The MERN Stack: A Comprehensive Guide
With many people becoming interested in programming and app development, more tools and development methods are becoming available. These tools and techniques aim to make development an easy thing for all people to experience. Among these methods are frameworks that act as a blueprint for beginner developers to have a certain path or way to follow precisely. Instead of getting lost in the sea of programming languages and codes that usually take much effort and time. One of the most effective and widely used mobile app development frameworks is the MERN stack. In this article, we will get to explore all about the MERN stack, its components, and how it works.
What is MERN Stack
The MERN stack is one of the app development frameworks that has been gaining much recognition recently. It is a comprehensive web and app framework that contains advanced technologies. It helps developers throughout the process of developing native and web apps. The word stack refers to the fact that it contains a set of all the required technologies and tools needed for apps and web development. Such as codes, programming languages, libraries, and many more.
As per the MERN word, it is an abbreviation for the main components of the framework, which are MongoDB, ExpressJS, React, and NodeJS. Each of these components has its own precise role and significance in the framework. So you could think of it as a puzzle; each piece complements the other, and the whole picture cannot be completed without one of the pieces.
What makes the MERN stack framework unique is that it utilizes advanced technologies and tools. Thus, developers can guarantee to create robust and exceptional mobile apps with it. This was the primary reason why many large companies like Facebook turned to employing the MERN stack for developing their applications.
Components of the MERN Stack Mobile App
As we previously mentioned, the components of the MERN stack are the main reason why it is so powerful and favored by many developers. So, let’s explore each component and its importance.
MongoDB
MongoDB is the brain of the MERN stack. It is an open-source database tool that is used for storing all the data for the application. What makes MongoDB the brain of the MERN stack is that it is capable of storing every piece of data in the application. Which means that any input would be instantly stored on it. MongoDB is also very flexible and scalable, meaning that it could take as much information as you want while also providing you with a superb performance
ExpressJS
Our second component on the list is ExpressJS. You will find ExpressJS as a main component in most of the app development frameworks. That is because it is a very time- and effort-efficient framework for building back-end systems for applications and websites. The number of requests ExpressJS can handle is immaculate, which makes it the ideal choice for many developers.
ReactJS
No application can function without a robust user interface, which is what ReactJS was designed to accomplish. ReactJS contains a huge library of JavaScript components. It include everything that allows a developer to create a flexible and interactive user interface for mobile apps. Thus, we can say that ReactJS is responsible for the complete front-end part of MERN stack mobile apps.
NodeJS
Our last component of the MERN stack is NodeJS. As we said that MongoDB is the brain of the MERN stack, we can consider NodeJS to be the muscles. NodeJS has the significant role of providing the runtime environment that is used for the application’s Java code. Thus, it is used to run and operate everything on the back-end side with robustness and maximum performance.
Why Should Developers Use MERN Stack for Developing a Mobile App
With the many capabilities and advanced tools, what are other reasons that should drive a developer to create and use MERN stack mobile apps?
Reason 1: MERN stack is a full-stack solution
The fact that the MERN stack provides a comprehensive solution for building mobile applications is one of its primary strengths. This implies that it provides the front-end user interface as well as the back-end server and database required to create a mobile app. The MERN stack removes the complexity of technology integration and compatibility testing for developers. The result is a quicker, more efficient, and error-free development process.
Reason 2: MERN stack is highly scalable
The scalability of the MERN stack is just another reason why it is so preferred among app developers. For apps that are expected to grow and expand over time, the MERN stack is an excellent option. This is due to its ability to easily handle large-scale applications. The server can be scaled up with ease. Thanks to Node.js, and the user interface is smooth and responsive thanks to React. The database may be easily expanded because of the adaptable structure of MongoDB’s data model. In sum, the MERN stack gives developers a flexible way to develop mobile apps that can scale as their users do.
Reason 3: MERN stack is open-source and has a large community
The MERN stack’s huge and active community is one of the biggest perks for software developers creating mobile applications. As an open-source stack, it costs nothing to use and may be tailored to each individual project. Because of this, the stack is maintained and developed by a huge group of developers who offer help and new tools to their users. As a result of this community, numerous useful libraries and components have already been created. And in turn, speeding up and simplifying the development process. Overall, the MERN stack is a great option for developers seeking a dependable and adaptable solution for mobile app development because of its open-source nature and vast community.
Reason 4: MERN stack is easy to learn and use
The MERN stack’s intuitive design and ease of use and learning are further main advantages of creating mobile apps. Many developers will be comfortable with the stack because it is based on technologies like MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js. This implies that developers don’t have to spend a lot of time learning new technologies and languages before they can get started with the MERN stack. As they can start designing high-performance mobile apps right away. The MERN stack’s modular structure also makes it simple to add or remove components as needed, allowing it to scale with your growing needs.
Reason 5: MERN stack is perfect for building real-time applications
Lastly, The ability to create real-time applications is why many developers go for the MERN stack as a means of developing mobile apps. The MERN stack’s employment of Node.js and its event-driven architecture allows great server-to-client communication. This makes it well-suited for the development of many important applications like messaging applications, social networking sites, and online games. The MERN stack’s real-time capabilities are improved with the inclusion of React, which enables the efficient display of dynamic and interactive content.
Examples of MERN Stack Mobile Apps
You might still be wondering or even doubting the capability of the MERN stack to create a fully functional mobile app. In the end, you never saw a live case that proved this point.
Well, you are kind of right and wrong at the same time. Right to doubt something you never used, and wrong because you actually witnessed many exceptional applications made with the MERN stack. Let me give you a very few examples.
Our first example of MERN stack mobile apps are media streaming apps. Media streaming apps require a very scalable database to be able to handle all the incoming data, as well as a powerful backend system. The two factors are easily found in the MERN stack. That is why it was the primary choice for many popular media starting apps like YouTube and Netflix
The next example is social media applications. You’d be surprised to learn that most of the social media applications we use now, such as Facebook and Instagram, are developed using the MERN stack framework.
These are just examples of use cases that could inspire you. However, the MERN stack is limitless when it comes to app development. The capabilities it possesses make it ideal to develop any type and category of mobile applications.
Final Thoughts
App development is not as out of reach as it used to be. MERN stack now offers developers a golden set of tools and libraries that usually took developers years to go through back in the day. Now, developers only need determination and the right set of tools to begin and they can be unstoppable. With frameworks like MERN stacks and development techniques, it is now possible for anyone to develop mobile applications. With also another means of app development like no-code development who have become a widely used method by the majority of developers. No-code development with leading platforms like Nandbox has proved its effectiveness and efficiency. It also gave everyone, with or without prior coding experience to experience the journey of creating native applications. Whether you chose MERN stack or no-code development for your mobile app, you can guarantee a fun and robust development journey.
