What is a tech stack? A technology stack is a notion related to the app development industry, which refers to a set of programming languages and back-end and front-end software products that developers employ throughout the app development process.

The tech stack has a direct influence on how fast and structure of the app development process, which is why you must understand how the technology stack you choose to use will impact the speed of your product, the speed of your project, as well as iteration speed.

A good approach when choosing a technology stack is to understand that there are different tech stacks and there is no such thing as a universal technology stack that applies to all app development processes. Forget about what some guy on a forum told you!

You must choose one of the technology stacks available according to your specific circumstances. Developers focus so much on selecting the best framework and language for their app that they neglect the competitive edge that comes with a quality technology stack.

Technology Stack: Tech Stack Meaning

Tech stack is a set of servers and components that developers employ in their process of developing rich and functional mobile as well as web applications. That may be considered a useful technology stack definition. You may need a mobile or web development stack.

Technology stack entails a collection of generic to specific code modules layered one on top of another. That’s another tech stack definition that you may want to revise and consider.

You may also see a technology stack as a platform that brings together everything needed to for product development, including operating systems, APIs, components, and databases.

The world of web development is packed with web stacks or web development stacks. If you plan on developing a web project, you have a full web stack list at your fingertips.

The development arena has advanced a lot from a single tech stack for the backend, the frontend, and middle tier development, respectively SQL Server, ASP.NET, and .NET.

The world has evolved bringing with it more and more technologies and tools, which has stimulated the need to use the right technologies and tools to develop software products.

Entrepreneurs must be fully aware of the importance of picking the correct technology stack when developing an app. Tech stacks have a direct and visible impact on almost every business area, from human resources to finance, marketing, and management.

The Composition of Technology Development Stack

The client side of an application is referred to as the front-end. The server side of an application is referred to as the back-end. There are front and backend technologies.

The Front End represents the client-oriented side of an application, where the app interacts with the user. Frontend software stacks include the markup language (HTML), the style sheet (CSS), and the browser scripting language (JavaScript).

  • AngularJS developed by Google and ReactJS developed by Facebook are the major JS frameworks, which allow the creation of instinctive user interfaces.
  • AngularJS and ReactJS are language-independent JS frameworks, i.e., the frontend will work as expected irrespective of the technology stack used for the backend side.
  • Bootstrap is a popular CSS framework developed by Twitter, which consists of interactive components that have been built on jQuery, a JS framework.
  • Android uses JavaScript and iOS uses Objective-C and Swift in their development.

The Back End represents the server side and consists of a database, server, and application. Backend technologies used include Python and LAMP. The backend is where business logic programming, server hosting, working with databases, and deployments occur.

  • Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP is the full name of LAMP, where Linux represents the operating system, Apache represents the web server, MySQL represents the database, and PHP stands for the scripting language.
  • Entrepreneurs employ Python as an object-centered programming language and, instead of PHP, developers sometimes use Python and Ruby.
  • MEAN is a JavaScript technology stack that is used for MPVs, where M stands for MongoDB, the database, E stands for Express and runs on the backend, A stands for AngularJS, the interface, and N stands for Node and runs on the backend.

Top Reasons to Get Your Technology Stack Correctly

A tech stack stands for a blend of programming languages and software. Application stacks include frontend, or client-side elements, and backend or server-side elements. It is crucial that you recognize the relevance of technology stack for web development application.

A technology stack is a set of software technologies and tools that together form a complete platform utilized to run a service. Depending on the elements they relate to, tech stacks fall into two groups:

  1. Frontend Tech Stacks: frontend tech stacks are tools used to implement the client-side, i.e., the front-end of the programming. The client-side refers to what users see on their screens with main components including:
  • HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, which is accountable for the way browsers display the content of a web page.
  • CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, which is accountable for how the web page content looks and feels in different browsers.
  • JS, or JavaScript, and its frameworks, which is accountable for the interactivity of web pages. The specific requirements of each project dictate the specific frameworks to be used for app development.

 

2. Backend Tech Stacks: backend tech stacks are tools used to implement server-side, or backend programming, which is the invisible driving force behind the client side. A programming language is accompanied by specific web frameworks, such as:

Technology Stacks for Application Development

The three most popular technology stacks used in web development:

  1. RoR, also known as Ruby on Rails, is a collection of libraries, software packages, and utilities called gems, which are packed with code and documentation information whose application shortens the development process considerably. 
  • Distributed under the MIT license, RoR is a development framework without restrictions as far as its use and modification by developers.
  • It is an extensively scalable framework with an integrated database that enables developers to perform easier database-related queries.
  • Ruby on Rails can be integrated with MySQL.

2. MEAN is a JS technology stack that enhances app and web development stack. An open-source, free technology stack, MEAN stands for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js, and Node.js.

  • MongoDB is the NoSQL database, Express.js runs on the backend, Angular.js makes the interface available, and Node.js. runs on the back-end.
  • All the components of MEAN are replaceable, with components being coded in JS, which means that the frontend and backend of the application can be developed in a single programming language.

3. LAMP is a technology stack where L is Linux, A is Apache, M is MySQL, and P is PHP. Linux is the operating system, A is a web server, M is a database management system, and P is a programming language.

  • LAMP consists of independent, replaceable, as well as interchangeable components that function flawlessly together.
  • PHP, the programming language, can be substituted with Perl or Python.

Python

Python is an introductory programming language created to serve the needs of full-stack developers. It is also a well-liked backend as well as a general-purpose programming language that can be applied effectively to writing a variety of software or programs.

Naturally readable due to a syntax that is learning-friendly and functional programming style and naming. With an unpretentious design, Python is a robust and adaptable programming language taught as an introductory language in 80% of computer science programs.

Node.js

JavaScript is executed inside the browser and is one of the most popular technologies for developing interactive and dynamic web pages. Node.js permits asynchronous coding in the backend. Node.js also consists of different frameworks that run on top of it.

React.js

React.js is a Facebook-maintained JavaScript library for creating user interfaces. React is easy-to-learn despite the JSX syntax and lets developers have more control of the app’s US with props and component states, which isn’t possible with JS plugins such as jQuery.

Laravel

Laravel is the trendiest and most used PHP framework that may be looked upon as new to the app development market. Laravel is a lightweight framework ideal for developers looking to create quickly and with hardly any bugs both small and large developments.

Laravel is supported by a large community and is a powerful development tool that doesn’t pose any problems to those who wish to learn it.

Symfony

An intelligent, consistent PHP framework, Symfony has been on the app development market for the past 13 years. Its most popular feature is its modularity, i.e., it consists of modular blocks referred to as bundles that function in a similar way plugins work for other software.

The reusable bundles form the basis of PHP-based app development. Furthermore, the modular blocks can be utilized in projects independently from Symfony. This framework, best suited to create large projects, benefits from a great, highly supportive community.

Symfony comes accompanied by useful documentation and LTS releases.

Django

Django is an open-source, full-stack framework fuelled by Python. As a full-stack framework, Django offers all the components required for website configuration without code editing, including server side, admin panel, and templates.

Vue.js

Vue.js is a JS library specialized in delivering the ViewModel layer of the MVVM pattern. The ViewModel behaves as a liaison between the view and the model and is in charge of handling the view logic. It is an open-source library supported and developed by the community.

Ending thoughts on tech stack 

The WWW is packed with backend and frontend technology stacks, and developers are free to choose whichever option suits them best. For beginners, backend technologies such as RoR or Django are extensively recommended to learn the best practices.

On the other hand, frontend technologies such as Angular and React are the best choices for the future, but Vue is the best recommendation for beginners though it is not as prevalent.