As a web developer, you may already know that a web application depends on the database, web servers, operating systems, and the development environment.
We believe that no firm that develops websites and applications could have done or achieved anything without the knowledge and human resources to execute functionality by using different platforms available on the market.
This is where web development stacks come in use. Clients of web development companies should understand that it is important in this field as it affects the user experience and the functionality of a website.
To improve web application functionality, web development stacks offer a collection of tools and technologies as the foundational platform.
If you are a beginner developer and need extensive knowledge about web development stack. This article will list everything you need to know about modern web development stacks.
Let’s get started!
What Is Stack In Web Development?
A web development stack is a compilation of software applications that is a one-stop solution. Here you will find a collection of software you need to perform certain tasks.
Generally, a web stack is a complete package in which you will get:
- Operating system
- Database application
- Programming language
- Web servers
The operating system interconnects hardware and software. Clients who request information from the web server receive it through the web server.
In web development, databases store large amounts of data permanently. Programming languages and script interpreters help create dynamic websites on the client side.
As a result of the collection of IT components with proper server hardware, vital information about web projects can be transferred to clients requesting it.
In a web stack, software components can be customized to meet the needs of different applications.
By providing programming languages or proxy servers, frameworks also extend the capabilities of the web stack.
A web stack can be illustrated by the open-source bundle LAMP, which utilizes Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP for object-oriented scripting.
For designing and developing multipage web projects, classic web stacks are preferred over JavaScript-oriented stacks. Compared to other alternatives, web stacks improve project performance and stability.
Popular Web Development Stacks
There are various web development stacks commonly used for development operations.
Below are some common web development stacks widely used for front-end, back-end, and full-stack web development:
Front-End Frameworks
The choice of selection in front-end development is limited to JavaScript frameworks as it’s the only programming language that can be referenced as an open web platform. Look at some of the most common Js frameworks included in web development stacks:
Vue (Vue.js)
It is a Javascript framework that generates user interfaces based on a model-view-view-model pattern.
With Vue’s user-friendly core library and supporting libraries, single-page applications are deployed and managed more easily.
Depending on workload and use case, the framework can be scaled up and down in increments.
Angular
Angular mainly consists of an open-source framework for developing single-page websites maintained by Google and an open-source community. In addition to being fully extensible, Angular is seamlessly integrated with other libraries.
React
The React.js is another open-source declarative javascript framework mainly used for developing User interfaces and their components.
You will be surprised to know that Facebook and others maintain this open source-source community as a base of development for mobile applications and single-page websites.
Back-End Frameworks
Django
Django is a python-based open-source framework with architectural patterns to follow the model-template views format. It is one of the most effective and useful web development stack
It is a high-grade framework that promotes clean, practical, and convenient design while offering rapid deployment.
The best thing you will love about this framework web development stack is that it allows you to implement web features like forms, User authentication, permissions, data serialization, and caching.
Node (Node.js)
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform javascript framework with external execution through the chrome v8 engine.
With Node.js, you can create a server environment via asynchronous, event-driven tasks to create network applications that can scale.
Express (Express.js)
With extensive features for application backends, this minimal, flexible web application framework is built upon Node.js.
Through various HTTP utility methods and middleware, Express.js enables the rapid development of APIs.
Full Stack Frameworks
Django, Vue.js, and Python
This web development stack is built upon Python, which helps create efficient, easy-to-read, easy-to-learn frameworks.
This modern web development stack boosts the building of quick prototypes by leveraging features such as Cass-Based views and Object Relational Model (ORM).
With Django ORM, developers can eliminate the complexities of creating and managing databases. It also allows them to build databases without writing SQL codes.
Although, the use of Vue.js in this web development stack for the front-end makes a perfect combination with react.js and angualr.js suitable for single-page applications.
MEAN/ MERN/ MEVN: Effective Web Development Stack
This web development stack provides an effortless yet effective way to deploy a single-page application without involving javascript.
Below are a few technologies used for its components:
- Database – MongoDB
- Server-side framework – Express.js
- Client-Side Framework – Angular/React/VUE
LAMP
LAMP is your solution if you want to build a highly operating-web application.
It is a generic software stack model that comes with interchangeable components. Below we have mentioned some of the technologies used in its components:
- Operating System – Linux
- Server – Apache
- Database – MySQL
- Client-side Programming – PHP
Flutter
Flutter is another open-source web development stack kit used to develop cross-platform web applications.
It is mainly used to build web applications over different platforms such as Mac, Windows, iOS, Linux, and Android.
The best thing you will love about this kit is its user-friendly interface that allows developers to build applications for multiple devices from a unified codebase.
Things To Consider When Choosing A Web Development Stack
A web developer’s first task is choosing the right web development stack for the project.
We’ve put together a list of features and considerations that every web developer should consider when choosing which of the available stacks is best for their project.
Project Type
The first thing you should consider in your web development stack is the type of project you are working on.
Do you just want to build a blog? Do you want to create a multi-page website for a business? Either project requires different languages and different levels of complexity.
However, the most crucial aspect of deciding is the result. Are you looking for a simple, clean website with a single goal?
Do you want something visually appealing and also helpful to users?
Then you will want to look for a more static web development stack like Sencha and JSF, Django and Python, Ruby on Rails, and a dynamic stack like WordPress, Php, Ruby, and AJAX.
This is not a scientific scale, and every project has unique needs and requirements. However, this can be a reasonable gauge to help get you started.
Which web development stack do you choose? The answer is obvious, and it depends on the balance of your web needs and how familiar you are with the technologies.
We recommend you go out and explore what each web development stack framework offers, as you will be amazed by how our online world has changed since we first started web development.
Suppose you would instead not analyze the pros and cons of what framework to use. In that case, you should focus on a few domain-specific tools, such as tools to improve your test coverage and make your life easier as you work on your project.
Human Resource Talent Pool
When choosing a web development stack, it is vital to acquire the same skill set in the organization.
Adding new technologies to the toolchain requires more trained staff, ultimately raising your expenses.
Choosing a small but professional team is recommended because it allows you to focus on the product and not worry about other things.
Data Models
When choosing the best web development stack, consider the data representing the model instead of the data models.
Consider whether the data models are part of the language, the framework, or the support for frameworks.
Some data models will sometimes be complex in keeping track of data collections that may vary in size, type, and data.
On the other hand, some data models will have a particular data type and a particular data format.
The data model should have good support. Data models are always small, like word and large text files.
However, You should have a disk with nothing more remarkable than 1,000 bytes.
The data should scale well. Imagine whether the data could be stored in a SQL database table or in a file that can be read by a programming language, like Python.
The data could be in a database table.
Consider what the data could be. For instance, is the data numerical? Could this be stored as a float in an SQL database table?
Time To Market
Time to market is a critical and significant factor that every startup and tech company considers. It is because faster development and quick deployment offer practical benefits and reduce the cost of building the application.
Although you can achieve this by choosing the right web development stack for your project.
Check out the below factors to know how fast a tech stack delivers products:
- Unique and out-of-the-box functionalities
- 24/7 availability of the developer
- Convenient third-party integrations
- Documentation and support.
Major Components Of A Web Development Stack
The web development stack is generally divided into two major components. One is the server-side (back-end), and the other is the client-side (front-end).
However, each component is layered with multiple technologies that implement different functionalities onto the website.
Although a web development stack is a combination of multiple technologies that are commonly used in the creation of a website application.
Due to its importance and how it would affect the overall functionality of a website, choosing the right web development stack is crucial.
Despite its technical benefits, it also helps identify the right talent and skillful person an organization needs.
Plus, you can improve the efficiency of the development of your application.
Knowing your next step beforehand can help you know what to look for in the right developer in terms of skills and experience.
More importantly, it would help you allocate your budget wisely to save on unnecessary costs that accompany the hiring process.
In this section, you will learn about the different components of web development stacks.
The Front-End
In the front end, users directly interact with the website. However, several technologies are included in this web development stack component that runs on the Open Web Platform.
Below we have mentioned the top three components of the web development stack on which the front end depends:
User Interface: First thing is the visual representation of the information generated on the web application. Here, you can create and design user interfaces, offer graphical means of viewing, and access website data according to your need.
Markup Language: To display website content, HTML markup is commonly used to inform browsers and viewer software.
Programming Language: this technology allows the developer to make dynamic websites live. They are used to run as an additional part of the application that includes interactive elements to make the user experience more engaging.
The Back-End
The purpose of the back-end framework is to enable communication between web service and database.
It also involves the execution and implementation of business logic and other IT resources that are required, such as cloud services and file servers. Although, it has more technologies and programming layers than the front end.
Read more to know about these components of the web development stack!
Application Logic: The application logic plays an essential role in the back end as it develops the instructions that assist web servers and give commands on handling users’ requests. As a part of programming language, it eliminated the repetition in the code and made it flexible enough to reinvent the wheel if needed.
File System: Every application needs a file storage platform where the application stores and manages data. As of 2023, modern applications are primarily data-driven, and their development is strictly integrated with data analytics to improve the product’s user experience and quality.
Database: A database is another vital backend component that organizes, manages, and gives access to information about the product. It also includes and manages other data, such as transactions, user identities, and other valuable data generated by the application.
Some Other Important Components In the Backend Of Web Development stack
- Hosting
- Webserver
- Web Development Frameworks
- Operating Systems
Succesfully...! 
