Web Development Stack Components

 Web Development Stack Components

https://enkonix.com/blog/web-development-stacks/

Components of a Web Development Stack

A web application is generally divided into two components: the server-side (back-end) and the client-side (front-end). 

Each of these components is composed of consecutive layers of technology implementing different functionalities built atop each other forming a stack. The tech stack is, therefore, the combination of multiple technology services used in the creation of the data ecosystem that helps to run an application. Due to its importance in building an application, choosing the tech stack is often considered one of the most critical factors in application design and development. 

Besides influencing the technical factors, the tech stack also helps with the following - 

• Identify the human skills the organization should hire 

• Projected efficiency of development teams 

• Variety of products the company can build 

The following section explores various components of a web application and how they relate to web development tech stacks.

The Front-End

An application’s front-end encompasses various components that the end-user can see and interact directly with. 

Apart from the user interface, front-end development also utilizes web development technologies running on the Open Web Platform to architect websites and applications. 

An application’s front-end is composed of three main components:

1. User Interface - the visual representation of information generated by front-end software, providing a graphical means of viewing, accessing, and editing website data.

2. Markup Language - the set of symbols, rules for how they should be used, and the instructions implemented by each symbol to deliver information to the user. Typically, an HTML markup language is widely used in websites to inform browsers and viewing software how to read and display content.

3. Scripting/Programming Language - these are the tools that give life to dynamic websites. These languages are meant to run as part of the application, inserting interactive elements that make the user experience more engaging.

Front-End development comes with various challenges particularly arising from the fact that tools and techniques used for client-side programming are constantly changing. Additionally, users rely on different devices with varying screen sizes, resolutions and refresh rates, making them a complex consideration during development. 

The Back-End

An application’s back-end or server-side contains various processes that run under the hood to service user requests and transactions. Back-end frameworks enable communication between the web service and a database where the site’s content is stored and fetched from. 

A back-end also involves processes involved in implementing business logic and accessing other IT resources such as cloud services and file servers. 

An application’s back end is a stack of multiple layers, including:

1. Application Logic - an application logic uses a server-side programming language to develop the application. These are coding platforms used to develop the instructions that guide web servers on how to handle user requests. These languages are usually part of a framework that simplifies coding by eliminating repetition and the need to reinvent the wheel.

2. File System - every web application needs a file storage platform to manage the system and user data. Modern web applications are data-driven, where IT operations and development are tightly integrated with data analytics to improve product quality and user experience. 

3. Database - a structured data set that enables the organization, storage, and access of information on products, transactions, user identities and other data generated by the application. 

4. Hosting - the service that allows organizations to publish and expose their web services to the internet. Applications could be hosted in-house, using public cloud offerings or through third-party hosting. The right hosting provider is chosen based on the security, speed and reliability of their services.

5. Web Server - the component of the web application that coordinates communication between users and the back-end service. The web server relies on transfer protocols (HTTP/HTTPS) to transmit data between the front and back ends.

6. Web Development Frameworks - these frameworks provide templates, structures and components to reduce the time required for building back-ends and front-ends.

7. Operating System - every server has an Operating System installed that acts as an interface between various development software and hardware resources.