Which backend technology works well with React?

The backend of the application encompasses all the things that are happening “behind the scenes”. It is a part of the application that cannot be accessed directly by the end-user. The parts of the application that the user can interact with and the way that the app is communicating with the server-side are called the frontend or client-side of the application. There are many technologies that may be used in the development process to ensure that the business solution will have all the required features.

React is one of the most popular JavaScript-based frontend technologies for application development. This library is a part of the tech stack in multiple projects of different sizes. What backend frameworks are usually chosen by developers to combine with React.js as frontend technology? 

What is ReactJS?

React.js was originally developed and used by Facebook developers, although in 2013 the company decided to introduce it to the rest of the IT community and make it open-source. Soon enough, programmers who faced similar technical problems as Facebook did before, took interest in this JavaScript-based library. It actually became extremely popular around the world and nowadays, it is one of the most often used technologies for user interface development.

Wondering why you should use React.js? The main advantage is that it ensures flexibility of the project and good performance. It may also be applied to various types of applications. This JavaScript-based technology is a good choice for projects where UI plays a vital role.

React Native – what you need to know

React Native, on the other hand, is a JavaScript framework – a platform for native mobile application development. It was released in 2015 also as an open-source technology. As you can assume from the name, it is related to React.js, as it was based on it. Applications built using React Native often make use of typical smartphone features like a phone camera, user’s location, etc. React Native enables developers to ensure a great user experience for mobile device users.

The most important thing you need to know about it is that it does not render WebViews in the code. Instead, it runs on native views and components. React Native is used by a large group of developers. Choosing React could contribute to considerable time and money savings in the development process. Applications built with React are also characterized by the great performance

JavaScript pair: React and Node.js

Python, Java, Ruby, PHP – which programming language is the best for backend development? JavaScript, a programming language, is known as full-stack technology. This means that it may be used for developing both – the frontend and the backend of an application. So, is that a good choice? Should you combine JavaScript-based frontend library and JavaScript backend framework? Node.js is a quite popular choice for the server-side development of an app. 

Applications with backend and frontend built using the same programming language are often referred to as isomorphic. This approach allows for communication between client-side and server-side of the application to be fast and efficient. Is this JavaScript duo a right combination for your next project? In fact, it was a good choice for several large brands, such as Walmart. What are the benefits of using this framework pair? 

1. Node.js modules enable developers to bundle the React application into a single file.
2. React.js code can be executed directly in the Node.js environment, as they are both JavaScript-based. 
3. Some components of the React DOM have been designed specifically to work with Node. That makes server-side rendering much smoother. 

Choosing to work with React for frontend and Node for backend is a good idea when you are trying to create a web application which will need to handle multiple simultaneous requests. Node can also be the right technology for building apps that will process data in real time. It is also a good combination for developing SPAs. 

MERN for end-to-end web app development

Many frameworks may be used in one project. MERN stands for the combination of four of them: MongoDB, Express.js, React.js and Node.js. It is quite a popular tech stack for web development. MERN allows developers to build comprehensive JavaScript-based web applications. How is that? JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is responsible for data storage and transport. Express is a framework for web app development – it simplifies the process of writing server code. This framework is using specific models to deal with URL routing and handling HTTP requests and responses. It works together with Node on the server side. Node.js runs JavaScript code on the server and is responsible for handling concurrent requests efficiently. The code of an application is run by React in the browser in order to make user interface (UI) interactive. 

React Native and Django

React Native – the framework for mobile app development – can be used together with Django – a high-level Python-based framework for backend development. Just like React, it is open-source and free to use for anyone. If you decide on Python it is highly possible that you will be able to develop an application at a moderate cost. This programming language is nowadays quite popular. The main advantage of Django is scalability – it is used for building both small projects and comprehensive, complex solutions capable of handling heavy traffic and large volumes of data. It may be used for building cross-platform applications in a short time as well. 

So why are React Native and Django a good pairing for app development? Django is supported by a large community, just as React, and they have both been used by the largest companies on the market. Django may be applied for mobile as well as for web development regardless of the size of the project. It is a good choice if you wish to deploy your product quickly, and – what is almost as important as tech stuff – Python developers’ salaries may not be as high as the salaries of developers specializing in Java or Node. Would you like to put your money on React Native? Django may be one of the best choices for server-side development.

Why is choosing the right tech stack so important?

So, is that it? Are those your only choices? Absolutely not! There are plenty of backend technologies you can use to build your React application. Creating an IT solution for business is a complex process and choosing the right tech stack is crucial for assuring the success of your IT undertaking. As there are so many options, you should carefully consider your needs and expectations and define your project requirements. We can advise you on the appropriate stack for your application and help you find the best experts in our ranks to support you in building a powerful and scalable application. 

Choose technologies that give your developers the flexibility they need. Check out our services and contact us to learn more about what we can do for your business.