Dive into Full Stack JavaScript development: from the efficiency of a single language stack to potential performance concerns.
To say that JavaScript is one of the most used programming languages today would be an understatement. This is because JavaScript is all around us, especially powering the World Wide Web, enabling interactive elements on the Internet, and being a core component of many web applications.
Initially used in frontend engineering, JavaScript can now be integrated server-side, which has further increased its popularity. Interestingly, this change also sparked a crucial discussion: since you can now use it on both the frontend and backend, should you consider using it for an entire project? In other words, should you hire a JavaScript development company to work on your web project?
What is Full Stack Development?
To understand what a full stack developer does, you first need to know what full stack means. Basically, a technology stack is a combination of tools and programming languages to create a platform that supports applications. For example, a stack for a web application would consist of the operating system, a web server, a database, and at least one programming language.
Because software has a client-facing side (the frontend) and a server-facing side (the backend), software engineers talk about two separate stacks that cover all the layers that make up the entire technology stack of that particular software. As such, many people claim that it is necessary to handle the two stacks separately to successfully create software.
However, others believe that developing both the front and back end with the same stack is not only possible – it is the best alternative. They are full stack developers, engineers who have the necessary skills to create or optimize complete integration between frontend and backend systems through a single code.
What is a full stack JavaScript developer?
In this sense, a full stack JavaScript developer is an engineer who can develop both front-end and back-end applications. This means they need to master HTML and CSS, but also have the skills to build a browser, a server and a database. Full stack developers can use a variety of JS frameworks, but one of the most popular is the MEAN stack, which includes;
- MongoDB, a NoSQL database program
- Express, considered the de facto standard server framework for Node.js.
- AngularJS, a front-end web framework
- Node.js, a JavaScript runtime for server-side scripting
As you can see, all components are based on JavaScript, which supports the idea of approaching all layers of the web project with the same language. This is why this stack is so popular among full stack JavaScript developers.
Of course, the fact that MEAN is popular does not mean that this stack is the only complete stack that JavaScript developers use. There are many other technologies to use as alternatives to each of these components, including Koa, restify, React, Vue.js, MySQL, and more.
Pros of Full Stack JavaScript
The uses of JavaScript vary depending on the project and it is widely used for several reasons.
Greater development efficiency
Full stack JavaScript developers can work on a web application entirely in this programming language, making it easy for anyone on the team to understand what's going on. In other words, people working on the frontend and backend use the same language, so they are always aware of what is happening with the entire project. What's more, you can use just one team to handle the entire application, providing a more efficient development experience.
More code reuse
Since both the backend and frontend use JavaScript, you can reuse pieces of code that follow similar logic and implementation. This can reduce the amount of code full stack JavaScript developers need to write and the total number of lines of code for the entire project. This makes full stack development more efficient and makes it easier for developers to maintain and update their products.
High performance
Thanks to Node.js, full stack JavaScript developers can take full advantage of non-blocking programming and create fully asynchronous applications. This allows the resulting applications to run multiple independent processes simultaneously. This, in turn, increases the performance of web applications written entirely in JavaScript, resulting in a better user experience and higher quality products.
Access to open source tools
Virtually the entire MEAN stack is open source, which means you will have free access to verified tools (in most cases). The fact that they are open source means that they are regularly updated by their communities, which brings many benefits to their users.
More development talent available
According to the 2020 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, JavaScript is the most used technology, with a surprising 69.7% of respondents saying they use it in some way. This means there are a lot of people out there who understand and regularly use this programming language, a vast pool from which you can always pick new talent to power your full stack projects.
Many features
There's a huge list of tools, JavaScript frameworks, and libraries available for web developers – it also has one of the most thriving communities in the development world. This means that full stack JavaScript developers will have plenty of resources to help them while coding their projects, from dedicated communities to forums, documentation, and e-books.
Cons of Full Stack JavaScript
Naturally, going the full stack JavaScript development path means you'll have to deal with some drawbacks. Here are the most notable ones.
Not suitable for heavy computing projects
Yes, Node.js is great for improving the performance of a web application – unless you are trying to build an application that relies on intensive server-side data processing. Of course, you can break down more complex tasks into microservices with better technologies and then have them “talk” to your backend to maintain Node.js. However, this adds an extra layer of complexity to the project, which costs money and takes time.
Limited server-side capabilities
As mentioned in the introduction, JavaScript added its server-side capabilities after focusing exclusively on the frontend. Any experienced back-end engineer can quickly identify the limitations that this relative lack of maturity brings to the work, especially when compared to more established alternatives like PHP or Java.
Limited number of “real” Full Stack developers
This may seem contradictory after saying that one of the advantages of full stack JavaScript development is that you have access to more talent, but think about it. While you can quickly find JavaScript developers who can work on both the frontend and backend, they always end up being better suited to one or the other. Finding engineers who are truly capable of delivering on both sides is quite complicated, which is why some people say that full stack JavaScript developers are like unicorns.
Should You Use Full Stack JavaScript Development?
After reading all of this, you certainly have a better understanding of what it means to work with full stack JavaScript developers on your web applications. But should you go ahead and do it? It's hard to say, as full stack development can be great for certain projects and a disaster for others. As a general rule, full stack JavaScript development is suitable for projects such as:
- P2P applications and services
- IoT Products
- Ecommerce Platforms
- fintech applications
- Web-based enterprise applications
Source: BairesDev
