You know the drill — planning is half the battle won. Choosing the right technology stack for a web application is one of the most important steps to make in the process of its development.
The importance of correctly composed Technology Stack cannot be underestimated. In many ways, that’s where the future of an app is decided. If the stack is wrong or lacking — no elaborate coding and marketing can save it from dying a horrible death of a bad app that nobody wants. Tech Stack shapes the way web application will operate thus it defines its future.
Long story short, well-composed tech stack makes things easier thus more effective.
What is Tech Stack? It is a set of technologies, software and programming languages used to create an application. Typically, the stack is divided into backend part (server side of things) and frontend part (user side of things).
Each element fits together and results in an application that performs its function well and engages its user to use it frequently.
IMAGE: PIXABAY
Why Optimized Tech Stack Matters?
Choosing the right stack is easier said than done. From the technical point of view — composing the tech stack is not a very complicated task. It is more or less comes down to “find right elements and fit them neatly into the bigger picture”. The challenge is not in finding the fitting technology but choosing technology that your development team is able to work with effectively.
Curiously, the demanding part is not what it seems — developers can be familiar with the technology but such things as project requirements and costs can play against the use of particular technology. That means it takes more than just knowing to use it effectively.
According to experts from web development company The APP Solutions, the good technological stack can be described as a “handy set of tools for converting feasible possibilities into viable opportunities”.
Here’s a couple of tips on how to pick right technology stack for your application.
Set The Requirements Straight
The first step in composing an effective tech stack is to clearly define its requirements. Basically, it is one simple question “what do you need to use in order to create an app?”. Nature of your application defines tools that can be used to realize it.
While it might seem obvious, sometimes it slips out of mind in the process of consideration. Clearly defined requirements help to choose only those elements that are necessary and avoid applying something that will eventually turn detrimental to the project.
Here are several questions you can use upon considering the elements of the stack:
- Is the element functionally appropriate for the project?
- Is it easy to use?
- Is it used it to its maximum potential? If not — why?
- Is the element cost justified? If not — is there any alternative?
- Are we missing anything?
These little questions will help you understand whether a chosen element of the tech stack is working for the benefit of the project or dragging it down.
Basically, every element can be boiled down to the essential threesome of parameters:
- Performance & speed — how fast element is working. Is it appropriate for the requirement and so on. This metric also covers a variety of factors, such as page load, scalability and data processing and so on.
- Privacy & Security — in the age of data breaches and strict data protection policies — privacy and security terms of certain elements of the stack become critical points upon considering using this or that element.
- Cost — money is probably the most decisive factor of them all. In case of tech stack, costs can be critical in choosing certain elements. Among the things that go into consideration are hosting costs, technology licensing and developers fees.
Assess The Stack
One of the common misconceptions with the tech stacks is that once it is settled — it is set in stone. Not exactly. Over the course of developing web application tech stack can be subject of revisions and reshuffling depending on its effectiveness.
Why? Because some things may not work out as planned and other things may come to the forth in the process.
In order to keep things under control, you need to reassess the tech stack at the end of each stage of development. While it may not result in any changes — it can give you a clear picture of what is working and what is lacking.
Keep It Streamlined
In many ways, upon considering the tech stack for web application one should keep it simple and streamlined. Otherwise, the stack itself will bleed the project.
On the other hand, the streamlined stack is easier to adapt and modify which critical when it comes to continuous development and refinement of the features in the long run.
The biggest problem development team can face with while working with a tech stack is a flock of needless elements — too much stuff, some of it never even used but still present just in case. Every such element of the stack is dragging it down and making overall project more frail in the long run.
Technology Stack – In Conclusion
Technological stack done right works magic for your web application. Even if there are many bugs and it falls apart on every step — the correctly composed stack is a guarantee that it can be fixed.
These tips can help you with the fundamentals of considering elements of the stack. However, one must remember that there are many elements specific to a particular project and that in the end, one should decide on their own whether this or that element is appropriate to use or not.
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