Comparative: MEAN stack vs MERN stack

In the context of web development, it is important to have a good technological knowledge to successfully complete a project, as it is constantly evolving. It is the same in programming. When creating a website or an application, a developer must master the technologies, but which stack to choose between MERN and MEAN Stack? Similarities, differences..., we' ll tell you everything in this comparison!

What is MEAN Stack?

MEAN stack is a full stack technology. It is used by programmers to develop Web applications or mobile applications (hybrid and non-native). Based on JavaScript, it is open source and offers useful tools and plugins. It brings together four of the most widely used and appreciated technologies for JavaScript development:

MongoDB
Express
AngularJS
NodeJS

MEAN lays the foundation for easy creation of complex web applications.

What is MERN Stack?

The MERN stack is also a technology stack used by full stack developers. Its main feature is that it allows to develop a website or a Web application from A to Z (back-end and front-end). Its components are as follows:

MongoDB
Express
React
Node.js

JavaScript on the client side and Node.js on the server side.

What are the differences between the MEAN stack and the MERN stack?

Performance

With the MEAN stack, Angular is used to update the "real" Document Object Model (DOM) for HTML and XML programming. MERN uses React for the update of the virtual DOM, which allows to code faster applications.

Code writing

MERN uses React, which is based on JavaScript and MEAN, Typescript. Typescript is a superset of JavaScript that helps identify errors and therefore increases the chances of writing bug-free code.
For code management and upgrade, MEAN has Angular which is a complete and well-organized framework that can better support the MVC architecture. As a result, it is easier to isolate the code related to the database from the code related to the user interface with an intermediate layer, which facilitates management and upgrading.

Productivity

Being Given MongoDB, Express.js, and Node.js are common to both MEAN and MERN, the differences in productivity between the two would arise from the differences between Angular and React. Productivity is better with MEAN because Angular is a complete framework while MERN will require the use of third party libraries with React. For example, upgrading a React code will be easier with Angular which has the CLI (Command Line Interface).

Flexibility

Unlike MEAN, MERN has React is a library that offers the freedom to choose the third party libraries and tools you wish to use. On the other hand, those who do not wish to have a framework with their own components can turn to Angular.

Data Processing

The data flow is bidirectional in the case of Angular. The model is therefore automatically modified if a change is made to the user interface. In the case of React, where the data flow is unidirectional, it is only after changing the state of the model that it is possible to change the user interface. This feature makes MERN stack more suitable for the management of large projects, as it offers a better overview of the data.

Test

It is possible to test an application created under MEAN stack with a single tool, but this is not the case when MERN is used where several tools are required. It will take one tool to test the JavaScript code and maybe use another one to test the components. You will probably use several third party libraries when coding an application with React, so your testing effort is greater.

MEAN vs MERN stack : the similarities

There are some similarities between the MEAN and MERN technology stacks. First of all, some components are common to both:

MongoDB : an open source database that allows back-end applications to store data in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation).
Express.js: an open source web back-end application framework based on Node.js used to manage HTTP requests, render basic routing and create APIs.
Nœud.js: an open source runtime environment based on JavaScript that assists programming to create scalable Web applications.

MEAN and MERN are open source frameworks that cover the entire development process from the front end to the back end and can both support the Model View Controller (MVC) architecture. Both stacks help to organize user interface components using optimal code. Developers can also access a set of predefined test tools in both cases. Although MEAN uses Angular and MERN, React, both offer protection against Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), a key application security vulnerability.

MEAN vs MERN for mobile application development

Using MEAN stack for the development of mobile applications allows to use the Ionic framework which offers the possibility to create hybrid applications. This results in a reduction of development costs, as a single code base is available for Android and iOS platforms.
However, MERN stack is a better choice for mobile application development because React Native offers a near-native user experience.
MEAN stack and MERN stack differ with respect to certain criteria, but both offer several advantages. Before choosing the most suitable stack, it is necessary to review certain criteria and overall project requirements, such as :