What is Full-Stack Development?
Developers talk about tech stacks because it makes it easy to communicate lots of information about how an application is built. A tech stack -also called solution stack- quickly summarizes the programming languages, frameworks, and tools a developer would need to interface with the application.
A tech stack refers to a set of tools, programming languages, and technologies that work together to build digital products or solutions such as websites, mobile, and web apps. The social site Facebook, for example, is composed of a combination of coding frameworks and languages including JavaScript, HTML, CSS, PHP, and ReactJS. This is Facebook’s ‘signature stack.’
Another example of the tech stack is the MERN stack, which is one of the most powerful and in-demand web stacks in 2021. MERN stands for MongoDB, Express, React, Node, after the four key technologies that make up the stack.
All tech stacks are divided between the back end and front end, also known as server-side and client-side. Both work together to create a working tech stack.
Front-End
The frontend tech stack is the client’s side of the application. Client-side refers to anything that a user can see or engage with on a screen. The main concern of the frontend development is to create an excellent user experience, a smooth user interface, and straightforward internal structures. Accordingly, a front-end developer is responsible for the design, format, and navigation of websites or web apps.
Three core languages make up front-end development:
- HTML, the structure of a Web page that holds content such as text and media
- CSS, the styling of HTML elements that brings forth the design of a website
- JavaScript, JavaScript is a famous scripting language used to create magic on the sites to make the site interactive for the user. It is used to enhancing the functionality of a website to running cool games and web-based software.
Back-End:
Back-end development focuses on servers, applications, and databases. Developers build and maintain the technology that powers those three components using a multitude of programming languages, libraries, and other existing software. For complex websites that require features outside of front-end capabilities, back-end development is a necessity.
In essence, back-end development strives to create a dynamic end product that requires a server and database to send the right information at the right time. The backend stack includes these elements:
- Programming languages — This creates logic for apps and websites. The codes link the web to a database. Some examples are JavaScript, PHP, and Python
- Frameworks — it provides support of applications based on a single programming language. Laravel, Django, and Ruby on Rails are a few of the popular frameworks
- Servers — You need backend servers to manage client requests. Apache, Nginx, and Microsoft’s Internet Information Server (IIS) are great examples of web servers.
- Databases — It’s a digital space to store data (word document, web page, MP3 file). MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and MySQL are common databases.
Full-Stack Development:
Full-stack development refers to the development of both front-end(client-side) and back-end(server-side) portions of web applications. Accordingly, full-stack developers have the ability to design complete web applications and websites. They work on the frontend, backend, database, and debugging of web applications or websites.
While in the past developers have been split between front-end (Web design) and back-end (Web development), it has become more common for programmers to straddle the fence between the two competencies.
A Full-Stack developer is a person who can develop software for both the user and the service provider. In simple language, a Full-Stack developer has the knowledge of the full stack of technology that makes up a website. They are very comfortable in both front-end and back-end languages. They mostly focus on web development on both ends.
Most of the full-stack developers aren’t working as full-stack developers at the beginning. They usually work in many roles before going for full-stack. They also tend to be comfortable with both business logic and user experience. In other words, they have enough knowledge of business to give advice to other people.
A Full-Stack Developer is proficient in:
· Server, network, and hosting environment.
· Relational and non-relational databases.
· How to interact with APIs and the external world.
· User interface and user experience.
· Quality assurance.
· Security concerns throughout the program.
· Understanding customer and business needs.
· HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
· JavaScript frameworks like React or Angular.
· Programming languages like Python, Java, C# or Ruby.
Top Tech Stack Models
A technology or solution stack is a group of essential software that works together so often it is referred to by a name that represents the whole rather than each separate component. Typically, this name is an acronym that refers to each individual piece of the stack. These subcomponents are usually unrelated but work in tandem to provide one fully functioning software solution.
Popular Stacks:
· MEAN Stack: MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, and Node.js.
· MERN Stack: MongoDB, Express, ReactJS, and Node.js
· Django Stack: Django, Python, and MySQL as Database.
· Rails or Ruby on Rails: Uses Ruby, PHP, and MySQL.
· LAMP Stack: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.
Here are the top tech stacks to consider:
MEAN
One of the well-known tech stacks, MEAN brings numerous benefits to web developers. Among these benefits are the use of a single language (JavaScript) and the underlying technologies are open source and free. MEAN consists of:
· MongoDB (NoSQL database)
· Express.js backend web framework
· Angular.js frontend framework
· NodeJS open-source, cross-platform server
MEAN provides a practical approach to creating fast and highly efficient apps. All the components speak JSON (JavaScript Object Notations) for data transmission and free module library access. This tech stack helps to build scalable software products. It’s great for all types of websites and interactive applications.
MERN
MERN stands for MongoDB, Express, React, Node, after the four key technologies that make up the stack.
· MongoDB — document database
· Express(.js) — Node.js web framework
· React(.js) — a client-side JavaScript framework
· Node(.js) — the premier JavaScript web server
The key benefits of using MERN are the React integration, the ability to use codes on browsers and servers simultaneously, powerful library, and full-stack development option (frontend and backend). Additionally, React is known for its flexibility and performance in developing interactive user interfaces.
MERN is one of several variations of the MEAN stack (MongoDB Express Angular Node), where the traditional Angular.js frontend framework is replaced with React.js. Other variants include MEVN (MongoDB, Express, Vue, Node), and really any frontend JavaScript framework can work.
Express and Node make up the middle (application) tier. Express.js is a server-side web framework and Node.js the popular and powerful JavaScript server platform. Regardless of which variant you choose, ME(RVA)N is the ideal approach to working with JavaScript and JSON, all the way through.
LAMP
LAMP is an industry standard when it comes to tech stack models. In web development, it delivers the best cost efficiency, flexibility, and performance. It is an acronym that stands for:
· Linux (operating system)
· Apache (HTTP server)
· MySQL (relational database management)
· PHP (programming language, it can also be Perl or Python)
All these stack layers are free and open source. Since this tech stack can run on any operating system, you can interchange or modify other components in the same stack.
XAMPP and WINS are among other popular tech stacks.
SIGNATURE STACK
Websites are made up of many different technologies, which can often change based on both needs and natural evolution. When developers are looking to enhance a website with new features or even reduce tech components to something more efficient, they may look past the standard solution stacks into something customized to suit their specific needs.
As the digital world improves, full-stack developers offer huge benefits for an organization as they are proficient in various technologies and capable of solving problems across various streams of web and app development. Hiring full-stack developers can help companies create apps from basic and actively engage in the entire journey of application development.
