JavaScript stack
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A JavaScript stack is a collection of technologies that use JavaScript
as a primary programming language across the entire software development
process, typically combining front-end and back-end tools to build
full-scale web applications. With the rise of Node.js, JavaScript can
now be executed server-side, allowing developers to use a single
language for both client and server development. This unification
simplifies the development workflow, improves code reuse, and enhances
productivity by enabling consistent logic and tooling across the
application. JavaScript stacks are often favored for their speed,
scalability, and access to a vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks
available through platforms like npm. The increasing popularity of these
stacks reflects a broader shift toward full-stack JavaScript development
Contents
• JAMstack
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MEAN/MERN/MEVN
support programs that are written in JavaScript, MEAN applications can
be written in one language for both server-side and client-side
execution environments. Though often compared directly to other popular
web development stacks such as the LAMP stack, the components of the
MEAN stack are higher-level including a web application presentation
layer and not including an operating system layer.cite-ref-9[9]
The acronym MEAN was coined by Valeri Karpov.cite-ref-mongodbmeanstack-10-0[10] He introduced the term
in a 2013 blog post and the logo, initially created by Austin Anderson
for the original MEAN stack LinkedIn group, is an assembly of the first
letter of each component of the MEAN acronym.cite-ref-meanstacklinkedin-11-0[11]
Following the adoption of the MEAN stack, alternative versions emerged
to accommodate different front-end preferences while maintaining the
same JavaScript-based architecture. The MERN stack substitutes Angular
with React.js, a declarative, component-based library developed by Meta
(formerly Facebook), which allows for greater flexibility in building
dynamic user interfaces. Meanwhile, the MEVN stack integrates Vue.js, a
progressive front-end framework known for its gentle learning curve and
ease of integration into existing projects. Both variations preserve the
core back-end technologies—MongoDB, Express.js, and Node.js—while
catering to developers who prefer a different approach to front-end
development. These stacks reflect the growing diversification of the
JavaScript ecosystem, offering developers choices based on performance,
learning preferences, and community support, while still enabling
Components
The components of MEAN, MERN, and MEVN are:
MongoDB
MongoDB is a NoSQL database program that uses JSON-like BSON (binary
JSON) documents with optional schemas.
The role of the database in the MEAN stack is very commonly filled by
MongoDB because its use of JSON-like documents for interacting with data
as opposed to the row/column model allows it to integrate well with the
other (JavaScript-based) components of the stack.cite-ref-14[14]
Express.js
Express.js (also referred to as Express) is a modular web application
While Express is capable of acting as an internet-facing web server,
even supporting SSL/TLS out of the box, it is often used in conjunction
reasons.cite-ref-16[16]
Angular, React, or Vue
Typically data is fetched using Ajax techniques and rendered in the
browser on the client-side by a client-side application framework.
However as the stack is commonly entirely JavaScript-based, in some
implementations of the stack, server-side rendering is used. Here the
rendering of the initial page can be offloaded to a server. It is used
so that the initial data can be prefetched before it is loaded in the
user's browser.cite-ref-17[17]
Node.js
Node.js is the application runtime that the MEAN stack runs on.
The use of Node.js, which is said to represent a "JavaScript Everywhere"
paradigm,cite-ref-18[18] is integral to the MEAN stack which relies on it.
JAMstack
JAMstack (also stylized as Jamstack) is a web development architecture
combining the use of JavaScript, APIs and markup has existed since the
In JAMstack websites, the application logic typically resides on the
client side (for example, an embedded e-commerce checkout service that
interacts with pre-rendered static content), without being tightly
coupled to a backend server. JAMstack sites are usually served with a
Other stacks
OS-level stacks
MLVNcite-ref-24[24]
MongoDB (database)
Linux (operating system)
Varnish (software) (frontend cache)
Node.js (JavaScript runtime)
WISAV/WIPAV
Windows Server (operating system)
Internet Information Services (web server)
Microsoft SQL Server/PostgreSQL (database)
ASP.NET (backend web framework)
Vue.js (frontend web framework)
OS-agnostic web stacks
GRANDstackcite-ref-grandstack-25-0[25]
GraphQL (data query and manipulation language)
React (web application presentation)
Apollo (Data Graph Platform)
PERNcite-ref-26[26]
PostgreSQL (database)
Express.js (application controller layer)
React (JavaScript library) (web application presentation)
Node.js (JavaScript runtime)
T-RExcite-ref-27[27]
TerminusDB (scalable graph database)
React (JavaScript web framework)
References
cite-note-22. ↑ Pimentel, Jon. Full-Stack React Projects. Packt Publishing, 2018.
cite-note-33. ↑ "Node.js — About Node.js®". nodejs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
cite-note-0-55. ↑ "us-en_cloud_learn_mean-stack-explained". www.ibm.com. IBM Cloud Education. 2019-05-09. Archived from the original on 2020-05-14. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-77. ↑ "MERN Stack Explained". Archived from the original on 2023-04-27.
cite-note-88. ↑ "How to Use MERN Stack: A Complete Guide". Archived from the original on 2023-03-21.
cite-note-99. ↑ "LAMP vs MEAN, Deciding the right stack for your startup". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-mongodbmeanstack-1010. ↑ "The MEAN Stack: MongoDB, ExpressJS, Angular and Node.js". Tumblr. Apr 30, 2013.
cite-note-1313. ↑ "Vue.js". vuejs.org. Retrieved 2025-06-18.
cite-note-1414. ↑ "The most popular database for modern apps". MongoDB. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-1515. ↑ "Express - Node.js web application framework". expressjs.com. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-1616. ↑ citerefii2019II, Thomas Hunter (2019-03-28). "Why should I use a Reverse Proxy if Node.js is Production-Ready?". Medium. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-1717. ↑ "Features - Server Side Rendering | Next.js". nexts.org. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
cite-note-1919. ↑ "What is Jamstack?". Jamstack.org.
cite-note-grandstack-2525. ↑ "GRANDStack". Retrieved 24 Dec 2019.
cite-note-2626. ↑ "Learn the PERN Stack by building a web app - Full video course". freeCodeCamp.org. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2021-06-19.
cite-note-2727. ↑ "TerminusDB on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-10-14.