MEAN vs MERN Stack for Full Stack Development

What is a Technology Stack
We use the phrase “Technology stack” frequently in the world of modern software development. To put it simply,
a technology stack is a combination of programming languages, technologies, and software products.
Why does a technology stack matter to you as an entrepreneur or a senior IT leader? Well, web and mobile
application development earlier involved using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, however, it has changed significantly
in recent years.
A few databases, development frameworks, and runtime environments have become so popular that most
developers now use them for developing web and mobile apps. If you use a popular technology stack in your
application development project, you will likely realize several benefits like the ease of development, excellent
performance, etc. MEAN vs MERN stacks are both technology stacks, and they enjoy considerable popularity.
Before we describe MEAN vs MERN stacks, we briefly touch upon another term that you likely hear too often, and
that’s “Full stack”. Earlier, developers belonged to different categories, e.g., front-end, back-end, mobile,
database, etc. Programmers had developed skills to work on their areas of choice, however, software
development has undergone changes since then. Organizations needed to launch their web and mobile
applications quickly, moreover, they needed to iterate fast. Given this, they increasingly preferred developers that
could work on the full spectrum of web and mobile development, and we call such developers “full-stack
developers”.
https://devathon.com/blog/mean-stack-vs-mern-stack-for-full-stack-development/

MEAN Stack
MEAN stack is a highly popular technology stack, and it’s a full-stack. “MEAN” is an abbreviation and the letters
stand for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js, respectively.
Programmers use this stack to develop web apps. They also use it to develop mobile apps, however, we are
talking about hybrid mobile apps here and not native apps.
MEAN stack is JavaScript-based, and it’s open-source. Given that it offers useful tools and plugins, the MEAN
stack helps developers to create web and mobile applications quickly.

MERN Stack
MERN is another open-source technology stack, and you can categorize this too as full-stack. The abbreviation
MERN stands for MongoDB-Express.js-React-Node.js, and you can create web and hybrid mobile apps with it.
Like MEAN, MERN too is a collection of JavaScript-based database, framework, and runtime environments. The
MERN stack offers an end-to-end framework to developers, and its popularity is growing rapidly.

Similarities between MEAN & MERN Stack
The following building blocks are common in MEAN and MERN stacks:
MongoDB: It’s a highly popular document database. Back-end applications can store data as JSON (JavaScript
Object Notation) in MongoDB, and it’s an open-source database.
Express.js: We also call it simply “Express”, and it’s a very popular open-source back-end web application
framework based on Node.js. Programmers can use it to manage HTTP requests, render basic routing, and create
APIs.
Node.js: Node.js is a popular open-source runtime environment, and it’s based on JavaScript. It helps with
asynchronous event-driven programming, which helps you to create scalable web applications. A vibrant
developer community supports Node.js, therefore, you have access to many useful open-source tools and
frameworks. Given that many developers know JavaScript, they find it easy to work with Node.js. These factors
combine to give you significant productivity benefits, therefore, Node.js is the choice for web app development
for many developers.

Other commonalities between MEAN & MERN Stack
○ Both are open-source frameworks that cover the entire development cycle from front-end to back-end.
○ MEAN and MERN can both support the “Model View Controller” (MVC) architecture.
○ Both of these stacks help you to organize the UI layer components with the help of optimum code.
○ Developers can access a pre-built set of testing tools in both cases.
○ You want to use a technology stack that can protect you from common cybersecurity risks, don’t you? Both
MEAN and MERN stacks do that. MEAN uses Angular, whereas MERN uses React. Both offer protection
against “Cross-Site Scripting” (XSS), a key application security vulnerability cited by the “OWASP Top Ten
2017” report, which is from the “Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Foundation”.
○ MEAN and MERN both receive community support, moreover, both of them have helpful documentation.
You can also access tutorials and sample code snippets.

Differences between MEAN & MERN Stack : Popularity
The popularity of Angular vs React drives the popularity of MEAN vs MERN stacks, respectively. Angular has been
a very popular framework for quite some time now, however, React is overtaking it in recent years.
Take, for e.g., the 2019 HackerRank Developer skills report. This report states that in 2018, Angular was the most
popular choice of a web framework that programmers knew, with 30% of developers surveyed stated that they
knew it. 26% of the surveyed programmers stated that they knew React, and this placed React at the 2nd
position.
This changed in 2019. The same report found that 30% of developers in 2019 wanted to learn the React
framework, making it the most popular. The corresponding number for Angular dropped to 20%, which indicates
that React is gaining more popularity than Angular.
The lack of backward compatibility between Angular 2 and Angular 1 seems to have adversely impacted the
popularity of Angular. The “StackOverflow Developer Survey Results 2019” report supports the observation that
React is gaining in popularity.
It confirms that React is the most loved web framework, with 74.5% of surveyed developers preferring to develop
using it. The corresponding number for Angular is 57.6%, which places it in the 9th position. This report also found
that in terms of popularity, React has overtaken Angular. While 31.3% of programmers preferred React, the
corresponding number for Angular is 30.7%.

Differences between MEAN & MERN Stack : Learning Curve & Code Structure
MongoDB, Express.js, and Node.js are already very popular, and they have excellent documentation. You won’t
see any pronounced difference in the learning curve as far as these are concerned. However, your learning curve
will vary between Angular and React.
Angular is a complete framework, and it uses Typescript and templates. You will certainly see a steeper learning
curve with Angular, whereas React is a library where you don’t have much learning curve.
Add to that the quality of documentation! React offers better documentation than Angular, which makes it easier
to learn it.
MERN uses React, which is based on JavaScript. On the other hand, Angular uses Typescript. Typescript is a typed
superset of JavaScript. It’s a statically compiled language that offers static typing, classes, and interfaces. It helps
to identify common errors, therefore, your chances of writing bug-free code improve.

Differences between MEAN & MERN Stack : Productivity & Data Flow
Given MongoDB, Express.js, and Node.js are common to both MEAN and MERN, the productivity differences
between the two would flow from the differences between Angular and React. Being a complete framework,
Angular offers better productivity.
You would typically use other 3rd party libraries in conjunction with React, which offers relatively lower developer
productivity. Note that Angular features a “Command Line Interface” (CLI), and this further enhances developers’
productivity. When you upgrade your code, you will find that the Angular CLI makes it easier. Upgrading your
React code is a more involved effort due to the presence of 3rd party libraries.
The data flow is bidirectional in the case of Angular, i.e., if you change the UI, then it automatically changes the
model state. You will find this quite different in the case of React, where the data flow is unidirectional. If you use
React, that you can change the UI only after changing the model state.
The unidirectional data binding offered by React provides you with a better data overview, which helps you to
manage large projects. This makes the MERN stack more suitable for managing larger projects.
On the other hand, if you are executing a small project, then the bi-directional data-binding offered by Angular
proves to be a more effective approach. You will gain by using the MEAN stack here.

How to choose between MEAN & MERN Stack?
The size of your project:
If you have a large project, then the unidirectional data-binding offered by React will help you to execute it
better. You should use the MERN stack for such projects. On the other hand, Angular fits smaller projects better
with its bi-directional data binding, therefore, you should use the MEAN stack.
The level of experience in your team:
If you have a highly experienced team that knows web frameworks very well, then the level of supporting
documentation doesn’t matter to you. The learning curve will have lesser relevance to you in such a scenario. Use
the MEAN stack in such cases. However, if you have a moderately experienced team, then you need to contend
with learning curve, and the MERN stack is better for you.
The focus on productivity:
If higher developer productivity is a key consideration for you, then the MEAN stack is a better choice for you.
Angular is a complete framework, and it makes upgrading the code easier than React. Your testing effort is
simpler with Angular than React.

How to choose between MEAN & MERN Stack?
Are you developing a mobile app as part of your project? You should use the MERN stack since React lets you
create a near-native user experience.
The focus on performance:
Given that React updates the virtual DOM, it offers a better performance than Angular. If performance is your key
criteria, then the MERN stack is a better choice for you.
The focus on defect prevention:
If you want to use a technology stack that prevents common coding errors by its very design, then the MEAN
stack is a better choice for you. Since Angular uses Typescript, the framework prevents common coding errors at
the coding stage itself.
The long-term enhancement and maintenance outlook for your app:
At the time of writing this, both Angular and React enjoy significant popularity. However, React is gaining in
popularity, and you will find it easier to onboard React developers in future. If you have a large pipeline of
enhancement work for your app and if you foresee considerable long-term maintenance requirements, then you
should consider using the MERN stack.

Conclusion
Modern technology stacks have made web and mobile application development far easier than earlier. However,
given the wide range of technology stacks in the market, you might sometimes find it hard to choose one for your
project.
Both MEAN vs MERN stacks have many similarities, moreover, both offer several advantages. They differ vis-a-
vis certain decision-making criteria, e.g., the MERN stack is better for mobile development, the MEAN stack offers
a better productivity, etc. In the ultimate analysis, your overall project requirements will drive your choice of
technology stack.
Are you looking to get your App built? Contact us at hello@devathon.com or visit our website Devathon to find
out how we can breathe life into your vision with beautiful designs, quality development, and continuous testing.

MEAN vs MERN Stack for Full Stack Development

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