Web developers are always faced with the need to make the right choice of a technology stack, which is the combination of programming languages and software products that they will use in the creation of websites or mobile applications. In his case, a good choice has to be made as this determines by a great extent the success of the development. All applications have two main software components, which are the front end and the backend. With this, every layer of the application will build on the previous one, making it a stack.
These software components have to be combined well with programming languages to ensure that the end product is useful. However, many web developers do not know how well to pick a technology stack for their projects. Here are some useful tips that can help you with this selection:
1. Your target user
Web developers mainly work for the end users; therefore it is important to consider the user first, before making any choice of a technology stack. The target user will guide you on the kind of application you are going to develop. If your users are more likely to view the application on their mobiles while on the go, you will choose a tech stack that will help develop the best mobile app. But if they are likely to view the application in an office on their desktop or laptop, a website will be better.
2. The skills you have
The tech stack you will use will depend on the skills you have in the use of the software components and the programming languages in that stack. It is important to know the types of skills you have and the level so as to know how easy it will be to work with the tech stack that you will choose.
3. The language you prefer
Programming languages are all important in their own way. Depending on the one you will use, you will be faced with some advantages and some difficulties along the way, which is why it is important to choose a tech stack with a programming language of your preference. A stack with a complex language will for instance be hard to work with even if it promises better results as compared to a stack with a language that is familiar to you.
4. Scalability
This refers to the ability of the application or website to handle a growing amount of work as the days go by. It also refers to its potential to be enlarged in order to accommodate future growth. There are two main dimensions to consider here; the horizontal and the vertical dimensions. It is important to choose a technology stack that will allow for scalability so that it will help when you start growing.
5. Long-term maintainability
Websites need to be maintained constantly after development; therefore it is good to consider how easy it will be to maintain the website or app after its development. Will it be easy to add something or to remove something from it after that? You need to choose a technology stack that will make it easy for the website to be maintained. You should for instance be able to port the website from one server to the other after its development and this mainly depends on the technology stack you will choose to use.
6. The costs
This is an important consideration to make as it will determine how much you will be required to pay to develop a functional website in the long run. There are licenses that you will be required to acquire for instance and these will be charged depending on the technology stack you will choose to go for. It is vital to estimate how each of the stack will cost versus how great it will be to use it, then you will make the right choice of a stack that will be easy to pay for.
7. Speed of development
This is very important as there are tech stacks that can guarantee quick development and there are those that will slow you down. It is imperative for every web developer to finish a project on time; therefore it is good to choose a tech stack that will speed things up for you. In as much as all programming languages are important in their own way, you have to consider their pros and cons in order to choose a language that will be easy to work with for fast results.
8. The end results
It is good for a web developer to know what they want to create even before they start creating it. This should guide you on what need to be done and what you require in order to achieve the desired results. The end results in this case will determine the type of tech stack you will choose to work with.
9. The latest technology
It is obvious that the latest technology works better than the old technologies that no longer seem innovative. It is therefore important to consider working with the latest tools for the best results. There are programming languages for instance that worked very well in the past but they no longer have a good reputation. Your clients will consider this before using your apps therefore it is good to go for something that works better, which will be received better by your users.
10. The landscape of tools in your industry
It s very important to capitalize on the existing tools so as to have less work on your hands and also in order to use less effort when developing a website. Always identify the best open source tools that are available in a certain language and other technologies in order to identify the tech stack to go for, and then you can use the tech stack as a guide.
A tech stack is very important for web developers to develop useful websites and mobile apps. A good choice is always called for as it will make developing easier for you and help you achieve the desires results.
