Businesses of today are extensively using web applications to meet the changing needs of modern organization. Doesn’t matter whether you are an IT leader or an entrepreneur planning to create custom web apps, the selection of right technology stack in either case is always tricky. This is because it can directly and greatly impact the future of your development initiative.
The MEAN and MERN stacks are among the most popular technology stacks that developers use for creating websites and web applications. So, should you employ either MEAN stack or MERN stack? Which one will work greater for your business? The decision dictates everything from how long your app takes to build, who you need to hire, and what it can accomplish.
So, what are the major differences between these stacks? Which one should you choose for your requirement? Let’s take a detailed look at what each of these entails and what they do for app development.
Here’s What We’ll Cover:
- What is MEAN Stack?
- MEAN Stack Components
- MEAN Stack Features
- MEAN Stack Benefits
- What is MERN Stack?
- MERN Stack Components
- MERN Stack Features
- MERN Stack Benefits
- Difference between MERN and MEAN Stack
- MERN vs MEAN – Which Should you Choose for Next Project?
Before that, did you know?
- Popular apps like Forbes, YouTube, Shutterstock, Upwork are built using MEAN Stack
- Eminent apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, & Netflix are built using MERN Stack
What is MEAN Stack?
An open-source JavaScript-based technology stack ideal for building dynamic web applications and websites – both responsive and progressive. It comprises several components that simplify app development and accelerate the process.
MEAN Stack Components
- MongoDB – A popular, scalable & flexible database used for storing data from apps with back-end in the form of JSON file. It’s a categorized NoSQL database program that helps in working with large-scale data sets very efficiently.
- Express.js – An open-source back-end web application framework that runs on Node.js. Its flexibility makes back-end development much easier for developers.
- AngularJS (or Angular) – Exceedingly popular JavaScript front-end framework for cross-platform application development.
- Node.js – A cross-platform runtime JavaScript environment. Enables development of high performing and scalable server-side applications.
MEAN Stack Features
- Use of JavaScript: Facilitates users to reduce unnecessary bandwidth usage. It renders the performance of web apps with enhanced efficiency.
- MongoDB as Rescue: A classified noSQL database program, MongoDB makes the insert, update, and delete process much easier.
- Node.js Driven: Decreases website loading time. The Node.js event-driven architecture renders databases faster compared to the Apache server to prevent any unprecedented visitor bounce.
- Isomorphic Code: Allows running both client (browser) and server end (NodeJS). The flexibility of MEAN allows the swift code transfer to another framework while keeping its functions intact.
MEAN Stack Benefits
- Covers the full cycle of web development from client-side to server-side.
- MEAN makes web app development smooth and easy as it supports MVC (Model View Controller) architecture.
- Offers an extensive pre-built suite of web app testing tools.
- Comprises of open-source technologies with excellent community support.
- Being cost-friendly – it is ideal for SMEs and startup businesses.
What is MERN Stack?
A popular JavaScript stack that is similar to MEAN though can also be categorized as full-stack. It helps build hybrid mobile apps and web apps with it.
MERN Stack Components
- MongoDB: Document-based NoSQL database manager.
- Express.js: Server-side application framework for building single, multi-page, and hybrid web applications that operate on Node.js.
- React: An open-source frontend JavaScript library to build user interfaces based on UI components.
- Node.js: A cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment, built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript for running back-end applications.
MERN Stack Features
- Runs on Multiple Servers: MongoDB can run over various servers. The information is duplicated to keep the system up in case the hardware fails to work.
- Purely JavaScript-based: With one language across, there’s no need for context switching. JavaScript is used to develop both the client-side and server-side of the web application.
- Dynamic Schema: A flexible data model with dynamic schema, robust GUI, and command-line tools, makes it fast for developers to build custom applications.
- Smooth UI Rendering: React JS is perfect when it is about UI layer abstraction. And, since React is a library, it provides you the freedom to build the application & organize the code better.
MERN Stack Benefits
- Facilitates the model view controller (MVC) architecture for a smooth web development process.
- Real-time testing through an extensive built-in suite of tools.
- Provides a reusable component-based architecture for a faster development process.
- Codes written on React can be used on both browsers and servers. It offers developers the flexibility to create pages on the servers when required.
- Covers end-to-end development cycles from front-end to back-end with JavaScript.
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Difference between MERN and MEAN Stack
| MEAN Stack | MERN Stack | |
| Type | JavaScript Framework | JavaScript Library |
| Third-party Libraries | Has in-built features to support HTTP requests and backend connection functionalities by default in a plug-and-play manner. | Requires additional configurations to support such requests. |
| Performance | It is a pre-configured framework. So, MEAN stack apps exhibit higher performance. | It uses a virtual Document Object Model (DOM) instead of native DOM which increases rendering time. |
| MVC Architecture | An organized framework having a wide variety of support tools, and complete coverage for the development cycle (front and client-side). This makes it suitable for enterprise-level app development projects. | Might not be the need for every web application though many of them only need a UI layer abstraction to improve component rendering code. This makes it ideal for faster development and relatively small apps. |
| Data Flow | In Angular, data flow is bi-directional. So, you can alter UI and model depending upon your choice. | In React, data flow is unidirectional. So, you can alter UI when the model state is changed. It is more helpful if you plan to manage massive projects. |
| Security | Built using scalable frameworks like Angular and Node.js supported by JSON Web Token (JWT) that secure unauthorized access to any resource to encrypt your sensitive data. | Provides various authentication methods, but they are vulnerable to CSRF attacks. |
| Mobile App Development | Angular provides the Ionic framework that allows you to develop hybrid mobile applications. These apps keep the development expense low since you have only one codebase for both Android & iOS platforms. | It provides an almost-native-like user experience. Hence, choosing the MERN stack is a better option for mobile app development. |
MERN vs MEAN – Which Should you choose for your Next Project?
The primary difference between MERN Stack and MEAN stack is the use of React JS and Angular JS. Here we have highlighted factors influencing the choice between the two.
Let’s move directly to the point to conclude;
- Enterprise-level Projects: If you want to build an E-commerce app or enterprise app, then the MEAN stack is a perfect choice. It acts as the backbone for all dynamic web apps and presents a systematic method for building prototypes.
- UI Essentials: Need a simple, elegant yet sophisticated UI rendering for your app? Then pick MERN. It can create a frame and display it on the screen for a seamless user experience.
- Niche Projects: With MERN Stack, developers can build and deploy CRUD apps from start to finish. React makes it easy to handle rapid data changes while delivering an impressive user interface. Whether it is a single-page app or a mobile app, MERN is best suited for smaller projects.
From the in-depth exploration of both the tech stack, it is evident that no framework is the silver bullet. Based on the requirement for your app development project, it is vital to research all the features and map them as per the rapid development needs and finally choose diligently.
Wrapping up
The choice between the two can be confusing. But with Rishabh as your full-stack development partner, you can be rest assured to choose the best as per your project needs. Our experienced developers are well versed with both MEAN and MERN stack. They fully understand the nuances of the technologies to create custom solutions that cater to modern business needs.
Whether it is application development, legacy app modernization, or performance optimization, give us a buzz to build innovative apps with interactive UI that guarantees customers’ attention in the fastest time.
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