The Battle of 7 vs 8: Do’s & Don’ts of MEAN Stack Development
Introduction
The MEAN Stack Development, which comprises MongoDB, Express.js, Angular.js and Node.js? has become a very famous choice for developers due to its full-stack JavaScript approach. Moreover it also provides a seamless development experience from server-side to the client-side. However, to leverage its full potential, developers should implement the best practices and avoid the common pitfalls in MEAN Stack Development
This article outlines the do’s and don’ts for adapting MEAN stack development practices to ensure efficient, scalable, and maintainable applications.
Before understanding the Do’s and Don’ts of MEAN Stack Development, let us understand what MEAN Stack Development is.
What is MEAN Stack Development?
MEAN stack development refers to the use of a specific set of technologies to build full-stack web applications. The MEAN stack is an acronym that stands for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js. Each of these technologies plays a crucial role in the development process, allowing developers to use JavaScript for both client-side and server-side development. This uniformity in language simplifies development and streamlines the workflow.
Components of the MEAN Stack
MongoDB
Role: Database
Description: MongoDB is a NoSQL database that stores data in flexible, JSON-like documents. It is designed for scalability and performance, making it suitable for applications that require a fast and flexible database solution.
Express.js
Role: Web Application Framework
Description: Express.js is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features to develop web and mobile applications. It simplifies the process of building server-side applications by providing a wide range of HTTP utilities and middleware.
Angular.js
Role: Front-end Framework
Description: Angular is a platform and framework for building single-page client applications using HTML and TypeScript. Developed by Google, Angular provides a structured framework for building dynamic web applications and offers features such as two-way data binding, dependency injection, and modular development.
Node.js
Role: Runtime Environment
Description: Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. It allows developers to execute JavaScript code on the server side, enabling the development of scalable and high-performance applications. Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, making it efficient and suitable for real-time applications.
Now, finally let us move ahead and understand what are the Do’s of MEAN Stack Development.
7 Do’s of MEAN Stack Development
Do Understand each component thoroughly
Before taking a step ahead to develop your next MEAN Stack, ensure you have a solid understanding of each of its component
Understanding the strengths and limitations of each component will help you leverage them effectively.
Do Follow Modular Coding Practices
Modular coding involves breaking your application into smaller, manageable pieces. This practice enhances code readability, maintainability, and reusability.
For instance, in Angular, divide your application into feature modules and lazy load them to improve performance.
Do Use RESTful APIs
RESTful APIs follow a set of constraints and principles that make web services easier to understand and work with. Using RESTful APIs in your MEAN stack applications ensures a standardized approach to client-server communication.
Example:
javascript
app.get('/api/users', userController.getAllUsers);
app.post('/api/users', userController.createUser);
app.put('/api/users/:id', userController.updateUser);
app.delete('/api/users/:id', userController.deleteUser);
Do Implement Error Handling?
Proper error handling improves the user experience and aids in debugging. Implement comprehensive error handling at every layer of your MEAN stack application.
Express Middleware: Use middleware for centralized error handling in Express.js.
Angular Error Handling: Use Angular’s built-in error handling mechanisms to catch and handle errors gracefully.
Example in Express.js:
javascript
app.use((err, req, res, next) => {
??console.error(err.stack);
??res.status(500).send('Something broke!');
});
Do Optimize Database Queries?
An efficient database query is important for the performance. A MongoDB’s flexibility would lead to performance issues if it is not used correctly.
Indexes: Use indexes to speed up query performance.
Aggregation Framework Utilize MongoDB’s aggregation framework for complex data analysis.
Query Optimization: Regularly monitor and optimize your queries to ensure they are efficient.
Example of creating an index:
javascript
db.collection.createIndex({ "username": 1 });
Do Use Promises or Async/Await
Asynchronous code can be challenging to manage, but using Promises or async/await can simplify it and make your code more readable.
Promises: Use promises to handle asynchronous operations.
Async/Await: Prefer async/await for a more synchronous-like code flow.
Example with async/await:
javascript
async function fetchData() {
??try {
????let response = await fetch('https://api.example.com/data');
????let data = await response.json();
????console.log(data);
??} catch (error) {
????console.error('Error:', error);
??}
}
Do Use a Task Runner or Build Tool
Task runners and build tools like Gulp, Grunt, or Webpack can automate repetitive tasks such as minification, compilation, and testing, improving productivity.
Automate Tasks: Automate tasks like compiling TypeScript, bundling JavaScript files, and optimizing images.
Environment Configuration: Manage different environments (development, staging, production) using build tools.
Example with Gulp:
javascript
const gulp = require('gulp');
const uglify = require('gulp-uglify');
gulp.task('minify-js', () => {
??return gulp.src('src/*.js')
????.pipe(uglify())
????.pipe(gulp.dest('dist'));
});
Now, let us understand the Don’ts of MEAN Stack development
8 Don’ts of MEAN Stack Development
Don’t Ignore Security Practices
Security is important in web development. Neglecting security can lead to vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
Example of input sanitization in Express.js:
javascript
const sanitize = require('mongo-sanitize');
app.post('/submit', (req, res) => {
??const sanitizedInput = sanitize(req.body.input);
??// Proceed with sanitized input
})
领英推荐
Don’t Overlook Testing
Testing is crucial to ensure the quality and reliability of your application. Skipping tests can lead to unnoticed bugs and issues in production.
Use testing frameworks like Jasmine, Mocha, or Jest for JavaScript testing. For Angular, use Karma as the test runner.
Example of a unit test in Mocha:
javascript
const assert = require('assert');
const myFunction = require('../myFunction');
describe('My Function', () => {
??it('should return true', () => {
????assert.strictEqual(myFunction(), true);
??});
});
Don’t Neglect Documentation
Good documentation is essential for maintainability and collaboration. Neglecting documentation can lead to confusion and inefficiencies.
Example of using Swagger for API documentation:
javascript
const swaggerJsDoc = require('swagger-jsdoc');
const swaggerUi = require('swagger-ui-express');
const swaggerOptions = {
??swaggerDefinition: {
????info: {
??????title: 'API',
??????description: 'API Information',
??????version: '1.0.0'
????}
??},
??apis: ['app.js']
};
const swaggerDocs = swaggerJsDoc(swaggerOptions);
app.use('/api-docs', swaggerUi.serve, swaggerUi.setup(swaggerDocs));
Don’t Use Blocking Code
Node.js is designed to handle asynchronous operations. Using blocking code can degrade performance and responsiveness.
Example of non-blocking code in Node.js:
javascript
const fs = require('fs');
fs.readFile('file.txt', 'utf8', (err, data) => {
??if (err) {
????console.error(err);
????return;
??}
??console.log(data);
})
Don’t Hardcode Configuration
Hardcoding configuration values (such as database URLs, API keys, etc.) can make your application less flexible and harder to manage.
Environment Variables: Use environment variables to manage configuration.
Configuration Files: Store configurations in separate files and load them based on the environment.
Example of using environment variables in Node.js:
javascript
require('dotenv').config();
const dbUrl = process.env.DB_URL;
Don’t Ignore Performance Optimization
Performance is critical for user satisfaction and scalability. Ignoring performance optimization can lead to slow and unresponsive applications.
Example of caching with Redis in Node.js:
javascript
const redis = require('redis');
const client = redis.createClient();
client.on('error', (err) => {
??console.error('Error:', err);
});
app.get('/data', (req, res) => {
??client.get('data', (err, result) => {
????if (result) {
??????res.send(result);
????} else {
??????// Fetch data from database and cache it
??????const data = fetchDataFromDatabase();
??????client.set('data', data, 'EX', 3600); // Cache for 1 hour
??????res.send(data);
????}
??});
});
Don’t Skip Code Reviews
Code reviews are an essential practice for maintaining code quality and consistency. Skipping code reviews can lead to unmaintainable and buggy code.
Example of setting up ESLint:
bash
npm
?install eslint --save-dev
./node_modules/.bin/eslint --init
Don’t Ignore Client-Side Performance
Client-side performance is just as important as server-side performance. Neglecting it can lead to a poor user experience.
- Minify and Bundle: Minify and bundle JavaScript and CSS files to reduce load times.
Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading for images and other resources to improve initial load times.
Optimize Angular Performance: Use Angular’s built-in tools to analyze and optimize performance, such as the Angular CLI’s ng build --prod for production builds.
Example of lazy loading in Angular:
typescript
const routes: Routes = [
??{ path: 'home', loadChildren: () => import('./home/home.module').then(m => m.HomeModule) },
??{ path: 'about', loadChildren: () => import('./about/about.module').then(m => m.AboutModule) }
];
Now, further let us understand how I can help you with building an effective MEAN Stack Development
How I can help you with building an effective MEAN Stack Development
I am the founder of Acquaint Softtech, a company dedicated to helping organizations hire remote developers through IT staff augmentation services and outsourced software development. We provide specialized software solutions and assist companies to hire MEAN stack developers at an affordable rate of $15 per hour.
Our team excels in MEAN stack development and MERN stack development, and we are an official Laravel partner and Bagisto development partner. If you're facing challenges with your MERN stack projects, our expert developers are ready to assist you.
Now, let's quickly wrap up the discussion on MEAN Stack Development.
Wrapping Up!
Adopting the MEAN stack for your web development projects can be highly rewarding, but it requires adherence to best practices and avoidance of common pitfalls. By following the do’s and don’ts outlined in this article, you can ensure that your MEAN stack applications are efficient, scalable, and maintainable.?
Emphasizing modular coding, efficient database queries, proper error handling, and robust testing will set a strong foundation for successful MEAN stack development. Simultaneously, avoiding hardcoding, blocking code, neglecting performance optimization, and skipping documentation will help prevent common issues and ensure the long-term success of your projects.