Difference Between MEAN and MERN Stack – Which One To Choose?

MEAN vs MERN
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When the digital world is transforming every minute, and many technological advancements are happening daily, having a user-friendly, well-optimized app or website goes a long way for your business.

 

Since you are here looking to compare MERN vs MEAN, let us tell you that both of them have more in common than you think. Both work on Java-based components but differ on one aspect. The former uses React JS with MongoDB, Express, and Node, whereas the latter uses Angular JS instead of React JS.

 

Whether you choose between MERN Vs MEAN is crucial as it impacts your future development and the user experience of your application. Therefore, you should be very clear about your project needs and know whether to deploy MEAN stack Vs MERN stack.

 

So, let’s begin and introduce you to the basic similarities, benefits, and differences between MEAN and MERN stack.

 

In This Article

  1. What Is A Stack?
  2. What is MEAN Stack?
  3. What is MERN Stack?
  4. MEAN Stack Vs MERN stack – How to Choose One?
  5. MERN Stack Vs MEAN Stack Comparison Table
  6. Difference Between MERN And MEAN Stack
  7. Courses to Learn MEAN Stack
  8. Courses to Learn MERN Stack
  9. Commonly Asked Questions About MEAN Vs MERN Stack
  10. Conclusion

 

What Is A Stack?

Stack is a combination of programming technologies, languages, and other items helpful in putting together an app that solves user needs.

 

Introduction to Full Stack

Full stack refers to multiple facets of the project. A full stack developer takes care of both the design & structure of the project. It can provide solutions for both front-end and back-end, mobile applications and even testing needs.

 

What Is MEAN Stack?

MEAN Stack

MEAN, an acronym for MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, and Node, constitutes a popular and open-stack framework based on JavaScript. Widely adopted by developers, MEAN simplifies the creation of websites and applications with its comprehensive set of tools and plugins.

 

Certified MEAN stack developers are in demand as they possess the expertise to build seamless web pages and mobile apps efficiently, starting from scratch. The evolution of development technologies has witnessed a shift towards MEAN and MERN, moving away from traditional back-end technologies like PHP and Java.

 

When comparing MEAN vs MERN, MEAN holds an advantage as it relies entirely on JavaScript, reducing the learning curve. Its emphasis on lightweight application architecture and quick turnaround time aligns with the current industry needs. Running every piece of code on a Chrome-based JavaScript engine enhances web response time by minimizing memory requirements.

 

MEAN stack development proves cost-effective, especially when compared to MERN stack. MEAN.js and its rich ecosystem are open source, contributing to lower expenses for developers. Code sharing and reuse within the stack further contribute to cost reduction.

 

One of the significant benefits of using MEAN stack for businesses is the shortened development time, resulting in lower overall development costs. MEAN facilitates fast Minimum Viable Product (MVP) development and scalability, offering an efficient platform for building scalable software products. The stack’s extensive collection of frameworks, libraries, and reusable modules accelerates development speed, providing substantial advantages to businesses.

 

For startups, MEAN stack emerges as an excellent option due to its shorter development cycle and lower costs, making it conducive to fast MVP development and scalability.

 

Benefits of MEAN Stack

  • As complete coding is in JavaScript, it requires less learning time.
  • Since every piece of code is on a Chrome-based JavaScript engine, it requires less memory, thereby improving the web response time.
  • Covers the entire web development cycle from front-end to back-end development, i.e., client-side and server-side with JavaScript.
  • Model View Controller (MVC) architecture support for a smooth process of development
  • Resists redundant grunt work to keep web app development organized
  • A built-in extensive tool testing suite
  • An open-source framework backed by excellent community support
  • Shorter development cycles lead to lower development costs.
  • Extensive code sharing and reuse within the stack are possible, leading to overall lower expenses.
  • A huge number of additional frameworks, reusable modules, and libraries are available within the stack. This helps businesses achieve greater benefits due to development speed.

 

What Is MERN Stack?

MERN Stack
The term MERN stands for

 

M = Mongo DB

E = Express

R = React JS

N = Node

 

This is another full-stack framework. It is an open-source tech stack. It helps build hybrid web apps and mobile apps. MERN stack is a combination of the latest technologies that help create premium web applications using multiple frameworks, libraries, databases, and more.

 

The basic distinction you’ll notice between MEAN vs MERN, is the use of React in MERN instead of Angular.

 

If you use MERN stack on studying MEAN Vs MERN Stack, you should know that Express and Node are in charge of the middle tier i.e. the application. Express.js is a server-side web framework, and Node.js is a JavaScript server platform.

 

MERN stack also uses React which is widely used as it has no templates. React uses a full-featured programming language – Javascript- to construct repetitive or conditional DOM elements. The same code of React can run on both server and the browser allowing businesses to create pages on the server when required. The same code can be shared on the server to achieve this.
The main highlight of MERN when comparing MERN Vs MEAN is that the former gives businesses the intelligence, agility, and performance they need to move forward.

Benefits of MERN

  • Since it uses React JS, it enables the development of user interface components of single-page web applications.
  • From front-end to back-end, the complete web development cycle is covered with JS.
  • Since it is a JavaScript stack, developers need to be pro in JSON and JavaScript.
  • Access to high-end tools for building apps with React library. Developers are free to use the library for web designing.
  • It supports MVC architecture for a smoother development process.
  • Combination of the best technologies – React, MongoDB, Node.js, and Express.js.
  • For testing tools, it has an extensive built-in suite.
  • It is an open-source framework set up with amazing community support.
  • Developers can use codes written on React on both servers and browsers. This stack offers the flexibility of creating pages on the server when required.

 

Now let us look at a comparison between MEAN Stack Vs MERN Stack

In terms of the differences they have.

 

MEAN Stack Vs MERN Stack – How To Choose One?

The main difference between MEAN and MERN stack is the use of Angular and React. Both Angular JS and React JS organize and deliver ideal code to the UI layer components. They are both supported by wide example codes, knowledge banks, and tutorials.

 

Angular JS framework is already quite popular among Angular JS developers for its MVC architecture. However, MVC architecture is not really the need for every web application. There can be web applications that might merely need an abstraction on the UI layer to optimize the component rendering code.

 

React JS is a library that meets this need. The major difference between MEAN & MERN stack is the use of Angular JS framework and React JS library. It is quite difficult to choose between MEAN Vs MERN as both the frameworks are dedicated to providing abstraction at UI level.

 

To choose the right stack, you need to know the differences between MEAN stack Vs MERN Stack. Hence, we have broken down the comparison between MERN stack Vs MEAN stack on the basis of various factors.

 

MERN Vs MEAN Stack Which Is Better? Let’s Compare MERN Stack Vs MEAN Stack

Attributes MEAN MERN
Language TypeScript JavaScript, JSX
Category JavaScript Framework Opensource, JavaScript Library
Security-level High Medium
Scalability Mid-level High level
Data Binding Both One-way and Two-way One-way
DOM Regular Virtual
Architecture Component-based Component-based
Productivity Better Low
Features Less features More features
Flow of Data Two-way One-way
Learning Curve Medium Low
Performance Slow Faster

 

Difference Between MERN and MEAN Stack – Features Compared

Let’s look at the differences between MEAN and MERN stack:

 

Productivity

As MongoDB, Express.js, and Node.js are common to both stacks, the productivity difference between the two depends upon the differences between Angular and React.

 

Angular being a complete framework offers better productivity. Generally, you would use 3rd party libraries in conjunction with React, which provides relatively lower developer productivity.

 

Angular features a Command Line Interface (CLI) which enhances developers’ productivity. When you redesign your code, you will find that the Angular CLI makes it easier. Updating your React code is a more involved effort due to the presence of 3rd party libraries.

 

So here in the first attribute, we have listed, from MERN Vs MEAN Stack, MEAN has our vote.

 

Data flow

When it comes to Angular, the data flow is bidirectional, i.e. if you alter the UI, it transforms the model state automatically, while in the case of React, the data flow is unidirectional.

 

Therefore, if you use React, you can alter the UI only after transforming the model state.

React’s unidirectional data binding gives a better data overview, and so it helps handle large projects.

 

For handling large projects, this makes the MERN more favorable. If you are working on a small project, bidirectional data binding becomes a more efficient method. This is provided by Angular. Here, using MEAN stack helps between MEAN vs MERN.

 

Learning curve

Node.js, MongoDB, and Express.js are very popular and contain excellent documentation. There is no apparent difference in the learning curve of MEAN and MERN. Nevertheless, your learning curve will change between React and Angular.

 

The Angular framework uses templates and Typescript. With Angular, you may discover a steeper learning curve, while React does not contain much learning curve.

 

On top of that, React offers better documentation than Angular. So, it is easier to learn MERN Vs MEAN.

Third-party support

While working on building enterprise-level apps, using third-party libraries is another big factor for contemplating. MEAN contains Angular which has in-built features for supporting HTTP calls and uniting to the backend.

 

React JS has alternative libraries for similar functionality. MEAN handles third-party extensions in a plug-and-play way, while MERN needs additional configurations for performing a similar thing.

 

Performance

The MEAN stack uses Angular that updates the real DOM (Document Object Model). DOM acts as the programming interface for HTML and XML documents.

 

On the other hand, MERN utilizes React that updates the virtual DOM. So, we can say that between MERN Vs MEAN stack, you can code applications more rapidly with MERN.

 

Thereby, no framework can actually accomplish every business objective. You need to conduct a study on every feature, look at the fast development needs, and select wisely to get a better result.

 

Testing

The experience of React app testers is very different from angular app testers. This will impact your preference between the two MEAN vs MERN. You can test an Angular app easily using only one tool like Jasmine.

 

However, in the case of a React app, you will require employing many tools. To test the JS code, you will require using a tool like Jest, while you might require a tool like Enzyme to test the elements.

 

You will possibly need to employ many third-party libraries when coding your app using React. Therefore, your effort for testing is much more.

 

UI requirements

Need a simple yet sophisticated UI rendering for your app? Then, pick MERN from the MERN stack Vs MEAN stack debate. It can create a frame and can showcase it on the screen immediately, providing a seamless user experience.

 

CRUD Apps

The MERN stack allows you to create and develop a CRUD (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) app easily from beginning to end. The React manages the data change fast and provides a great UI. For building a single-page app or mobile app, MERN is the framework you should opt from MERN Vs MEAN.

 

Large-Scale Apps

In case you are working on an eCommerce type project, the MEAN stack is a perfect option. It can work as the pillar of dynamic web apps and introduce a streamlined approach for building prototypes.

 

We recommend MEAN after looking at MEAN stack Vs MERN stack for developing large-scale apps on full-stack development frameworks.

 

Defect prevention

The comparison between MEAN stack Vs MERN stack tells you that MEAN is the best option for you if you are looking at selecting a stack with the possibility of basic code error prevention. Angular utilizes Typescripts which avoids basic coding errors at the phase of coding.

 

Mobile app development

Angular provides a framework that helps build hybrid mobile applications. Using these applications helps keep the development expense low as you have only one codebase for both Android and iOS.

 

Usually, hybrid applications let down the native user experience. When it comes to this, React Native is different; it provides an almost perfect native user experience. So, suggest MERN from the MERN stack Vs MEAN stack analysis when it comes to mobile app development.

 

MVC Support

If you are developing an enterprise-level app, you must keep up with a complete architecture. Reason why you must choose the MEAN stack. Selecting this will help you receive the assistance of the Model-View-Controller architecture.

 

Improvement and Maintenance

Both React and Angular are quite popular. But React is becoming more popular and in future it will become simpler to employ React developers. Consider utilizing the MERN stack, if you have several improvement tasks for your app and predict significant long-term maintenance needs.

 

Scalability and Security

Both MERN stack and MEAN stack provide the best-in-class security with MEAN having an edge. However, when it comes to scalability, when we compare MERN Vs MEAN stack, MERN wins the race.

 

If your development team is an expert and experienced in web frameworks, documentation is not very important. So, the learning curve is less proper, enabling you to select the MEAN stack.

 

If your development team is only moderately experienced, you must pay attention to the learning curve. So, the MERN stack is a good option between the two MERN stack vs MEAN stack.

 

We have also listed some courses that you can enrol into if you want to know about MEAN and MERN stacks.

 

Best Courses for MEAN Stack

 

Top MERN Stack Courses

 

Commonly Asked Questions About MERN Vs MEAN

 

Q1. MEAN stack vs MERN stack which is better?

Ans. There is not much difference between MERN stack and MEAN stack. On a broader perspective, MEAN stack uses Angular for front-end web application, while MERN stack uses React.

 

To pick one better depends on your individual project needs. Both fair well on different aspects. You may select MEAN stack for larger apps, whereas MERN for smaller ones.

 

We have defined the comparison between MEAN vs MERN on various other factors in the table above.

 

Q2. Which stack is most popular?

Ans. Both MEAN and MERN stacks are popular in their own way because of the terms and work they provide. The demand of Angular vs React drives the popularity of MEAN vs MERN stack.

 

Both are famous but which one is better depends as per the project requirements.

 

Q3. Which full stack is best 2021?

Ans.The popularity of React Vs Angular inspires the popularity of both MERN Vs MEAN , Although Angular has been very famous, React is now becoming increasingly popular and giving it a neck-to-neck fight.

 

Conclusion

We hope you were able to make up your mind about MERN Vs MEAN stack which is better. MEAN and MERN remains state-of-the-art full-stack technology that enables outstanding applications to be developed. Both the stacks have increased popularity and are driven by frontier framework structures – Angular and React.

 

Currently, these two stacks are in demand in the market. Here, we mentioned how MEAN and MERN play an essential part in web development. Since both are excellent frameworks, choosing one is a tricky issue.

 

And anyway, both MEAN stack and MERN stack have the best functionality and features. So, which one to go for MEAN Vs MERN in case of constructing a dynamic app entirely depends on your company requirements.

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