LAMP Stack vs. MEAN Stack: Which Web Development Stack is Right for You?
If you’re looking to build your next web application or website, it’s challenging to determine which framework will be the most effective.
LAMP Stack development and MEAN Stack development are popular web development methodologies that allow web developers to build projects quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively, but do they work equally well? What makes them different? Which one should you choose?
To assist you in making a fair decision between LAMP Stack vs. MEAN Stack, we’ll cover what these two stacks are and how they differ so you can make an informed decision to choose your stack for your next project!
So let’s get started!
LAMP Stack Overview
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The LAMP Stack is a group of open-source software technologies that work together to run dynamic websites and applications. LAMP, which stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, allows you to build websites quickly and easily without buying expensive third-party software licenses.
LAMP Stacks have traditionally been used on Linux servers but can also be installed on Windows machines using either VirtualBox or Parallels Desktop (to name just two options). With both VirtualBox and Parallels Desktop running under Mac OS X, it’s possible to host a LAMP Stack website on your Mac if you prefer working in a GUI environment rather than directly at the terminal prompt.
If you’re not comfortable with Terminal commands, installing the LAMP server on your Mac will save you time because you won’t need to find and install all the components separately.
That said, many developers still find installing their copy of Ubuntu Linux more appealing for every aspect of their web development process from start to finish.
Pros Of Using LAMP Stack
Here are some benefits of using a LAMP stack:
- The LAMP Stack supports several web programming languages, including PHP, Python, Perl, and databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle.
- The LAMP Stack includes open-source, lightweight frameworks and libraries that are easy to install on any operating system. You don’t need to use as much processing power and memory to run it.
- It’s also easier to work with the LAMP Stack since it comes pre-configured, so you don’t need to spend as much time fine-tuning it on your own.
- The LAMP Stack also works well with most content management systems, so you can set up a website using WordPress or Drupal with no trouble.
If you want to build a multi-featured web application using the LAMP Stack, hire LAMP Stack developers from one of the best software product development companies. It will help your business design an outstanding web application within less time.
Cons Of Using LAMP Stack
Here are the cons of using a LAMP Stack to develop your web project:
- You’ll need to spend more time and effort learning how the system works before getting started.
- Most of your development knowledge will focus on Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP — limiting what you can do in terms of other platforms or programming languages.
- Some developers have complained that switching between LAMP Stack platforms can be time-consuming, while others have reported occasional platform compatibility issues (mainly when working with WordPress).
MEAN Stack Overview
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The MEAN Stack (MongoDB, ExpressJS, AngularJS, and Node.js) has become one of the most common stacks used in web application development today because of its flexibility, ease of use, and scalability.
This stack offers a complete package that easily implements advanced features such as chat, live streaming, and social sharing in your projects with just a few lines of code, if you know how to write them!
On top of being easy to learn, experienced coders will find it simple to extend their existing skillsets by picking up HTML/CSS/Javascript and NoSQL development tools. If you’re looking for a modern stack capable of creating powerful apps with minimal effort, then MEAN is an excellent choice!
Also Read: MEAN Vs MERN Stack: Who Will Win The War?
Pros Of Using MEAN Stack
Here are some pros of using the MEAN Stack:
- The MEAN Stack uses JavaScript, which has many libraries to work with databases, AJAX, and more.
- It’s easier to build an API with NodeJS and Express than PHP; we can use AngularJS as a front-end framework, making it easy to create complex applications responding quickly to user input.
- The MEAN Stack can be more scalable than LAMP, as you don’t need to worry about requests overloading your web server.
- You can more easily work with remote data sources, such as databases and APIs, with MEAN than with LAMP.
Are you looking forward to creating a business-oriented web application? Hire MEAN Stack developers. It will help you form a leading web app matching your business criteria.
Related Blog: Why MEAN Stack is Best for Web Development?
Cons Of Using MEAN Stack
Here are some drawbacks of using the MEAN Stack:
- For the same reason as above, NodeJS and Angular are paired with MongoDB (MongoDB isn’t an Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) database).
- Developers need to learn about multiple frameworks to use the MEAN Stack (Express, Koa, Hapi), and each framework has its quirks and idiosyncrasies that may make it difficult for newbies.
- The database can’t be separated from the web server in a traditional LAMP Stack, so developers have to use more advanced tools like PostgreSQL and MariaDB instead of SQLite, limiting newbies who are unfamiliar with those tools.
You May Found Interesting: Full-Stack vs MEAN vs MERN: Which Development Stack Should You Choose?
Difference Between LAMP Stack And MEAN Stack
LAMP Stack and MEAN Stack have become synonymous with modern web development; a significant difference separates them. The acronym LAMP refers to Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, while MEAN stands for MongoDB, ExpressJS, AngularJS, and NodeJS.
The LAMP Stack developed apps that run on a server, whereas MEAN was explicitly designed to build websites using JavaScript technologies.
Suppose you are looking to deploy your site in different environments, including testing environments or production environments. In that case, the LAMP Stack will be the best choice as it can also function without MySQL or PHP, which is impossible with the MEAN Stack.
A common use case of LAMP Stack involves creating simple websites with no server-side programming, while a site made with MEAN requires an advanced degree in JavaScript. As you move away from LAMP, finding web developers proficient in each technology comprising a platform can become more complex.
LAMP Stack vs. MEAN Stack: Which Is Perfect For Development?
Here I have stated a few factors that will help you decide which among LAMP Stack vs. MEAN Stack will be better web development.
1. High-Performance
High performance is the first factor in deciding between the LAMP Stack and MEAN Stack. LAMP Stack usually has an advantage over the MEAN Stack regarding performance because of the database used.
MySQL is faster than MongoDB, with MongoDB being more suitable for small projects. However, suppose your project requires more computation power or database-intensive operations. In that case, go with the LAMP Stack as it has much more computational power than the MEAN Stack.
2. Flexibility
Another critical difference between the LAMP Stack and the MEAN Stack is flexibility. If you are looking for an easily customizable platform, then LAMP Stack is the best option.
We can also scale it up or down according to requirements without difficulty, while we cannot scale down the MEAN Stack but up (with a bit of difficulty). For this reason, many companies prefer using the LAMP Stack instead of MEAN Stack.
3. Cost-Efficiency
It’s not just technical differences between the LAMP Stack and MEAN Stack; there are some cost-related differences too. LAMP Stack development cost is much less than the MEAN Stack as it is much easier to customize and has more built-in features.
Even cloud hosting on the LAMP Stack is cheaper than that of a single node on AWS. Another thing worth noting is that the LAMP Stack offers modularity, which means various tools are separated, so they don’t conflict. That’s why it’s managing data security from one tool to another is easy.
4. Community Support
LAMP Stack wins hands down when considering community support because it is open source. MEAN Stack is a closed source and owned by Microsoft; hence, there is no way for outsiders to give feedback or offer suggestions on how to improve MEAN Stack.
5. Security & Data Encryption
If you are looking for a web solution that offers security and data encryption, then the LAMP Stack should be your first choice. It uses SSL/TLS (HTTPS) encryption, ensuring that data transmitted over the web gets encrypted and cannot be hacked by anyone!
Besides data protection, it can also prevent XSS attacks and SQL injections by validating any inputs before performing operations.
MEAN Stack does not offer encryption or security features! So if these factors are important to you, then you should opt for the LAMP Stack instead of the MEAN Stack because it protects your critical data from being hacked or stolen by third parties!
Conclusion
MEAN is an excellent choice for small and medium-sized projects because it requires fewer servers and less bandwidth than LAMP in most cases. But if you have massive data sets or need to scale up quickly, you’ll want to go with LAMP and use Amazon CloudFront as your CDN of choice.
In short, both are fantastic solutions, and choosing between them will depend on your specific needs and budget.
If you want to develop an excellent web app, hire developers associated with the best web app development company. It will support you in forming a great website matching your business’s key goals.
