What Are the Advantages of Developing Apps with MEAN Stack?

To engage in cutting-edge web development, you really have to take advantage of multiple technologies to get the job done. Behind the scenes, you will also need strong allies like libraries, database systems, front-end frameworks, and servers.

To be on today’s web building trends, you have to make sure that you have all of this covered. So developers first started using LAMP, but when the MEAN stack emerged, the switch had to be made.

MEAN is basically an acronym for the following open source JavaScript-based technologies:

MongoDB
ExpressJS
AngularJS
Node.js

When used together, these can turn into a powerhouse that can enable a full-stack JavaScript framework for the rapid development of web applications.

If you break it down, you can perceive it as a rearrangement of code along with technology upgrades to help you switch from a Linux OS to JavaScript run-time. Further, Node.js will pop up at this point as it allows you to work on Linux and Windows.

So what are the advantages of developing with MEAN stack?

1. MEAN makes it easy to switch between the Client and the Server

First of all, when you hear developers talk about the MEAN stack, you’ll usually hear words like “simple” and “fast” thrown around. It’s simple and fast because you can write everything (both the client and server side) in one language.

As JavaScript is the common denominator for all four technologies, the most significant features can be blanketed across any code. As a result, it becomes really easy to switch between the client and the server.

With Node.js acting like a web server, there’s no need for LAMP stack or Apache. This is because it enables the developer to deploy the application directly on the server (which is also quite simple as the web server is clearly defined) without deploying to a stand-alone server.

2. MEAN is highly flexible

If you want to test your web application once you have completed the development process, MEAN allows you to host it on a cloud quite easily. Further, you can even add more information as you go along by just adding a new field to the form.

Speaking of the cloud, we must also mention that MongoDB was made for the cloud. It offers a powerful database layer and comes with automatic sharing and full cluster support. Once you plug in MongoDB, it will spread across the cluster of servers to provide failover support and automatic replication.

3. MEAN is the fastest way to achieve a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Another advantage of being able to develop your web application quickly is the ability to come up with your MVP rapidly.

4. MEAN allows Isomorphic Coding

This basically means that if you’re writing code within one framework and you want to transfer it to another, it will function exactly the same way as intended.

Being able to do this with isomorphic code makes MEAN a cutting edge technology that’s pretty cool and highly reliable.

5. It’s a Proven Technology

When you’re working with MEAN, you are working with a proven technology that’s established and ready to handle any challenges that might pop up down the road.

If you’re still unsure, just conduct a Google search and you’ll quickly find out that everyone from small startups to tech giants like eBay and PayPal are all taking advantage of the features offered by Node.js.

6. MEAN Stack supports Model View Controller (MVC) architecture

Another key advantage is the fact that the MEAN stack easily complies with MVC architecture. This can also ensure the development team stays productive as they will not have to deal with the tedious task of dealing with a countless (variety of) programming languages.

7. MEAN enables agile and quality app development

The architecture of a web application built using MEAN stack will be set up to support automated testing. As a result, developers will know instantly if a particular feature has broken.

This will also enable them to make any necessary corrections immediately.

8. Universal Programming Language

As the development team will be working with JavaScript, you will be working with a universal programming language. So if a new developer joins the team, they will be able to easily figure what you have been working on.

As the way the end user interacts with your web application evolves over time, your backend applications need to be fast, easy to deploy (and maintain) and need to be scalable. As a result, the MEAN stack is the only solution that ticks all the boxes.

However, there might still be personal preferences in your development team. For example, someone who has been utilizing LAMP for close to a decade may not want to make the switch. But if you look at the bigger picture and the pros and cons associated with it, MEAN is the way to go.

This list can go much larger as we didn’t go over how cost-effective hosting can be with Node.js or the fact that JSON is everywhere. But what else would you add to this list?

Don't forget to check out the 2017 MEAN stack developer salaries in Vancouver!