Understanding Mean Stack, its Advantages, Disadvantages, and Use Cases

Understanding the components of MEAN Stack

Advantages of MEAN Stack and Top Reasons to use it for a web application

MEAN Stack is new technology although developers and companies have recognized its potential. Hence here major reasons to use MEAN Stack while website application development. 

• Effortless Swapping between Client and Server

Developers benefit a lot from using MEAN Stack since they build web applications with only a single language. A JS specialist can execute projects with the MEAN Stack formula application.

MEAN Stack allows developers to deploy web applications immediately on a server. It avoids deployment to a standalone server first.

• Simple Solution: 

MEAN Stack enables developers to create a simple and open-source solution. Developers need to know only one programming language, which is JavaScript.

• Open Source Components:

The components in MEAN Stack are open source. The components are available for free for developers to build robust solutions and applications.

• Cost-Effective:

MEAN Stack is lucrative for businesses. The components are all open-sourced and free. Companies only need to invest in a full-stack JavaScript developer. 

• Timer-Saving and Resourceful Tool:

One of MEAN Stack’s major features is the enormous directory of modules libraries in Node.js. It prevents developers to create modules from scratch.

Developers also receive notification from the automatic testing feature. The feature helps in case there are any errors for developers to rectify in time.

• Programming Language

JavaScript is the programming language in MEAN Stack. Developers comfortable with the language can easily adapt to new projects and schedules.

As the web application develops it is easy to update and add features. It is a scalable programming language and benefits during deployment.

• Maximum Flexibility

MEAN Stack is highly flexible during web application development. It is easy and quick to add new aspects while developing or post-development.

• Compatible with Cloud

MongoDB in MEAN Stack makes it highly compatible with the cloud. It helps execute cloud features with the MongoDB solution. 

Easier developing, testing, and deploying phases of the application with MEAN Stack.

• JavaScript Object Notation

JavaScript Object Notation or JSON is a fine format that stores and transfers data. MEAN Stack components AngularJS and NodeJS, both use JSON. 

Even MongoDB utilizes JSON Format while storing data. MEAN Stack and businesses benefit from this while developing the web application. 

There is no requirement to reformat the data and is pivotal support for larger projects.

• Worldwide Community Support

JavaScript is a universal programming language. Hence developing communities all across the globe that provide constant support from experts and leaders.

MEAN Stack provides modern features in web development applications. For example, traditional web applications would require refreshing the web page. 

MEAN Stack heavily uses single-page applications which reduce refreshing web pages. Hence making it more popular among businesses and developers.

Disadvantages of MEAN Stack

• MEAN Stack is not a feasible option for large-scale applications.
• During heavy load scenarios, there may occur a potential loss of records written by MongoDB.
• There are no particularly established JavaScript guidelines for coding.

MEAN Stack and Its Applications:

• PayPal:

PayPal is a smart money transfer application. It uses both AngularJS and NodeJS for smoother functioning and easier transactions.

PayPal has more than 325 million active users. PayPal heavily uses AngularJS for styling the components and handling the flow of payment. 

It uses AngularJS to create classes and unique HTML elements for safe transactions.

It was originally developed with HTML, CSS, and Javascript for the client and server-side. Now, PayPal uses both front-end and back-end developers to work with both AngularJS and NodeJS.

According to The Paypal Engineering Blog, “Node.js helps us solve this by enabling both the browser and server applications to be written in JavaScript. It unifies our engineering specialties into one team which allows us to understand and react to our users’ needs at any level in the technology stack.”

Both MEAN Stack components have provided PayPal with efficient development, high speed, user convenience, and enhance performance.

• Netflix

Netflix is a popular streaming service platform that depends on MEAN components. AngularJS helps the streaming platform create a variety of animations.

Netflix was built on Java on the back-end and JS on the front-end. But it seemed difficult to manage different programming languages.

So, to prevent delay in the development process they opted for the universal language, JavaScript. This combined the front and back-end under one programming language that enhances performance and speed.

Netflix uses AngularJS to create various themes for its dynamic user base, as it makes most of its revenue using paid customers. Netflix has over 203 million paid subscribers.

Node.js has allowed the streaming service to endure large data loads and helped boost user experience. 

With MEAN components, Netflix has developed a large set of users and allowed its developers to easily make necessary changes on the web application. As both AngularJS and Node.JS are open-sourced the process becomes easier.

• The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel is running its operations on weather.com as well. It heavily depends on MEAN components to run the website and application smoothly.

Earlier they were using the RDBMS database but faced several issues with major clients.  That is when MongoDB stepped in and the issues that would have taken weeks to solve were effortlessly solved within hours.

Here, MongoDB helped build its mobile application that serves over 40 million users. The Weather Channel also uses MonogoDB’s schema and MapReduce for live analytics and forecast based on the data. 

MongoDB helped The WeatherChannel gain an advantage over its competitors.

The Weather Channel also depends on AngularJS for simple weather forecasts and performance. As it provides global forecasts through the site, it uses AngularJS for various themes that change according to the areas and regions.

• Automatic Data Processing

Automatic Data Processing provides solutions for human resource management and largely depends on heavy datasets. It has over 41000 clients and 1 million end-users. 

The application manages critical employee information like paychecks, health, insurance, etc. MongoDB helped create the ADP Mobile Solutions application.

It now serves clients from 17 countries that speak 23 different languages. The MEAN component helped in ADP’s success through innovative approaches and organized large amounts of data.

• Forbes

Forbes initially built a custom CMS on MongoDB within 2 months. Forbes also launched a mobile site within a month. 

All this was achieved with the help of just one part-time and one full-time developer. Although the team was compact the results were massive.

The MEAN component helped JAVA developers learn MongoDB’s structure saving both time and cost. Forbes now allows over 1000 bloggers globally to submit articles and uses the CMS platform to publish content.

The traffic of Forbes.com jumped from 5% to 15% and quickly ramped to 50%. Now, Forbes allows high-value articles to be uploaded in minutes all with the help of MongoDB.

• Gmail

Google backs AngularJS as an ultimate solution to building fast and scalable web apps. Google encourages developers to utilize the Angular framework for developing user interfaces.

In fact, Gmail was built with AngularJS and is a classic SPA. Gmail loads the browser for a single HTML page and uniquely updates the page.

The MEAN component makes it easier for the mail application users to read and compose emails. The features are all easily accessible on a single web page with the help of AngularJS.

• YouTube

In 2012, YouTube’s app was available to be downloaded on PS3. This paved the way for users to remotely control YouTube on PS3 using their smartphones.

YouTube depended on Angular’s platform to utilize the HTML data effectively. Angular allowed YouTube developers to apply dynamic codes to execute the user interface.

Angular allowed YouTube videos to stream harmoniously on PS3 maintaining the quality and speed.

• LinkedIn

According to Kiran Prasad, Senior Director of Mobile Engineering at LinkedIn “Along the way we discovered that Node was roughly 20 times faster than what we had been using and its memory footprint was smaller as well. Obviously, Node.js also offers other benefits beyond the technical aspects. JavaScript is a language lots of people understand and are comfortable coding in. Besides, it didn't hurt that Node was getting a lot of hype at the time—and still is. In some ways, that makes it easier for me to recruit.” 

LinkedIn was initially built on a Ruby on Rails process-based system. The company expanded and required a dynamic approach for a scalable app.

Hence, LinkedIn switched to Node.js and discovered its multiple benefits. The MEAN component helped enhance the performance of the web application.

It enabled developers to leverage Java skills running multiple scenarios faster. Both front-end and back-end developing teams merged into one unit and the usage of servers was cut down.

LinkedIn now has over 760 million users with more than 260 million active users monthly.

• Trello

Trello is a task and project managing web-based platform. It is a Kanban-style project-listing application that acts as a subsidiary of Atlassian.

The server side of Trello is built on Node.js. Trello’s team was looking for event-driven, open connections and non-blocking server solutions.

Apart from assisting with these requirements Node also turned out to be a tool to assist with prototyping single-page apps.

According to the blog on Trello’s website, “Node is great, and getting better all of the time as its active developer community churns out new and useful libraries.” 

Conclusion:

MEAN Stack is a new and modern technology in the web application industry. Companies use MEAN Stack in cases of developing original and cutting edge applications.

Although it’s a developing technology, MEAN Stack components as seen have been used by companies like Netflix, YouTube, JetBlue, The Guardian, etc. 

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