Tech stack? Whaaaat?

If you are someone like me, who’s a tad bit new to the world of software engineering, you might have heard your senior colleagues talk about tech stacks. Believe me, I had no idea at first!

Before you start writing any code, it is necessary for you to choose the tech stack that will power the application that you are creating. I know, most of the time, it’s quite difficult to pick a tech stack since the possibilities are daunting and there’s a risk that picking the incorrect language or framework may have big implications down the line. However, there are only a few important criteria to consider throughout the decision-making process, and you can rapidly reduce the alternatives to a reasonable range of technological choices. Your initial approach should be to dispel the veil surrounding the phrase “tech stack” so that you can mentally categorize each technology.

So, this article is going to help you understand what a tech stack is and how to select the most suitable one according to your needs.

Let’s dive right in, Shall we?

What is a tech stack?

A technology stack is a grouping of toolkits, frameworks, and other technologies that aid in the development, delivery, and maintenance of software. Client-side and server-side software, commonly known as front-end and back-end, are components of applications. Each software component adds the capability to the one behind it, resulting in a stack.

Front end tech stack

Frontend technological stack refers to the client-side application. It denotes that the user can interact with or view the screen. The goal of these kinds of technology is to provide a fantastic user experience, a simple user interface, and enormous internal structures. When talking about frontend technologies there are a few tech stack principles:

• HTML — The man, the myth, the legend! This one is in charge of displaying the content in the browser.
• CSS — You want styles? This got you covered! A CSS frontend stack may be the ideal solution for developing the structure and layout of web pages. It is identical to HTML. These style files comprise font styles, size layouts, layout colors, and other elements that make the web page seem sassier and more appealing.
• JavaScript — Webpages should also have a pleasing appearance (duuuh!), and JavaScript may help with that. JavaScript may be quite useful for implementing dynamic features on a website. It includes some standard libraries, such as jQuery, React, Angular, and Vue to enhance your experience.

Backend tech stack

The internal process of website modification comprises server-side software, sometimes known as the back-end technological stack. Unlike the front end, users cannot view or interact with the screen. This technological stack consists of multiple components.

Programming language is the first element that coders and developers could use to create any app or website. Python and C++, together with JavaScript, are the most important programming languages.

Web Servers come next on the list which are the finest backend servers for managing client requests. Apache, Nginx, Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS), and so on are some of the examples.

The backend tech stack also needs a Database Management System. The most common databases are MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc.

In case you are wondering whether there are any tech stacks that are adored by the dev community, I got you!

• LAMP — It stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP and it is a set of open-source software targeting web servers that provide a simple, dependable approach to providing fluid, responsive websites. The major reason why LAMP is so common among developers is its high degree of security and versatility.
• MERN — This stack uses MongoDB, a massively efficient database for raw data storage. It also uses a web application framework called Express.js, React, and NodeJS.
• MEAN — The same components as above except “mean” AngularJS has replaced the “sad” ReactJS.

There are a few points that you should consider when picking the right tech stack.

· System Requirements

One of the most crucial aspect is capacity. Some applications may need an extensive amount of convolution. This may need the use of a technological stack to develop a scalable system for skilled system administrators. Their objectives would be to optimize data input, storage, and restoration, as well as to scale their system easily. Another major aspect to note is speed. Speed is crucial for websites, particularly those with large datasets. That is why the components of the tech stack should always be robust enough just to assure optimal speed performance.

• Goals and Objectives

It is vital to evaluate the product as well as the technologies you employ from both a strategic and also a technical standpoint, taking into account both advantages and downsides. For example, you may wish to ensure that a specific technology meets your brand’s requirements and objectives. Before making a final selection, familiarize yourself with a technology’s major players and community of adopters.

• Security

Whatever technology stack you chose, will not be impervious to all hacker attempts. So, your job is to choose the best one while prioritizing client data security. Sophisticated technology, which allows for increased speed, may be less vulnerable to flaws. You can pick a less performant but far more secure stack and be confident in your cybersecurity.

Conclusion

Each company has a unique list of specific objectives that typically define which technology stack is ideal for them. Before picking on a tech stack, it’s always a good idea to do some study. It might save you time and money in the long run by reducing the bugs, headaches and backpains.