Providing stability and reliability, your tech stack are the building blocks of your app or product; it is to your product what deep foundations and girders are to a building.
Your tech stack is critical. On a practical level, your choices will influence the competitiveness and viability of your product. Additionally, tools and technologies are so important to developers that your choice of tech also has the ability to entice, encouraging applications from the best developer talent in the business.
Broadly speaking, your tech stack is divided into two; the front-end (client-side) and the back end (server-side). Back end technologies will include web frameworks, programming languages, servers, and operating systems while front end technologies include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and UI frameworks and libraries.
Software development standards and trends have the ability to change rapidly. It’s important to keep up to date on the industry trends that reign the discipline. Each stack has its strengths and weaknesses, with each component requiring seamless integrations with each other.
So as we move into 2022, what have been the trending technology stacks of 2021?
The MEAN Stack.
The Mean Stack (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js) is one of the top tech stacks of 2021. An end-to-end Javascript tech stack, MEAN allows you to use a single language throughout your stack and
re use code across the entire application without the need for reinvention.
With so many businesses migrating to the cloud, the MEAN stack would be the natural choice. The applications of the MEAN stack are perfect for cloud hosting as they are flexible, scalable, and extensible.
Another advantage is that the database can be scaled on-demand to accommodate spikes or dips in usage.
In terms of talent, the MEAN stack has the support of a vibrant community of Javascript developers who can work adaptively.
The MEAN stack is particularly popular with those applications that deal with calendars, mapping, location finding, and news aggregation sites.
The MERN Stack.
The MERN Stack is similar to the MEAN Stack. The only difference is that React replaces Angular. React uses JSX which is a modification of Javascript, facilitating seamless component work. Additionally, React scores highly when building high-end, single-page applications with interactive UIs. In a year when improving UI was a priority, 2021 saw MERN jump in popularity. However, React is a library and not a framework so when working with React developers must tackle a limited core functionality. It’s for this reason that most developers use third-party services.
The MEVN Stack.
In this MEAN adaptation, Angular is replaced by Vue.js at the front-end. Over the last few years, this version has grown in popularity. Throughout 2021, it has continued to rise in use. It is a lightweight solution compared to Angular. Vue.js offers basic out-of-the-box functionality and can be extended using third-party services. Many developers believe that Vue.js combines the best features of Angular and React, offering great performance and a rich set of tools.
The LAMP Stack.
The LAMP Stack could be considered a classic set of technologies comprised of Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP. It was one of the first open-source software stacks, and remains one of the most common ways to deliver web applications. It is offers simplicity, stability and power, making it the stack of choice when it comes to developing new custom web apps.
The LAMP stack can efficiently handle dynamic pages wherein the content changes every time it is loaded. LAMP is open source and non-proprietary meaning that developers can choose components based on the specific needs of the business.
LAMP can also be adapted in the following ways. Instead of using Linux as the OS, you can use Microsoft Windows to form a WAMP stack or MAC OS to form the MAMP stack. Additionally, devs can swap out PHP on the server-side to Perl or the Python language.
The Serverless Stack.
2021 has seen many organisations go serverless and build on the cloud ecosystem. AWS Lambda was one of the first serverless platforms. Google cloud is another significant provider of serverless computing services.
Flutter for Web.
Flutter for Web has been called a game changer by many in the cross platform developer world as it uses the same UI and business logic on all platforms. Flutter doesn’t require you to spend time on deployment; you can fix bugs add new features and build UI without compromising on speed.
So now you know which tech stacks have dominated the landscape in 2021, what should be your next move for 2022?
We hope the rundown of the most popular tech stacks of 2021 has been helpful. Here are some additional things to think about if you are looking to change or adapt your tech stack for 2022.
- When building software or an app, having a standardised, consistent tech stack is critical.
- Your backend must be created using a set of tools that integrate seamlessly to reduce development time and streamline resources.
- The tech stack ecosystem is overpopulated with many different adaptations to choose from. When making your decision, don’t go for a one size fits all approach. You need to tailor a web stack that provides unique advantages for your application.
