The Top Technology Stacks for Software Development
This is part 2 of my review of the top 10 Technology stacks for software development. You can see the part 1 here
As much as I love the top five stacks, some projects have unique requirements where other technology stacks fit better. In this part of the series, I’ll walk through the bottom five popular technology stacks that have been invaluable to me for specialized projects or emerging trends.
6. Ruby on Rails (RoR) Stack
- Technologies: Ruby, Rails, PostgreSQL/MySQL, HTML/CSS/JavaScript
- Best for: Rapid development and startups looking to build Minimum Viable Products (MVPs).
Ruby on Rails has been my go-to when speed matters more than anything else. Its convention-over-configuration approach lets me get applications up and running quickly, making it perfect for startups and MVPs.
// Sample Code: Rails (Backend)
# config/routes.rb
Rails.application.routes.draw do
root 'home#index'
end
# app/controllers/home_controller.rb
class HomeController < ApplicationController
def index
render plain: "Hello from Ruby on Rails Stack!"
end
end
When to Use: Ruby on Rails is great for startups that need to build quickly and iterate on their product. I’ve used it to build MVPs for clients that later turned into full-fledged applications.
7. .NET Stack
- Technologies: C#, ASP.NET, SQL Server, HTML/CSS/JavaScript
- Best for: Enterprise-grade web applications and cloud-based solutions.
When I work with large-scale enterprise projects, .NET is often the best choice. It’s a secure, scalable stack that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft’s Azure cloud services, making it great for long-term, business-critical applications.
// Sample Code: C# and ASP.NET Core (Backend)
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
var app = builder.Build();
app.MapGet("/", () => "Hello from .NET Stack!");
app.Run();
When to Use: I turn to .NET when building enterprise-level applications that need to be secure, scalable, and capable of handling large amounts of data. It’s perfect for cloud-based applications and large business systems.
8. Flutter/Dart Stack
- Technologies: Dart, Flutter, Firebase/SQLite
- Best for: Cross-platform mobile apps for Android and iOS.
Flutter has quickly become my go-to for mobile app development. It allows me to build cross-platform apps with a single codebase, which means I can deploy to both Android and iOS with minimal effort.
// Sample Code: Flutter (Frontend)
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
void main() {
runApp(MyApp());
}
class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
@override
Widget build(BuildContext context) {
return MaterialApp(
home: Scaffold(
appBar: AppBar(
title: Text('Flutter/Dart Stack'),
),
body: Center(
child: Text('Hello from Flutter Stack!'),
),
),
);
}
}
When to Use: Flutter is perfect for cross-platform mobile applications where you want to reduce development time and cost. I’ve used it for startups and small businesses targeting both Android and iOS users.
9. JAMstack (JavaScript, APIs, Markup)
- Technologies: JavaScript, APIs, Static Site Generators
- Best for: Static websites, blogs, and fast-loading web applications.
JAMstack has been great when I need fast performance and scalability. It decouples the frontend from the backend and is especially useful for static sites or dynamic websites that rely heavily on APIs.
// Sample Code: HTML and JavaScript (Frontend)
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>JAMstack</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Hello from JAMstack!</h1>
<script>
fetch('https://api.example.com/data')
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data));
</script>
</body>
</html>
When to Use: I use JAMstack for projects like blogs, e-commerce sites, and static websites where performance and security are key. It’s especially useful for handling high traffic with minimal server-side processing.
10. Serverless Stack
- Technologies: AWS Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB/Firebase
- Best for: Microservices, event-driven applications, and high-scale applications with unpredictable traffic.
Serverless architecture has been a game-changer for projects where I don’t want to worry about managing servers. AWS Lambda handles the backend logic, allowing for auto-scaling based on demand, which makes it ideal for microservices and applications with varying traffic patterns.
// Sample Code: AWS Lambda (Backend)
exports.handler = async (event) => {
const response = {
statusCode: 200,
body: JSON.stringify('Hello from Serverless Stack!'),
};
return response;
};
When to Use: Serverless is my choice for projects with unpredictable traffic, such as event-driven applications, microservices, or any application that needs to scale efficiently without managing infrastructure.
Conclusion
Over the years, I’ve worked with a wide variety of technology stacks, each offering its own strengths and weaknesses. From real-time, dynamic applications with MEAN/MERN to secure, scalable enterprise solutions with .NET, the key is choosing the right stack for your project’s needs.
Bottom 5: Ruby on Rails, .NET, Flutter/Dart, JAMstack, Serverless – Ideal for startups, cross-platform mobile apps, static sites, and scalable cloud-based solutions.
Each of these stacks has helped me deliver successful projects, and the right one for your project will depend on your specific goals, timeline, and resources.
Kourosh
