Making the right technology choices is crucial when starting a new software project. Developers must choose the right tech stack that will serve as the foundation for the codebase and guide all future work. With so many available options, choosing the right tech stack can be challenging.

In this article, we will look at some of the most popular choices for a front-end tech stack alongside some modern alternatives that could provide additional benefits and a better development experience for your project.

NextJS vs Straight-Up React

React has become a popular choice for both small and large applications, with major companies such as Dropbox, Airbnb, and Instagram adopting it. Its key benefits, such as fast development, virtual DOM, flexible and reusable components, and thriving community support, make it a top pick. However, it is not without its limitations.

NextJS, built by the Vercel team, is a framework built on top of React that aims to provide a streamlined and efficient development experience.

NextJS Pros

The key advantage of using NextJS is its built-in approach to server-side rendering (SSR). This helps improve search engine optimization (SEO) compared to single-page applications (SPAs) built with React. With SSR, HTML pages are fully generated and returned to the client on each request, ensuring that relevant content is provided and allowing for better SEO.

Other benefits of NextJS include:

• Improved performance with pre-optimized features
• Lazy loading and automatic code splitting for faster loading times
• A built-in routing solution with a /pages directory
• A large community of users and comprehensive documentation

NextJS Cons

While NextJS offers many benefits, it is essential to consider some potential drawbacks, including:

• A learning curve for those unfamiliar with the framework
• An opinionated approach with pre-optimized features
• A different approach to routing compared to traditional React apps

Ultimately, the choice between React and NextJS depends on the goals of the application. While React is a popular choice for front-end development, NextJS may offer enhancements that could benefit the application.

Typescript vs Javascript

Now that we’ve identified a sensible framework with which to potentially build our application we also should decide early on whether or not to use Javascript or Typescript in our codebase. Most React developers feel at home writing applications in JavaScript, but Typescript has seen more and more adoption within codebases over recent years.

It’s important to first understand that all JavaScript is valid Typescript. Typescript isn’t a different language, but rather a superset of JavaScript that provides things like optional typing, and compiles to plain old JavaScript. Similarly to NextJS, Typescript can provide us with additional features and benefits while still working with the same JavaScript syntax that developers are already familiar with.

The key difference is that while JavaScript is an interpreted language where we often don’t come across errors until we are using the actual application - Typescript is compiled, which means that we can catch many of these errors early before any code is even pushed to a repository or production.

Typescript Pros

TypeScript offers additional benefits including:

• Strict typing: This helps prevent bugs as data moves throughout the app by ensuring that once something is defined, it doesn't change.
• Type annotations: Allows developers to explicitly define what types should be used.
• Type inferencing: Automatically done by TypeScript where possible.
• Object-oriented features: Supports features not fully supported by JavaScript, such as interfaces, enumerated types, generics, and modules.
• Error catching: Allows developers to catch errors early with the compiler before code is pushed to a repository.
• Built-in documentation: Provides a level of built-in documentation to help developers easily understand what a piece of code is intended to do.

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Typescript Cons

While TypeScript has many pros, it also has some drawbacks:

• Optional typing: Since typing is optional and not all types can be inferred, it is not true static typing.
• Learning curve: Most JavaScript developers can quickly pick up TypeScript, but there is still a learning curve to using it effectively.
• An extra step of compiling: TypeScript requires an extra step of compiling.

Overall, TypeScript can bring many beneficial features to the development experience and codebase. However, the decision to use it should be carefully considered based on the application requirements and the experience levels of the team to avoid slowing down the development cycle. It's best to make these considerations at the beginning of a new project, as switching to TypeScript in an existing codebase carries its own set of decisions and refactoring to clear tech debt and future-proof the codebase.

Apollo GraphQL vs REST APIs

When it comes to data and API design, the most commonly used standard is REST APIs. In a REST API, the data is stored on the server and fetched by the client through HTTP requests to pre-defined endpoints, which then return structured responses. These endpoints support CRUD operations (create, read, update, delete) for the client to manage the data.

However, as applications become more complex, new challenges have emerged that need to be addressed by new technologies. These challenges include:

• The growing use of mobile devices, which requires more efficient data loading
• Faster feature development
• Supporting a wider range of clients

One technology trying to tackle these challenges is GraphQL, which is a language for querying databases from client-side applications that are based on the client's specific needs, rather than a fixed data structure like in REST APIs.

Apollo, a GraphQL implementation, aims to simplify the development process by helping developers manage data more easily with a suite of tools such as Apollo Client. Apollo Client is a state management library that allows us to manage both local and remote data with GraphQL.

Apollo Client Pros:

Apollo Client offers several advantages for developers, including:

• Built-in support for caching
• Automatic loading and error states
• A declarative approach to data fetching
• The ability to extend the client for custom requirements

With Apollo Client, developers can manage both local and remote data using GraphQL. The built-in local state management eliminates the need for front-end centralized state management tools like Redux, saving time and reducing code.

Apollo Client also features a custom React hook called useQuery that includes built-in loading and error states, allowing developers to focus on writing queries to fetch the data they need, without having to write additional logic for loading and error states.

In addition, Apollo is extensible, so teams can build their own custom extensions on top of the Apollo Client if needed.

Apollo Client Cons:

While Apollo Client provides many benefits, it's not without its drawbacks. These include:

• Performance issues if too many fields are requested at once, which may require rate-limiting mechanisms
• GraphQL may be overkill for smaller servers and applications
• The lack of HTTP caching can result in content being stored on the server rather than on the client
• A steep learning curve for those familiar with traditional REST APIs

When deciding to use Apollo and GraphQL in a project, teams must carefully consider the differences between GraphQL and REST APIs, and the learning curve that may come with it. However, with time and familiarity, GraphQL can provide substantial benefits, especially for applications built on a microservices architecture or relying on mobile usage.

Wrap Up

There is no one-size-fits-all tech stack for modern web and mobile applications. It's up to the development team to assess the needs of the project and choose the best technology fit. While popular technology choices are available, exploring modern alternatives can offer optimization, efficiency, and a better development experience.

If you're looking for a reliable and experienced team to help you implement your next software project, look no further than Perpetual. Our development team can help you build your application from start to finish. Contact us today and let's start building your next project together!

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