A mobile app is as robust and fail-proof as the technology powering it, period. Choosing the right stack means choosing the foundation and building blocks for your mobile app. As a principal product strategist, I can say that this technology stack has more than 60% role in determining the direction of growth and scalability for the mobile product. That’s why, whether you are building a full-fledged, commercial-scale mobile app for your business or launching an MVP to analyze the market fit for your startup idea, choose the right stack. Here is what goes in a tech stack.
What is a technology stack?
A technology stack, also called a tech stack or simply ‘stack’ is a set of tools and frameworks, programming languages, libraries, components and integrated development environments that developers use to code applications.
A technology stack often comprises frontend and backend components with each component goes a set of databases and other supporting elements like UI kits and APIs.
Components of a technology stack
A mobile app tech stack typically consists of four types of components.
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Frontend
This layer deals with the user interface and user experience of the application. You can also think of it as the ‘face’ of the mobile app that interacts directly with the user. In technical documentation, frontend is also used for client-side technologies.
Frontend includes technologies like HTML, CSS and JavaScript frameworks such as React, Angular or Vue.js for building interactive and responsive interfaces.
For mobile apps specifically, React Native and Flutter work as the ideal frontend tools.
React Native
React Native is a popular JavaScript framework that helps with building native as well as cross-platform mobile applications. It allows developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android, saving time and effort in development.
Flutter
The strongest competitor to React Native, Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google.
Mobile app developers typically use Flutter to compile the user interfaces of native as well as cross-platform apps that run on web and desktop too. Flutter uses the Dart programming language and provides a rich set of customizable widgets for building beautiful user interfaces.
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Backend
The backend layer is the server-side of the mobile app. It handles all the technical and logical functions, for example data processing and communicating with third-party programs.
Technologies commonly used for backend development include programming languages like JavaScript (Node.js), Python (Django, Flask), Java (Spring Boot) and Ruby (Ruby on Rails).
Node.js
Node.js is a runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code on the server side. It is lightweight and has an event-driven architecture – both of these qualities make it well-suited for building scalable and real-time applications.
Node.js is commonly used with Express.js, a minimalist web application framework, to create robust backend APIs.
Django
Django is a high-level Python web framework that promotes rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. It follows the "batteries-included" philosophy, providing developers with a comprehensive set of tools and libraries for building web and mobile backends.
Django's built-in ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) simplifies database operations and promotes code reusability.
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Database
The database layer stores and manages the application's data. There are various types of databases, including relational databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL, NoSQL databases like MongoDB and Cassandra and in-memory databases like Redis.
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Infrastructure
This layer includes the underlying infrastructure and tools needed to deploy and run the application, such as cloud services (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), web servers (Nginx, Apache) and containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Technology Stack for Your Project
While all mobile technologies work well – and are developed to build great mobile applications, you can’t randomly decide a tech stack for your product team.
There are several technical, experience and business factors that you have to consider when forming this set. Keep reading to explore how typical mobile app development companies in Dubai decide what would go in the tech stack for a specific application.
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Project Goals
Understanding the overarching objectives of the project is crucial. Whether it's building a scalable e-commerce platform or a user-friendly mobile app, the technology stack should align with the project's goals and long-term vision.
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User Requirements
Prioritize understanding the needs and preferences of the end users. The technology stack should support features and functionalities that meet user expectations, enhance user experience and address pain points effectively.
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Scalability
Assess the scalability requirements of the application. Will the system need to handle a growing user base or increased data volume over time? Choosing technologies that can scale horizontally or vertically according to demand is essential for future-proofing the application.
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Performance
Evaluate the performance implications of the technology stack. Factors such as response times, throughput and resource utilization impact the overall user experience. Opt for technologies that offer optimal performance and efficiency without compromising functionality.
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Development Cost
Consider the financial aspects associated with building and maintaining the application. Evaluate the licensing fees, development tools, infrastructure costs and ongoing maintenance expenses associated with the chosen technologies. Balancing cost-effectiveness with the project's requirements is critical.
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Compatibility and Integration
Ensure compatibility and seamless integration between different components of the technology stack. Frontend frameworks should work well with chosen backend technologies and databases should integrate smoothly with the application logic. Compatibility issues can lead to development delays and operational challenges down the line.
How to Match Frontend and Backend Technologies
When pairing frontend and backend technologies, it's important to consider compatibility, performance and communication requirements between the client and server components of the application.
Consider these development scenarios:
React Native and Node.js/Express.js: React Native's ability to communicate with backend APIs via HTTP requests makes it a natural fit for pairing with Node.js and Express.js. Developers can use popular libraries like Axios or fetch API to handle API calls and data exchange between the frontend and backend layers.
Flutter and Django: Flutter's flexibility and platform-agnostic nature allow it to integrate seamlessly with Django-based backend APIs. Developers can leverage Django's REST framework to create robust RESTful APIs that serve data and business logic to Flutter mobile applications. Libraries like Dio or http can be used for making HTTP requests from Flutter apps to Django backend servers.
When scaling the mobile app, you have to choose a technology stack that has components compatible and interoperable – plus secure and robust to handle increasing loads of data.
Take my 2 quick tips:
For horizontal scaling, use technology stack based on React Native to utilize its cross-platform capacities. For vertical scaling, use technologies like Node.js, JavaScript and Python.
About Hady Shaikh
Hady Shaikh is the Senior President Business Unit and Strategy at CMOLDS UAE – and principal product strategist at heart who spends his typical day building product strategies, custom technology stacks, monetization frameworks and startup funding opportunities for mobile app entrepreneurs in the Middle East.
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