What is a Web Stack and how does a Web Stack Work?
Web stacks (tech stacks, frameworks, etc.) like the LAMP stack are used to develop complex applications online. There are several derivations of web stacks, but they all follow this simple watered-down formula:
– Frontend/Clientside: Something for your user to look at
– Database: Something to store your users and anything they may need on your application
– API: Something to connect your users to your database without exposing your entire database to everyone
– Operating System: Something to host all of the backend (Database + API) and serve your frontend to users.
In this article, we’ll talk about the LAMP stack and why you should still learn this technology instead of starting out with MERN or MEAN.
What Is A LAMP Stack?
LAMP stacks are much simpler than MERN and MEAN stacks. LAMP is an acronym for:
-Linux (operating system)
-Apache / Nginx (web server software)
-MySQL / MariaDB (database management system)
-PHP / Perl, Python, Ruby (programming language).
The LAMP stack is used to build websites and other software applications. It was created in the 1990s by a Finnish computer science student named Tommi Vainikka. The acronym is based on the first letters of each component, with Linux added first because it’s the operating system that runs Apache and MySQL.
Since the frontend is a basic combination of HTML/CSS/JavaScript, we do not include this in the acronym and instead focus on the web server software. Personally, I think it is because they could not form a cool acronym with any of these letters!
When compared to the MERN and MEAN stacks, the LAMP stack is much simpler. It’s not as popular with developers because of its lack of flexibility, but it’s a good option for beginners who want to get started quickly.
Correspondingly, MERN stands for MongoDB, Express, React (React Native) and Node.js -where MongoDB is the database, Express serves the API software, React (Native) displays the client side and Node.js works as the operating system. The only difference between MERN and MEAN is the frontend software, where Angular (Flutter) is used for the client side.
MERN stacks are entirely written in JavaScript which is notorious for its learning curve. Newcomers to JavaScript may struggle to work effectively with the language, making it more difficult to learn a MERN stack alongside a new language simultaneously.
With that being said, there are a plethora of modern applications with the LAMP stack that still make it a viable option today. The LAMP stack is a great option for beginners because it gives you access to the core components needed to build a web application. You can use this stack free of charge if you have Linux installed on your computer, which is why many developers prefer it over other options.
WordPress Powers 33% Of Web Applications
Several popular website building applications like WordPress are created in LAMP. WordPress powers more than 100 million websites and is one of the most popular content management systems in use today. It’s used by everyone from individuals to large companies, and for many different types of sites.
This is because WordPress is easy to use, customizable, and has a huge support community. It’s also very secure compared to other CMS’s due to its automatic updates and ability for users to add security plugins.
WordPress has been around for quite some time, and utilizes the LAMP Stack for its operations. The LAMP Stack, of course, is a group of open source software that makes up the core of WordPress. The LAMP Stack for WordPress applications stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP.
There are many developers, like us, that create professional WordPress applications for clients that do not want to lift a finger in the development process. Even though it uses an older technology stack, it is possible to use LAMP without writing any code.
Are LAMP Stacks better than MERN Stacks?
It depends! There are many ways to develop a website, and these technology stacks are tools to achieve a great looking website. While most web developers use LAMP stacks, some will prefer to use MERN. This is because they are very similar in their functionality, but there are some key differences that can make one better than the other depending on what you’re looking for. For example, if security is your number one priority, then LAMP stacks are more secure than MERN stacks because they use open source software that has been tested over time.
LAMP stacks are not obsolete. They still have a lot of features that modernized JavaScript stacks do not have. These include reliable performance, easy maintenance, and security. You can also develop your own custom stack based on LAMP if you want to further customize it to suit your needs. The LAMP stack is a popular choice for web app frameworks that help you build, deploy and maintain your website. It is a powerful combination of technologies enabling you to develop a website quickly, deploy it easily and customize it easily.
However, if you are developing exotic features for a web application or require a mobile application, you should consider a more modernized framework like MERN and MEAN. JavaScript libraries like Flutter and React Native are more optimized for mobile development. These frameworks offer many features for complex development, but require more technical experience to pull off.
So Should You Still Learn The LAMP Stack?
Yes, you should. There are many applications for LAMP and it is a tried and tested software package for web development. Even if you don’t want to code up a website from scratch, there are several packages like WordPress that make use of this technology. Learning Pearl or PHP will give you the ability to develop custom endpoints for your website, whereas learning MySQL will allow you to create new items in your database.
While LAMP development may be limited in modern projects, many companies still prefer LAMP for its security and performance over MERN stacks. As the MERN/MEAN/etc. technology improves over time, this security and performance will have a similar legendary track record and will be regarded as the standard. However, we’ll most likely have the latest and greatest tech stack to work with by then!
Founder and CEO of R U Coding Me LLC. Jacob obtained his Bachelor’s of Computer Science at the University of Central Florida. He likes to go to the gym and teach people about technology.
