How to Choose the Tech Stack for a Website?

When developing a new web-based project, one of the few key things that are crucial for the project is to choose a technology stack. Technology stacks are really important in creating an ecosystem of the project that bridges everything together. The choice of a technology stack is based on a few key things, like what needs to be done, how the performance should be, the medium of delivery as well as how much it is going to be used.

The choice of a technology stack is what ensures that your customer needs are met. The right technology stack will help you in production, execution, and then even after sales. Furthermore, having the right technology stack can help you align your goals and product needs from an early point in the project which can save you from a failure of the project in the future. In this article, we will look at a few of the technology stacks that are available for the development of a website or a web-based application, how each one of them differs, and how to choose the best technology stack for your product.

Web Development Process:

The web development process is usually made up of two basic parts in terms of the technology stack, there is the front end and the back end of a website, both of them having their technology stacks and needs. The front end is the client-facing part of the website, the one with which the consumer interacts, while the back end handles all of the functionalities of the website, like calculations or even some complex task that is being performed by the website.

In a website, there are multiple layers of functions, which are built on top of each other, each one stacked over another, hence the name stacks. Because of the layers, the stacks are interdependent for functionalities, so synergies between the layers are really important. These layers can be built from a variety of programming languages or tools, that are available. The choice of the programming language is based on several factors, these factors range from synergies to expertise in a stack.

Front End Technology Stack:

The front end of the website allows the users to interact with the website, here the focus is mainly on the user interface and the user experience thus a different technology stack is used for the website. Two of the most common technology stacks being used for the front end all over the world are:

Back End Technology Stack:

Unlike the front end, the back end has a lot more variety in terms of the technology stacks that can be used. The Back end is the operating system of the website, everything that the website does happens on top of it, it includes the storage and management of data in the database, the setup of the server, addition of capabilities on the server (might be AI, or computational).

The most commonly used languages for backend include Java, Php, JavaScript, Python, Dart and Materialize. All of these languages have multiple libraries that can help you determine which should be chosen. For example, for AI and Machine Learning embedded in the website, a Python-based backend is preferred because the Django framework in Python allows for the integration of AI and ML applications.

Tips for choosing the best technology stack:

While choosing a technology stack following tips should be kept in mind so that a good decision can be made.

1) The size of the project: The tech stack for a small project will vary from a tech stack of a large project. The complexity of the problem will determine what the solution to the problem is going to be, this is the approach that needs to be taken. The more complex and thorough the website, the more complex and thorough the programming language should be used.

2) The product specifications: You need to be sure about the target audience of your website before you determine the tech stack because each tech stack will cater to a different problem. Once you have the product specifications down, choose the tech stack with all of the capabilities and more in it, so you don’t have to shift the tech stack mid-way.

3) Speed and Performance: You need to check the compatibility and efficiency of the tech stack with the problem that you are addressing. Speed and performance become big decision-makers when making the choice. Some stacks are faster but lack in performance, while some provide a good mix of both, this all depends on what your requirements are and aligning them with the speed and efficiency.  

4) System Load: All programming languages are not built to cater to processing large system loads, so you need to make sure about the load processing capability of the stack based on your needs.

5) Scalability: Technology is progressing rapidly; an innovation comes along every month, so the tech stack must be able to keep up with that. The last thing you would want is a tech stack that goes obsolete in a few years leaving you with no option but to start again.

6) Timeline: The tech stack as said earlier should be future-proof, it should not only fulfill your requirements currently but any future requirement should also be fulfilled by the tech stack. You should ensure that the requirements are met throughout the lifetime of the project and not just now.   

7) Your Team: One of the most important things to consider is your team, you might have the best JavaScript programmers in your team that might fail at creating a simple website with a backend in Python. So, it is very important to have the right talent for the project that you are working for, use your team in the best way possible and move to a stack that they are most comfortable in. Or if you are creating a team from the ground up, build one for the stack that you have chosen by using the tips above.

The key idea is that your choice of some or another set of technologies for web application development should be based primarily on the functional and quality requirements you want to build in your software. If, with that web application tech stack, you can develop all desired functions and features you want to have in your product, then, probably, it's the right choice.