How to Choose the Right Technology Stack for Web App Development in 2020

Though we live in the mobile-dominated age, web applications are still prevalent and a preferred choice for enterprises for certain features. Progressive web apps is an example of the web app’s adaptability and capability to act like mobile apps. It is fair to mention that web applications are here to stay. As technology evolves, many advancements arrive for developing a web application with desired features.

However, for building a successful web application, you need to choose the right blend of technologies or a high-quality technology stack. The proper technology stack can increase your web application’s market reach and make the entire web app development project successful. The technology stack has a direct impact on the performance of the web application. Once you identify the right technology stack, you can hire full-stack web developers for your project.

Looking at the importance of choosing the right technology stack, here we cover every aspect related to the necessary factors and structure of various technologies. But, before digging deep into the topic, let’s find out the meaning of a technology stack.

• What is technology stack?

Technology stack is a combination of all technical components like tools, programming languages, frameworks, and technologies useful for developing customized software. When it comes to web app development, we need to think about the structure of technology stack from two aspects-

• Front-end
• Back-end

Let’s go through them one after another.

Front-end Web Development Technologies
Front-end web development enables users to see and interact with your app. Web browsers like Safari or Chrome are responsible for user interaction. As the front-end development is responsible for the user interaction, technologies used in it are known as client-side technologies.

• HTML and CSS
Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are like the backbone of web development. HTML is useful for designing the front-end portion of web pages by defining the link between the web pages. CSS, on the other hand, makes the web pages appealing by managing the design components. Simply put, HTML makes the web page while CSS gives style to it.

• JavaScript and Related Libraries
JavaScript is a scripting language for making the website interactive. When it comes to web app development, it can enhance the web app’s functionality. AngularJS, ReactJS, etc. are popular JavaScript-based frameworks that are extensively used for developing user-friendly and interactive web apps.

Backend Web Development Technologies
The back-end web development is designed to powering the front-end while enabling users to perform specific actions. This part is not visible to users, and therefore, it is known as server-side technologies.

Backend technologies consist of programming languages, servers, and databases. Here we go through some of the important programming languages and databases.

Programming Languages

• PHP– It is a server-side scripting language. As the most popular and preferred language, PHP empowers many websites and web applications. CakePHP and Laravel are important PHP-based frameworks for developing customized web solutions.

• Java– It is also one of the most popular and useful programming languages for developing web solutions. It is a highly scalable and flexible language to build a successful web application.

• C++– It is a highly-used programming language for competitive programming. As a backend language, it is used to build a customized web application.

• Ruby– It is a reflective, object-oriented, dynamic language. Everything available in this language is in the object form. However, procs and lambda are replacements of Ruby’s components in blocs.

Databases

• Oracle– This database treats the collection of data as a unit. Oracle enables users to store and retrieve information on any query. It is useful to manage information efficiently.

• MongoDB– It is the most popular, open-source, document-oriented NoSQL database. Here ‘No’ denotes as ‘non-relational’. MongoDB is not dependent on the table-like relational database but provides a completely different mechanism for storage and data retrieval.

Servers

• Nginx– It is an HTTP and reverse proxy server, a generic TCP/UDP proxy server, and a mail proxy server.

• Apache– It offers a high-level of abstraction for processing. It also provides a high-level scripting language Pig Latin to develop a data analysis code.

After looking at various popular technology stacks, let’s go through top factors to consider while choosing the right technology stack.

• Which Factors Should You Consider While Choosing Technology Stack?

Every web application has a different size and feature requirements. Other important factors are scalability, duration, security, and web app development cost.

Let’s discuss all the important factors for developing a web application with desired features and excellent functionality.

App Size
The size of your web app matters the most while selecting the right technology stack. The reason is simple- if your web app is large, it becomes more complex, and therefore, you need a more advanced and robust tech stack.

Small web apps– These apps consist of 1 to 3 web pages, portfolios, and other web-based solutions. Such apps do not require much time to develop.
Med-size web apps– Apps for financial sectors, online businesses, etc. fall under this category. They need a more complex and advanced technology stack than small apps.
Large web apps– Social networking apps and on-demand marketplaces are considered as large web apps. They need higher performance, scalability, and serviceability as compared to mid-sized and small web apps.

Scalability
Every web app is designed to handle the load of activities done by a large number of visitors or regular users. The ability to handle this load is known as the scalability of a web app. When you hire expert app developers, they can choose the best technology for your web app project. Usually, the average and approximate number of visitors are kept in mind while developing a scalable web app.

Web developers select the best technology stack for supporting horizontal and vertical growth of the web app. Horizontal growth means the growth in the number of users or visitors, whereas vertical growth is the capability to manage new features and functionality.

• Duration of App Development

Time to Market or TTM is also an important factor while choosing the right technology stack. If you want to come up with the web app quickly then you can opt for MVP development. MVP stands for Minimum Viable Product and it has a reduced TTM.

Apart from short development time, MVP can help you get valuable feedback from early users, and you can easily implement necessary changes in features as per feedback. But then, just MVP development is not enough, and therefore, you need to hire full-stack developers to develop an MVP.

MVP development has two major benefits- shorter duration and saving in cost. The modern web development company can help you come up with an MVP with necessary features.

Security
This is one of the biggest factors to consider. Today, people are getting more concerned about protecting their privacy, and therefore, you need to focus on making your web app highly secure. As per the IBM report, the average cost of a data breach is $3.9 million globally.

It is necessary to follow all guidelines and comply with regulations to ensure the security of your web app. Almost all web development technologies provide detailed security guidelines documents that help users prevent cyber-attack threats.

• Development Cost

Finally, the cost is also a big factor to consider. It is advisable to keep a specific budget aside to develop a web application for your enterprise. Though most technology stacks are open-source and you need not pay anything to use them, you need to buy subscription plans for using advanced features and customizations.

Another cost includes the rate of web developers. Here, it is fair to mention that full-stack developers and dedicated developers have different hourly rates. You can consult a reputed web development company to get the most suitable options for your web project needs.

You should maintain the balance between your budget and web app requirements while selecting the technology stack.

Example of Right Technology Stack for Social Media Channel like Facebook or Instagram

Facebook and Instagram have written success stories with the help of the right technology stack. Here is their technology formula-

Conclusion
Your web application can help you stay ahead of your peers in the online world. Apart from having a competitive edge, you can simplify complexities and increase productivity through a seamlessly-performing web application.

We hope that this comprehensive guide will assist you to select the right tech stack for developing a web application. With this, you need to focus on design and user experience as well.