The MEAN stack is a popular technology stack used for building web applications. It's an acronym that stands for MongoDB, Express.js, Angular (or AngularJS), and Node.js. Each component of the MEAN stack plays a specific role in web application development, and together they provide a full-stack JavaScript solution.
Components
MongoDB
MongoDB is a NoSQL database that stores data in a flexible, schema-less format known as JSON-like documents (BSON, Binary JSON). It's designed for handling large volumes of unstructured or semi-structured data. MongoDB is particularly well-suited for web applications because it allows for easy scalability and can handle various types of data, making it a good choice for applications with constantly changing data requirements.
Express
Express.js is a minimal and flexible web application framework for Node.js. It simplifies the process of building robust, scalable, and efficient web applications by providing a set of features and tools. Express.js handles routing, middleware management, and HTTP request/response handling, making it easier to build RESTful APIs and handle routing for your application.
Angular
Angular is a front-end JavaScript framework maintained by Google. It's used to build dynamic and single-page web applications (SPAs). AngularJS, which is an older version, is also part of the MEAN stack, but it's less commonly used now. Angular provides a structured way to create interactive user interfaces, manage data binding, handle events, and work with components. It follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern.
Node
Node.js is a server-side JavaScript runtime that allows you to run JavaScript code on the server. It's known for its non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it well-suited for building highly scalable and efficient network applications. In the context of the MEAN stack, Node.js serves as the server-side component. It handles backend logic, communicates with the database (MongoDB), and serves API endpoints to the front-end (Angular or AngularJS).
Typical MEAN Workflow
- The Angular frontend sends HTTP requests to the Node.js backend.
- Express.js routes and middleware handle these requests on the server side.
- Node.js communicates with the MongoDB database to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations.
- Data is retrieved from the database and sent back to the client as JSON.
- Angular displays the data and interacts with the user.
- The client-side and server-side communicate asynchronously, providing a seamless and dynamic user experience.
In summary, the MEAN stack is an end-to-end JavaScript stack for building web applications. MongoDB provides the database, Express.js handles the backend, Angular (or AngularJS) manages the frontend, and Node.js serves as the runtime environment and server. This stack is known for its ease of use, real-time capabilities, and the ability to develop both frontend and backend components using a single programming language, JavaScript.