According to Allan Kay, a computer scientist known for his pioneering work in object-oriented programming and windowing graphical user interface,
"The most disastrous thing that you can ever learn is your first programming language." ~ Alan Kay
In this article, I'm going to be writing about the popular JavaScript technology stacks that a beginner JavaScript might choose as a path to follow after learning Vanilla JavaScript from data types, functional programming to JavaScript the hard part with asynchronous javascript and feels comfortable to use or learn how to use a number of JavaScript libraries/frameworks.
Earlier on JavaScript was only used for client-side but now JavaScript is used for backend through Nodejs and machine learning through TensorFlow.
Here are the few stacks I'll cover:-
1. MERN STACK
This is a popular JavaScript stack, this stack uses:
- node environment,
- for frontend development: reactjs which is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It's an open-source product of Facebook Developers React is a popular front-end library since most online courses/ tutorials/ Bootcamps/ mentorship programs offer Reactjs as its client-side technology of choice and most employers ask for React proficiency in most of their job qualifications.
- For backend development this stack uses MongoDB a serverless or no-SQL database alongside express which is a Nodejs library for the serverside.
You can check this [Reactjs roadmap]
2. MEAN
This is another popular JavaScript stack, this stack still uses:
- node environment like the MERN stack
- Difference comes in during front-end development where this stack uses Angularjs which is a structural framework for dynamic web apps. It's powered by Google Developers. If you want to part of the google community or products/ programs like Google Developer Expert this is the framework for you.
- For the Backend Development you'll still use express the Nodejs Library together with MongoDB as a serverless Database
3. MEVN
This is another JavaScript that has gained a lot of popularity especially this year a lot of people have been considering choosing this path.
- this task as the rest uses - node environment
- For front-end development this stack uses Vuejs which is the Progressive JavaScript Framework. It's a product of Evan You. Most developers have been showing their projects they've built using Vuejs and giving their likings towards Vue. A lot of job adverts and freelancer jobs have been demanding Vuejs developers showing that this a FE framework worth learning.
- This stack still uses Nodejs's express library for Backend Development together with MongoDB as its database.
Full Stack
You'll often come across full-stack developer, a full-stack developer is one who can comfortably build both client-side and server-side products using HTML, CSS, together with either MERN/ MEAN or MEVN stack.
You'll be advised to focus on learning what you can learn since in an ideal world it's hard to be full-stack you can focus on being good with frontend development or backend as combine skills to make good developers eventually you can fit for full-stack positions.
If you're still new to JavaScript frameworks and libraries you just decide the tech stack you want to learn or use to build your projects and with you'll have chosen your JavaScript Stack. Some people combine Ruby on Rails, Ruby together with JavaScript front-end library/ framework but I was focusing on stacks that use node environment, same backend but frontend tech changes for the stacks.
This makes the end of my article if you have other insightful information in regards to this you can add to the comment section. Thank you for reading my article!