We are living in a digitally intensive era where it’s almost compulsory to keep abreast with everything happening within the IT ecosystem. This has led to the explosion of new-age developers looking to leverage new technologies to build extraordinary yet user-friendly stacks that help ease the work of programmers.
In this article, we are going to look at the MEAN stack and how it can benefit your e-commerce business.
So, What is MEAN Stack?
Basically, the MEAN Stack is a collection of JavaScript technologies that are used to build dynamic websites and web applications. This means the client-side, server-side, and even the database are all Javascript based.
Now, many get confused when it comes to differentiating between MEAN stack vs. Full stack. A Full stack developer is knowledgeable in all the development layers whereas a MEAN stack developer specializes in particular areas only.
In fact, MEAN is mainly comprised of four distinct technologies namely:
MongoDB Express: Them main role of MongoDB Express is the storage of the application’s data. Both the app and database utilizes JavaScript making back and forth data exchange easy, without translation.
Express JS: This framework is mainly used as the backend by MEAN stack developers. It helps manage the interaction between the front-end and the database for smooth data transfer.
AngularJS: This front-end framework is used to create the client-side of the app.
Node.js: Famed for handling multiple connections simultaneously, Node.js easily connects with Angular for faster data processing within the JavaScript execution environment.
What is Mean Stack Developer?
A Mean stack developer is a back-end and front-end programmer whose main tool of the trade is MEAN stack. And since all the components of MEAN stack are JavaScript based, this individual is required to have an in-depth knowledge of JS.
To clearly understand how MEAN stack developers work, we need to delve into the architecture of this framework. But before we look at that, let’s talk about the rising popularity of MEAN stack development.
According to a 2019 report by BuiltWith, it is estimated that more than 3.7m websites are built using AngularJS. Key among large corporations utilizing AngularJS technology is Paypal. The company has built a network of powerful payment frameworks globally in more than 200 countries, making it the go-to destination on the Internet when looking to transact online.
To underwrite this popularity, MEAN stack development was listed among the top 3 most demanded skills in America by Indeed.com in 2018.
The architecture of MEAN Stack
Here is a quick rundown of how the MEAN stack operates.
- The very first step begins with Angular.JS where all the requests emanating from the client-side are processed.
- Once the first phase is over, the request enters Node which is in charge of the server-side.
- Consequently, the request then enters Express.Js where it requests for database access.
- Once the request is accepted, MongoDB collects all the data and relays it to ExpressJS.
- Similarly, Express relays the response to Node which then sends it to Angular.
Now, how can MEAN positively contribute to the e-Commerce ecosystem?
Importance of Mean Stack in e-Commerce
E-Commerce continues to grow at an unprecedented rate globally. Today, you can virtually shop for almost everything online without ever leaving your house. And although these e-commerce stores have brought a host of benefits to the customers, business owners are left grappling with the consequences depending on the technologies they choose to build their platforms.
As a business owner, it is important to build your application with the right agile framework that can quickly meet both your short-term and long term needs.
Here are some of the ways the MEAN stack for e-commerce could be beneficial to your business.
Performance
Node.js supports Javascript with Non-blocking I/O application. This means that the application is able to serve multiple events without a hitch which makes NodeJS the perfect match for asynchronous and data-driven applications. The multiple events handling is crucial for every e-commerce applications as no customers want to keep on refreshing or wait for hours for the platform to load.
Scalability
One of the things that you should never compromise as the business owner is the scalability of your e-commerce app. The Non-blocking I/O nature of NodeJS courtesy of the V8 engine helps in CPU optimization. Additionally, your development is able to scale the server using the cluster.
Moreover, MongoDB is a NoSQL database making it highly compatible with the Cloud thanks to the cluster. Once plugged in, MongoDB is able to spread throughout the server’s clusters providing database replication and failover support. This entire process adds flexibility to the database layer/s which gives your e-Commerce platform more agility.
Truly Open Source
Most if not all open-source e-commerce platforms come with attached costs such as licensing fees. On top of being a complete and truly open source stack, MEAN doesn’t require any licensing fee and the plugins can be easily accessed through public repositories and libraries.
Uniformity in Data Streaming
The architecture of the MEAN stack is built in a way that all the requests and their consequent outcomes travel via a single data stream. This is particularly important for easier data processing in an e-commerce website where multiple processes happen simultaneously. It also means that promotional videos can be easily and quickly uploaded, compelling buyers to make instant purchase decisions.
Proven Latest Technology
MEAN has continued to see improvements through public repositories at Github. The thriving online community is always striving to look for new technologies to improve the entire ecosystem. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it has been adopted by both small startups and large multinationals like PayPal, eBay, Google, and Facebook.
All this means that your e-commerce platform will not only be founded on the latest technology but also ready to handle any unforeseen challenges that may come down the road.
Now that we have seen MEAN stack programming features and how it can help your e-commerce shop, what is the importance of hiring a MEAN stack developer for your projects?
Top 6 Reasons Why You Should Choose a MEAN Stack Developer for Your Ecommerce Project.
Assist in Defining Code Framework and Architecture
Together with engineers and other team members, MEAN stack developers help to define the overall structure of your e-commerce applications. Furthermore, they are in charge of actualizing the ideas on paper into reality.
As a general rule of thumb, a good e-Commerce framework should be founded on a coherent architectural model. Typically, it should emphasize on intense use of interfaces and design patterns such as dependency injection, factories, decorators, and publish/subscribe model.
Help Build Interactive e-Commerce Platforms
As a cash-strapped startup, you can use an off the shelf e-commerce platform in order to reduce costs. The only problem with cookie-cutter and generic platforms is that they end up costing more in the long-run. And in today’s business world where most people spend long hours on mobile devices, having an interactive platform that conforms to different screen sizes is critical.
Thanks to Mobile Angular UI, the power of AngularJS is extended to mobile devices whereby they are optimized to seamlessly integrate with other mobile UI frameworks like Bootstrap.
With these skills, a MEAN stack developer is able to build an app that can perform on equal measure whether on a desktop or a mobile device.
Reduce Redundancies
Traditional development procedures couldn’t handle the complexities surrounding large development projects. This is because large projects involve multiple lines of code making it almost impossible to determine what a particular code segment does.
With a MEAN stack developer, all this shouldn’t be a problem as AngularJS uses modules. Through their experience, these professionals are able to develop a modular programming approach that embraces the benefits that come with AngularJS. Your codes will be segmented, profiled, and referenced reducing the problem of a mix-up or even repeating of a similar code.
Can Help Create a MVP Before the Actual Project
A minimum viable product (MVP) in development is a new product i.e web or mobile app, designed with minimum but sufficient features enough to be deployed for initial customer’s reactions.
It is important to note that having an e-commerce platform does not automatically mean that your customers will love it. As such, you can choose to create a MVP, deploy it to a small number of customers, and use their feedback to create a fully-fledged final product.
Since MEAN stack development includes isomorphic development whereby its possible to reuse libraries, a MEAN stack developer can rapidly build a prototype design for your e-commerce platform. And given their experience in both front-end and back-end techniques, they will always help improve the product’s design.
Keeps Your System Running Smooth
AngularJS is a framework. This translates into multiple moving parts behind the scenes.
However, AngularJS veils all these moving parts within the logic circuitry using simple APIs allowing developers to strictly focus on the functionality of the system.
This demarcation of the code and the user’s code may present a challenge to developers in terms of debugging. However, using AngularJS, developers are able to overcome this by unit testing individual parts of your software to iron out any bugs.
Provide Technical Assistance
Unless you are an experienced developer, your MEAN stack developer will always chip in by advising the development team. This significantly reduces the time and costs associated with technology docking and team communication.
Final Thoughts
Although there are both pros & cons of mean stack development, the benefits far outweigh the downsides. This technology gives your development team a modern web development approach. And thanks to the single-page applications(SPAs), your e-commerce store visitors don’t have to keep refreshing the website pages. These together with the above-mentioned benefits should be enough reasons to convince you that hiring a MEAN stack developer for your e-commerce project is an absolute necessity.
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