now, as mentioned above, this web app will be easier to maintain and update, making it the most effective. But there are some cons too for using full stack.

Firstly, full-stack development isn't a very flexible option. Simply put, a single language can't be the best at everything. Since you use JavaScript everywhere, it will lose flexibility at some point. Also, the scalability of this application will be low.

MEAN Stack

Different from the full stack, MEAN stack is a stàck that has four frameworks that are based on JavaScript. Why JavaScript? Because JavaScript is the best language to use for web application development. So, what does MEAN stand for?

MEAN stands for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js and Node.js. All these four frameworks are used to create web applications, where each of these plays an essential role in the different sections of the app.

So, if you are developing a web app using MEAN stack, then the front-end or client-side infrastructure will be developed with Angular.js. Moreover, for the database, you'll use MongoDB and the server will be created with node.js, including Express.js as the web framework.

Since all the frameworks were developed by modifying the JavaScript, you may ask, what's the difference then? There's a difference. The difference is that these frameworks are modified to serve a single purpose in the web app. So, the issue of flexibility that was there in full stack gets resolved here.

But still, there are some cons of the MEAN stack, such as the poor documentation of the stack. The framework is not documented in detail, which makes it hard to learn for beginners. Moreover, the web applications made with stack can't be accessed through some older versions of some browsers. It is not a considerable drawback as everyone today keeps their browsers up to date, but still, it has to be counted.

MERN stack

One of the latest technology stacks in web application development is MERN. MERN stack is similar to MEAN, but Angular.js is replaced with Reach.js. This stack was launched after mean. There were some flaws in the MEAN that were later rectified in the MERN stack by a group of developers.

The database in a MERN web app, is created with MongoDB, the same as the MEAN stack. Moreover, other components also remain the same. Only the client-side infrastructure, that is, the front end, is developed with React instead of Angular.

The drawback of the MERN stack is that it is yet to get popular among web app developers.

Which stack to learn as a new web application developer?

Now, let's answer the question of which stack is good for web applications. There are many factors to consider when you choose a stack out of these three.

Starting with performance, you will get the best performance with the MERN stack, so you can use it for clients who need a flexible and scalable web app. Moreover, many companies hire MERN at a good annual package as there are still fewer MERN developers in count.

The development time for the MERN stack is almost the same as the full stack. However, MEAN has a lesser development time as it was created for the sole purpose of being simple. But as of now, MEaN is still a better choice than MERN and Full Stack if the web application is medium or large in size.

How do you learn DBMS from scratch?

If you want to learn DBMS from scratch, you should opt for a DBMS full course. These DBMS full courses can be found over the internet. However, there are some considerations that you must be taken into account.

First, the DBMS full course should be well-explained. There should be all the essential tools and concepts in the course, like SQL, NoSQL, and others. Also, a certificate course will be better. It will add credibility to your resume.

Final Words

Choosing the right technology stack is absolutely essential. But you can't just finalize a stack based on which one is the latest.

Even when MERN is relatively newer than the other two, it is still not as efficient as MEAN is for large web apps. Similarly, if there is a time crunch and the web app is small in size, then MERN is certainly better.