10 Tips In Choosing The Best Tech Stack for Your Web Application
Making the right decisions concerning the choice on development toolkit e.g. technology stack for your web application development is a crucial first step in the entire project development life cycle. It’s a backbone in creating the product under your needs, strengthening its performance and increasing the productivity metrics of the developer in charge of the project.
It is a quite important step in software development and entire business development. That’s because the right tech stack ensures that your product is quality and meets customers’ expectations. Choosing the correct tech stack aligned with your product needs before development prevents a huge number of all future issues concerning fixing or updates cases. That definitely can save a pretty significant your budget sum.
Therefore the choice of a tech stack to use should be a well thought out decision especially for SZB and startup owners with a tight budget. Thought for large-business owners who specialized in business development rather than in available tech stack options for their product this is should be also an important data-driven decision.
What is the technology stack definition?
A tech stack refers to a set of technologies, programming languages, frameworks, software and tools including server infrastructure that are used in the development and deployment of sites, apps, and other digital products.
Tech stack and Web development process
In website development and web app development, there is usually the client-side (front-end) and server-side (back-end) parts of a tech stack.
Here is a basic presentation of client-side and server-side workflow:
And each of these sides to a tech stack has varieties. The choice of which technology to use for either front-end or back-end development is then dependent on a number of factors. Let’s start with front-end development toolkit for product development.
Front-end Development Technology Stack
Front-end e.g. from client-side web development refers to everything users see on their screens.
The most commonly used in front-end development toolkit includes HTML, CSS, and Javascript.
HTML e.g. Hypertext Markup Language is a standardized system used for tagging text files on World Wide Web pages. It is used to input font type, color, graphic, and hyperlink effects. Basically, it describes the structure of Web pages using markup.
CSS means Cascading Style Sheets. It is a style sheet language that basically describes how the document written in HTML, will be displayed on the users’ screens. As the name implies it is useful for styling the outlook of a markup text. CSS can reflect HTML code applying easily different fonts, sizes, colors, formats. It is the second most basic language in front-end development.
JavaScript: It is a programming language that is commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. With JavaScript code HTML web page can become interactive and even personalized for each user.
Frontend makes it possible for the users’ interaction with the application using the different framework with that purpose.
HTML and CSS Toolkit
There are several frameworks used for HTML and CSS. Some of them include:
- Bootstrap
- Foundation
- Bulma
- UIkit
- Susy
- Materialize
- Pure
But popular among them is Bootstrap and Foundation. While Bootstrap uses HTML, CSS, and jQuery library to make responsive web pages, Foundation is ideal for developing nimble, responsive websites.
JavaScript Frameworks For Front-End Development
Modern web applications use JavaScript in the front-end. The most popular javascript frameworks are Angular, React and Vue.js (the progressive javascript framework). These trios are the best java framework for web applications.
Back-end Development Technology Stack
Now, in the case of the back-end or server-side development stack, there is a lot more. It consists of the Entire business logic of your product work, the back-end is what executes CRUD operations which is an acronym for Create, Read, Update, and Demand operations. The back-end development would include:
- The operating system of the development process.
- Web server setup.
- Database storage setup.
- The programming language used.
- Web development framework for faster and easier development.
In back-end technology, there are many programming languages, the most commonly used are:
While a few types of back-end tech stack would include the following:
LAMP Stack
The lamp stack is a classic stack. The LAMP stack is traditionally used for creating an environment for running PHP applications. It is used for hosting websites on Linux. The stack is made up of the following technologies: Linux (the environments OS), Apache (the HTTP server), MySQL (the database), and PHP (the server-side programming language). The WordPress, Drupal, and Larave App were built using the LAMP stack.
Wins Stack
Windows Internet Naming Service (Wins) is another back-end stack that consists of windows server, internet information services, .Net, and Microsoft SQL Server. It is a system that is used to determine the IP address associated with a particular network computer. The OTRO app was built with the Wins stack.
MEAN Stack
The mean stack consists of MongoDB, express.js, angular.js, and node.js. It is more of a full stack structure. It is an open-source JavaScript software stack for building dynamic web sites and web applications.
Xampp (X, Apache, MySQL or MariaDB, PHP, Perl) Stack
Xampp toolkit consists of X, Apache, MySQL or MariaDB, PHP, Perl. AMP stack which lets you install Apache, MySQL, and PHP in your computer together with some other useful software. It has been designed to provide you an easy installation experience.
MERN Stack
MERN consists, MongoDB, Express, React/Redux, and Node.js. The MERN stack is very similar to the MEAN stack. It is used because of the growth of popularity of ReactJS in front-end development and NodeJS in back-end development, and it is useful for building high-end single-page applications, like Plaid app.
Serverless Stack
Serverless computing and the function-as-a-service platform is another branch-off that is worth mentioning. They are tools that help in easing project development. They help execute all operational responsibilities such as servers, environment or databases within a project.
The serverless computing service provides a platform for users to develop, run, and manage application functionalities without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app. In other words, it enables developers to write and deploy codes, to build and run applications and services, without thinking about servers.
With the serverless computing service, you will be needing less server to run and manage your project. Other benefits to be enjoyed will include:
- You don’t need to worry about hosting runtime
- It is cost effective, as you would only be required to pay what your application consumes
- You don't need to worry about the application has grown demand because it is scalable
- The provider manages security, software updates
- Easy integration with other services offered by the provider
- Fast time to application deployment and changes
An example of these serverless platforms would be AWS Lambda. AWS Lambda was one of the first of the platforms.
Another is Now by Zeit. With NOW by Zeit developers only need to build and push the code. All of the rest will be managed by Now. NOW takes over hosting optimization and even the management of the configuration. Google Cloud is one big provider of serverless computing services. They offer a bunch of them.
Summarising this part on the most efficient tech stack types, the key idea on that staff is that your choice on some or another one set of technologies should be based primarily on the functional and quality requirements you want to build in your software. If with that tech stack you can develop all desired functions and features you want to have in your product, then, probably, it’s the right choice.
10 Must-Known Points on How to Choose the Right Tech Stack for Your Product Development
However, aligning tech stack development opportunities with your product required functionalities might not be enough in each case.
As there are some other critical points you need to discover while making the choice on your product technologies core. It cannot be taken haphazardly so it requires a lot of thought, research, and consultation.
Let’s dig deeper into main tips that can guide you on your choice of a tech stack:
The Size & Complexity of the Project
The tech stack needed for a small project will vary from that needed for a mid-sized or even large project. This is a key factor to watch out for in the choice of a tech stack. Aside from the size, the complexity of the project also matters. The more complex the project is, the more thorough the programming language to be used.
The Product Specification and Functionality
You need to be sure that you define your target audience needs and what functionalities your product should have to solve these problems. It makes sense to run this step after or along with market research to find out what products already exist and what additional specification your software needs to have to beat the competition.
Products' Required Functions, Speed and Performance
This is just like the aforementioned factor. It goes forward to double check on the efficiency and compatibility rate of pairing a project and tech stack. Here, the performance, speed expected, and the functions the project is supposed to perform to its users, goes a long way in determining which tech stack to use.
System Load Requirements
This is another very important element. Several projects have different processing loads and therefore not all tech stacks can cater for all processing load requirement. So, this is to say that you need to compare your prospective product processing loads with the capacity of the tech stack to be sure it can meet that need.
Flexibility and Scalability of the Tech Stack
This is quite important because technology is not a static lot. Technology is changing, upgrading and adapting by each pass of a day. So you should first be aware of the latest web development trends for the next few years and think about whether it’s worth to use someone in your project. That lets you be sure of the flexibility and scalability of the tech stack you choose so as to keep your project relevant during all the stages of change.
Timeline of the Project
The timeline of the future requirements of your project will play an important role in determining the tech stack to choose. It is not enough for your chosen tech stack to meet the present needs of your project. You should ensure that subsequent needs can be met by the tech stack.
Your tech stack must meet your product's and product developers' timeline needs. You should still ensure this even if it is open-source software .
Tech Stack Ecosystem
The choice of using a particular tech stack would be highly dependent on the ecosystem of the tech stack. For instance, you want to know how large its community of users are before using it, so you don't turn out a lone ranger with no support and help as you go on in use of the tech stack. Reviews of people using it matters, it's documentation and the available support for developers of the tech stack are important factors to consider.
Safety and Security of Technology Stack
Another vividly important question to ask is the level of security and privacy that your product details and design will enjoy with the use of a particular tech stack. You don't want to run your project and then discover that it is not well secured and can be tampered with, by external factors.
Qualifications of your Development Team and Specialists' Availability
This has to do with the operational capacity of your team of developers in handling and using the tech stack. What this would mean is that you would need to consider the qualifications of your developers. If they don't have an idea of how to run the tech stack then that will be a problem of mismatch. Although it won't be too much of a problem as you’re going to outsource your project development.
By the way, before choosing some tech solution for your project, it’s better to check the availability of the appropriate specialists who know and use such technologies. But if you decide to implement some very specific and rarely used technology with a small number of programmers specialized in it, another question might arise on this software developer salary rate and whether you can afford it within your budget.
The Current Implementation of this Tech Stack in Successful Products
Before choosing a tech stack, you should first make the researcher and find out the volume of popular and successful brands that have used the tech stack in their development. This could be an assurance of its quality.
Factors to Put in Place Before Considering A Tech Stack to Choose
Well, in case you’ve decided your tech stack type, here is a number of points you can walk through and check whether you consider these factors. As they can save you some budget on development and fixing some problems that might arise in the future. So, check these factors while choosing your tech stack too:
- Defining your needs and resources
- Ensure you do not copy what competitors exactly have implemented
- Create an MVP first and then test it
- Use ready-made solutions when possible
- Start with simpler tech stack and stay agile during all SDLC
- Save on cloud hosting solutions
- Be futuristic in your thoughts
After getting the basic technology stacks that there are, and how to discover which fits a website development project more, then it would be important to note that choosing a tech stack from amidst the available and suitable ones, is a different job description, and a pretty important step. It should, therefore, led thoroughly and must be data-driven. It is pertinent to understand also that in this case, while choosing, quality should be of more essence when compared to quantity.
Our development team at Softermii has extensive expertise in using different tech stack for various industries projects and able to pull off your web development and MVP development jobs.
By the way, if you’re only choosing what technologies would be better to apply for your project purposes, don’t hesitate to give us a quote. We can help you to figure out the best option of web tech stack for your product development considering all your requirements and moreover industries trends.
