Are you blown away by all the different programming stacks available? That’s not surprising.
There are over 700 programming languages alone. That doesn’t even count the frameworks you can use for each language.
The question is, why should you pick the MEAN stack when you have so many options?
If you’re wondering what makes the MEAN stack so unique, this post will help. Keep reading to learn 10 reasons why the MEAN development stack is worth using for application development.
1. It’s Open Source Software
Not every company wants to rely on proprietary software from big corporations. You don’t know what goes on behind the scenes in those companies. That’s why many people in web development use software that’s open source.
The MEAN stack falls into this category. Being open source means the source code for the entire MEAN stack is available for anyone to look through. You can see what goes on behind the scenes to ensure there’s nothing hidden in the software.
This is also useful if you need a stack that handles tasks a certain way. Since you can see what happens behind the scenes, you can verify that a stack can meet your performance needs.
2. Only Use JavaScript
One of the issues with tech stacks in the past was that many of them didn’t use the same programming languages. The code you needed to know for front-end development was different than what you needed for back-end server software.
Since MEAN development uses Node.JS for the back-end programming language, you don’t have this issue. Node.JS uses JavaScript to run a web server. It contains everything you need to handle server requests and talk to databases.
That means you only need to hire for one skill when you hire software developers. While you may need to know a little more to handle server processing, it isn’t as hard when you don’t need to learn another programming language.
3. Faster Development
One of the great things about working in the JavaScript and open source ecosystem is that there are a lot of third-party libraries that provide much of the functionality that your app already needs. You don’t need to start things from scratch every time. All you need to do is import what you need to get a head start on your product development.
This means that you’ll get a faster development pipeline when you use the MEAN stack. AngularJS is one of the most popular JavaScript front-end frameworks, so it has tons of support and libraries for you to use.
The same is true for Node.JS. Companies large and small use the software, and they all contribute back to the ecosystem to help other developers get more done.
4. Large Talent Pool
Even if you can find an obscure programming language that can meet your app needs, that doesn’t always make it an excellent choice for your app. You may be able to learn the language yourself to get things done, but that doesn’t mean you’ll find many other people to do the same when you need to grow your team.
Since JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages out there, you can find plenty of talented developers to take on your project. On top of JavaScript being popular, AngularJS, MongoDB, Express, and Node.JS are some of the most popular tools in the ecosystem.
You won’t have to look too long to find people looking for jobs using JavaScript. You can’t say the same for more obscure languages that people don’t use anymore.
5. Great Performance
JavaScript frameworks have been around for a while now. While they may have suffered from performance limitations in the past, that’s no longer the case. Smart developers have optimized JavaScript to the point where you don’t need to sacrifice easy-to-use frameworks to get excellent performance.
The MEAN stack benefits from those performance gains. The technology used in this stack has been around for a while too. That’s given developers a chance to optimize things to ensure developers don’t suffer from performance downgrades.
That means that you don’t only get an easy-to-use framework that helps you produce applications quickly. You also get a framework that can scale with your app and deliver outstanding performance to your users.
6. Save Money
Finding talent in a single talent pool isn’t the only benefit you’ll see when only working with the JavaScript programming language. As you look at the developer jobs on classified sites, you’ll probably notice something interesting. Many of the other back-end programming languages command higher salaries than those others.
You won’t need to pay those prices if you stick to JavaScript and the MEAN stack. You can bring up any JavaScript developer to learn the tools required to develop a MEAN application. Even better, you can pay regular developer rates instead of a rate for someone who specializes in a specific toolset.
This means you can save money on your project and spend it on other areas that will help you grow your app. If you’re lucky, some of this extra money will be useful for promoting your app and running a more successful launch.
7. Great Community Support
One of the more significant issues with using an obscure programming language is that big communities aren’t built around those languages. People flock to what’s popular, so you won’t see many people taking up something that isn’t used.
Since JavaScript is one of the most popular languages out there, you’ll find many JavaScript experts on the internet helping each other succeed. They don’t only help new people either. They’re there to help anyone that’s having problems.
If you or your team ever have problems making something work, you can always reach out online to get help. The community is very welcoming and likely has people around who can help you solve your problem.
8. Reusable Components
The great part of the tech stack used in MEAN is that it’s reusable. Even if you don’t heavily rely on third-party components to build your app, that doesn’t mean you can’t make them yourself.
The tools in MEAN allow you to create code so that you can isolate components and reuse them in other parts of your applications. If you make something beneficial, you can even package it up and use it in different applications, not only the one you’re building.
This goes back to the time savings you’ll see when you use MEAN tools. Since you won’t need to code things twice, you can reuse your code in other areas and focus on the parts you need to build from scratch.
9. Communicate With JSON
It wasn’t always easy for web applications to communicate. Programming languages had their own ways of doing things, so developers needed to create solutions to overcome those limitations.
JSON solves that problem. JSON is a universal way to pass information between systems in an easy-to-read format. It’s so good that much of the web has moved to this method to communicate.
The MEAN stack makes heavy use of JSON in operation. From configuration files to responses from APIs, you’ll use JSON to run almost every part of your application.
The same is true for the database MongoDB. MongoDB is a document database that stores data in JSON format. This format allows for quick retrieval of information and helps improve performance for apps that can take advantage of this kind of database.
10. Make Your App Extensible
Some web development frameworks aren’t very extendable. They’re built with the logic for the front-end and back-end tied together. Because of that, it isn’t easy to extend your app to other platforms.
Since you use APIs with Node.JS to handle business logic, you can extend your MEAN application as far as you need. An API means you only need to write your business logic once. Any app you build with access to your API can use your app’s features.
That means you can create mobile apps, desktop apps, and anything else you can think of. You won’t have to rebuild your logic for every extension you make.
Get Started With the MEAN Stack Today
There are many options to develop a website application, so you need to ensure you pick the right one before starting the long app development process. The MEAN stack offers many advantages in application development today. Test it today to see if it’s right for your new web application.
Do you want to learn more about what it takes to create a successful app? Check out the latest blog posts to learn more about launching a new product.
