MEAN Stack Vs MERN Stack: The Difference Between Full Stack Options Explained

Several types of programming languages, frameworks, tools, APIs, and plugins are used for crafting a single application, whether it is a web app, mobile app, or desktop solution. However, several difficulties are faced by IT firms during development, as some of the modules of different technologies are not compatible with each other. Sometimes, the client is required to extend the schedule and cost for fabricating its business software.

Full-stack development stacks are generated to eliminate the drawback of the inadaptability of multiple components. These stacks consist of reliable IT assets, covering designing the frontend, building the backend, and linking them together, leading to developing a full-fledged application. MERN and MEAN are also full-stack options, offering this advantage to developers and clients.

Let’s move further to get in-depth details about these Stacks, how they are beneficial and better.

Overview of Full-Stack Development

Full-Stack Development refers to a specific set of programming languages, databases, platforms, and frameworks, utilized by full-stack developers to craft an overall software. In simple terms, a single developer performs both back-end and front-end development using compatible technologies. In addition, API integration, adjoining the database, server installation, and so forth, all the procedures are completed by a full-stack expert.

Most organizations prefer an individual skilled in one of the domains, whether back-end or front-end. However, with modernizing business requisites, a single technology stack is being considered, with tools for constructing highly scalable and platform-independent applications.

What is MERN Stack?

It is an open-source stack of technologies classified under full-stack. It covers each aspect of a business solution development, from furnishing the structure to deploying it on a server. MongoDB, Express.js, ReactJS, and Node.js are the primary technologies included in this stack for producing hybrid web and mobile applications. In addition, all the JavaScript-based technologies are included in the MERN stack for seamlessly iterating the software lifecycle.

Advantages of using MERN Stack

*Ample community support with the availability of templates and pre-developed codebases for mobile applications.
*Built-in tools for testing every business software component to discover and mitigate the loopholes.
*Model View Controller architecture is supported, efficiently creating, maintaining, and advancing the code for overall software.
*JavaScript and JSON experts can be employed to work with this technology stack.
*Developers are leveraged to use React libraries to integrate third-party APIs and plugins to extend app functionalities.
*Everything is covered, from designing the interface to creating and adjoining the databases.

What is MEAN Stack?

MEAN Stack comprises MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js technology, and full-stack professionals utilize all these to produce robust mobile and web solutions. In addition, it is an open-source, JavaScript-based framework and platform, enabling developers to integrate third-party tools without configuring extra libraries flawlessly.

Advantages of using MEAN Stack:

*MEAN-based development requires less cost, as all the technologies listed in it are freely available over the online repositories along with their documentation.

*Code written in this framework can be easily migrated, and all enterprise software features will function the same, maintaining the Quality of Service parameter.

*Due to the Angular Framework in this stack, modules and components created by developers can be reused in other applications.
*MongoDB can be linked with cloud infrastructure for storing, processing, and organizing an extensive amount of data. Also, organizations can scale resources up and down anytime according to business requirements.

*Developers can use the same language for the frontend and build the application’s backend.

The Key Difference: MEAN Stack VS MERN Stack

Before selecting any technology stack for building an enterprise-grade solution, one should constantly evaluate it on the below-listed basis. It will assure a long-lasting application providing edge-to-edge services to all the stakeholders.

Performance

The primary objective of any application is the fast, smooth, and accurate execution of user requests, and it can be achieved by selecting the right technology for building software. Angular Framework is used in the MEAN Stack, which functions upon the accurate Document object Model. Whereas, React Framework is utilized in the MERN Stack, and it deploys the updates in the virtual DOM, leading to perform operations rapidly than Angular.

In addition, apps created using MERN Stack are lightweight, and developers are free from defining state transitions, boosting performance.

Security

Crafting a secure application structure for handling and maintaining data integrity is a top-level priority, and technologies included in the MEAN and MERN stack fulfill it. The primary difference between these stacks is the Angular and React framework, and both offer advance incorporated security modules. In addition, MongoDB is used in the applications based on these, which prevents SQL injection attacks and ensures to maintain the confidentiality of the stored and data in the communication channel.

But, in scaling up the security mechanisms with external tools and APIs, the MEAN stack is more compatible.

Third-Party Integrations

For extending the traditional functionalities of applications, external tools, APIs, plugins, libraries, virtual machines, and widgets are integrated. For enabling the encrypted data transmission using SSL, modules for supporting HTTPS should also be present in the installation package. The angular framework comprises built-in functions for the HTTPS installation and configuration, whereas third-party components are required for MEAN to enable the same functionality.

Moreover, MEAN provides an effortless way to add and remove any externally sourced services, such as Cloud, without affecting other modules, just like a plug and play mechanism. However, additional configurations are needed by MERN technologies for similar purposes.

Data Flow

MEAN follows a bidirectional approach, and MERN follows a unidirectional for flowing the data within the different application components. With the contrasting data flow mechanism, each stack is considered for a specific type of application, such as MERN is used for large-scale projects, where a large amount of data processing is required. And, MEAN is appraised for small and medium software.

In the bidirectional flow of Angular, user-interface and model state are linked, as any modification in the UI automatically changes the state. In comparison, MERN eliminates it through unidirectional flow and offers to craft an optimized data processing channel.

Support for MVC

MVC approach aids to enhance the development speed, supports test-driven software creation, and leads the developers with asynchronous method invocation for easy modification. The developers use MEAN stack to build enterprise-level applications based on MVC architecture. It leads to focus on each software layer individually and to write a streamlined codebase for better functioning.

Furthermore, if you want to handle the code straightforwardly, the MEAN stack is the most appropriate fit for your project.

Code maintenance and advancement

With a briskly evolving market, businesses must modernize their applications accordingly. As MEAN stack-based solutions follow the MVC approach, developers can differentiate the back-end and front-end code. As a result, any back-end code change doesn’t degrade the code written for interface and vice-versa. However, MERN stack developers need to resolve the complexities of third-party embedded APIs and tools before performing any advancement.

Mobile App Creation

Along with websites and web apps, mobile applications are necessary for reaching out to the targeted audience. Developers can use Angular and React to fabricate a robust mobile application, but it depends upon the business demands while picking out the tech stack. If your business needs a hybrid application for iOS and Android users, then MEAN is the perfect fit, as Angular offers its Ionic framework for such development.

Further, if you want to provide a native experience to the user, MERN will be the perfect fit for innovating an appealing mobile app.

CRUD Applications

CRUD stands for Create, Read, Update and Delete, and these apps are used to prevent casual browsing and perform database operations with ad hoc SQL statements. The development team utilizes MERN for fabricating CRUD applications due to the incorporation of ReactJS for managing dynamic modifications in data and interface. In addition, if your organization needs a Single Page Application, the MEAN stack is the right choice.

Less Errors

Typescripts are utilized while creating Angular-based software, and it is more effective in spotting bugs ad errors in the early stages. Moreover, with fast refactoring and IDE support, one must go for the MEAN stack to reduce glitches and vulnerable loopholes in the business solution.

Which one you should choose

The popularity and use of MEAN and MERN stacks are increasing. Every day, more and more organizations are opting for these full-stack developments set of technologies to build their software. In addition, students and professionals in the IT industry are also coming forward on learning frameworks in these stacks to advance their careers, as the main difference between MERN and MEAN is of Angular and React framework.

But, as we analyze the upcoming tech trends, learning the MERN stack will be more beneficial for experts creating web apps. Moreover, students and freshers aspiring to work in the development domain can also start and grow their careers by getting hands-on to the MERN stack. Furthermore, enterprises must consider and evaluate their requirements with the features of MERN and MEAN before picking out any one of them for a software project. Also, with the above-provided MEAN VS MERN difference, you can quickly pick out a suitable set of technologies for constructing a cutting-edge business application.