In the world of web development, full stack is considered a perfect choice these days because it takes care of both frontend and backend development. Providing a complete package from development to testing, taking care of server and database, a full stack developer takes care of everything. Now, there are many full stack development frameworks within the JavaScript ecosystem. MEAN Stack and MERN Stack are a combination of technologies that developers use to create mobile applications and websites.
Among these stacks, MEAN and MERN are the two most popular web developer frameworks and today we will discuss everything that you must know about them like what is MEAN Stack and MERN stack, how are they different from each other, their benefits, and which one to choose.
What is MEAN Stack?
MEAN stack is an abbreviation for MongoDB, ExpressJS, AngularJS, and NodeJS. It is very popular and helps developers in faster development and deployment. It’s through and through JavaScript which makes it very consistent to work with and is very user-friendly. It comes with the following:
- Cloud deployment optimized scalable applications
- Single language in the entire app
- Built-in web server for simplifying deployment
- Ability to manage a large amount of data with the help of MongoDB
Components of MEAN
- MongoDB: MongoDB is an open-source database program designed for cloud applications. In MEAN, it uses object-oriented organization and stores apps data. Since both app and database use JavaScript, there is no need to translate. The app can easily pull and push objects between the database and backend. It is capable of handling large amounts of data which makes it super efficient in scalability both in performance and storage.
- ExpressJS: Express is a web app framework for Node.JS. It handles all the interactions between the database and frontend ensuring smooth data transfer for the end-user. ExpressJS efficiently handles processes without cluttering the app. It also offers excellent features for handling errors and functionality.
- AngularJS: This is a front-end JavaScript framework. It is well-tuned for mobile application development and desktop apps and offers easy-to-use templates. This makes AngularJS one of the most ideal frontend frameworks to build cloud-native apps.
- Node.JS: Node.JS is again an open-source framework and is ideal for cloud-based applications. It is the backbone of the MEAN stack and comes with an integrated webserver. This makes deploying the MongoDB database and the app on the cloud seamless. It is highly scalable and can support millions of simultaneous connections.
Benefits of MEAN Stack
- A complete JavaScript tool: MEAN allows developers to write code in one language.
- Easy switch between server and client-side code: The use of a single language in both server-side and client-side makes this easy for developers. They don’t need other server-side tools as Node.js acts as a web server.
- Open-source: All the components of the MEAN stack are open-source which means they are free and have plenty of resources available for any developer to take help from. It also has strong community support.
- Cost-effective: MEAN is a complete package and a single full stack developer can efficiently finish a project using MEAN.
- Supports MVC structure: MEAN supports MVC structure which gives the freedom to deal with a variety of programming languages to developers.
- Organized: Keeps the app organized by resisting redundant grunt work.
- Testing: Has a built-in testing suite tool.
What is MERN Stack?
MERN Stack is also a javascript framework. It is easy and helps in the faster deployment of web apps. Like, MEAN it consists of 4 JavaScript programs: MongoDB, ExpressJS, ReactJS, and NodeJS. The difference here is the use of ReactJS instead of AngularJS.
Components of MERN
While we have already discussed MongoDB, ExpressJS, and Node.JS for MEAN, we will be discussing the differentiating component ReactJS.
- ReactJS: React is a JavaScript library created by Facebook and is used to build UI components. React is popularly used for creating single-page apps because of its ability to handle the rapid change in data. It allows the creation of components that are scalable, adaptable, and extensible.
MERN stack Benefits
- Complete JavaScript-based stack: Like MEAN, MERN is also a Javascript tool which means that the app does not require switching contexts.
- Supports MVC: MERN also supports MVC architecture and makes development convenient for developers.
- Code maintenance: It offers easy code maintenance and bug fixes as it comes with powerful testing tools.
- Strong community: Like MEAN, MERN is also made up of open source tools and is supported by a strong community which means developers can always find help.
What is the Difference Between MEAN Stack and MERN Stack?
While we already know by now, that the primary difference between the MEAN and MERN stack developers is the use of AngularJS and ReactJS.
AngularJS has been popular for quite some time however, ReactJS is overtaking it. It is typescript based and is used for mobile, web, native desktop, and mobile apps. AngularJS is a very opinionated framework which means that it is not as customizable as ReactJS.
ReactJS is a frontend framework that is highly customizable and is very good at scaling for a large number of users. This makes it popular among small businesses, startups, and freelancers as they can easily scale in the future.
Which One to Choose: MEAN Stack vs MERN Stack
As you know that both MEAN and MERN are very similar to each other and offer the ideal codes for UI layer components. They have support from an extensive strong community that offers good knowledge, codes, and tutorials.
Although AngularJS is popular, ReactJS has surpassed every framework as 40.14% of developers preferred ReactJS according to the StackOverflow Survey 2021. So, choosing between the two becomes a tough task.
On one hand, AngularJS provides stability to maintain abstraction in the code, ReactJS allows rapid code development on the other.
But you can choose the one that suits your needs. For example, MERN is best suited for mobile development. Keep these points in mind before taking your decision:
- Project requirement: Analyze your project, and its requirement to check the feasibility of both the stacks.
- Flexibility and feasibility: Take note of the differences between software solutions and database architecture to maintain flexibility.
- Cost: Identify cost-effectivity for the entire project for both the stacks
Other Factors that Will Help You Make This Decision
- Enterprise-level project: When you work on an enterprise-level project, MEAN is preferred because it provides you with an organized framework supporting the MVC structure. MEAN makes code management and up-gradation easy compared to MERN.
- Third-party support: AngularJS comes with a default feature supporting both HTTP calls and connections to the backend. While ReactJS uses its libraries for the same. Also, MERN requires additional configuration to look after third-part extensions while MEAN does not.
- UI essentials: MERN offers you a sophisticated UI and ensures a seamless user interaction if you are looking for a simple and polished UI.
- Large-scale projects: MEAN works as the backbone of all dynamic websites which is why it is the most preferred choice for e-commerce projects. It is better for large-scale projects compared to MERN.
- Small scale projects: Since ReactJS handles rapid data changes very well while also delivering excellent UI, it is a better choice for small-scale projects or single-page apps.
A Final Note on MEAN Stack and MERN Stack
From the wide range of available frameworks and stacks, MEAN Stack and MERN stack offer similar functionalities. They have become equally important in the app development market and are an integral part of Full Stack Development. Both MEAN stack and MERN stack are reliable frameworks. Even though they differ in structure placement, your project requirement is the best way to know the right choice for you.
