Software development is changing. There are many factors, and one of the most interesting ones is backend frameworks. Best backend frameworks help build especially online solutions, which are increasingly popular among consumers due to subscription models or web variants of mobile applications. Which backend framework is most popular and how you can utilize them in your work?

What is the backend framework?

A backend framework is a library of tools and models useful for designing a website. Best backend frameworks highly impact the performance of the website while creating the environment for the website’s efficient running and handling of user traffic. 

On the other hand, backend frameworks are very helpful for software developers. They simplify tasks and provide utilization of scripting languages like C#, Java, JavaScript, etc. Best backend frameworks reduce the workload for engineers and make the process of software development easier and faster. Engineers don’t have to create everything from scratch, which is invaluable in today’s market. Especially in the case of the Minimum Loveable Product, where speed and quality are of the essence.

While the frontend developer is focused on the appearance of the application, a backed engineer is tasked with its performance. Each time something is added to the mix, the application grows, and loading times, among other problems, become serious. That’s why it’s important to have a wide variety of tools to handle these challenges. The framework is only one of them. A specialist will also need a sufficient programming language and an efficient tech stack.

What about middleware?

In a nutshell – yes, it’s worth it. Middleware can help you build API in a structured way. API development and integration can deliver on a promise of smooth cooperation with your application and third-party software.

More on that down below.

Benefits of backend frameworks

Top backend frameworks do a lot more than increase the speed of digital product creation. Web development backend frameworks also provide these benefits:

  • Scalability. Once you decide on choosing the right backend framework, you can stick with it until the end of the project. With it, you can create a simple development tool and a very complex platform for millions of users. No matter what, your choice has you covered.
  • Smooth information exchange. The best backend framework usually included a web server, application, database, and other data points, resources, and so on. Users provide their logging information each time they want to use an app. This creates a lot of “data noise”. Is this user trusted and not on any blacklist? What are his or her subscription privileges? Do we want 
  • Integrations. In the modern world, especially the FinTech industry, third-party partnerships are very welcome. They provide value for users interested in cross-promotions of cross-functionality. By integrating your application with someone else’s design, you provide an additional reason to be loyal to your company. Another interesting factor – frameworks give you pre-build tools to handle integrations quicker and smoother.
  • Security. Technical bugs? Application crashes? Low performance? External attacks? Top backend frameworks provide safety nets to handle these types of threats. 

Two types of backend frameworks

We will talk about which backend framework is most popular in just a second but first, let’s talk about two variants. 

  • Client-side web framework. This type is focused on user interface because it’s connected to all that users see, construct, experience, and interact with within the application.
  • Server-side web framework. This one is about functionalities. Accessing the database, data management, web server operations, etc. It’s the backbone of modern applications; it takes care of connections and information exchange.

Classification of frameworks architectures

Relations between different elements of a framework are determined by the architecture of the framework itself. There are a few types of these architectures; they can help you distinguish top web development backend frameworks.

Model View Controller (MVC). This is a very popular model used by most popular backend frameworks. Here, the application is divided into three main components: the model, the view, and the controller. Each of them is responsible for handling different functions. This breaks down a complicated software development process into smaller, and well-manageable chunks.

Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM). Here, the data presentation logic is separated from the core business logic part. The different code layers of MVVM are model, view, and ViewModel. This allows structuring code according to design patterns.

Three-tier organization. This is used mainly for client-server applications. This model separates applications into three logical and physical computing tiers: application, presentation, and database. 

Push-based and pull-based. Push-based architecture is action-based while pull-based is component-based. Push-based models start with action and then push the data to the view layer. Pull-based architecture, on the other hand, starts with the view layer. 

There’s no simple way of saying what are the top backend frameworks of 2022. The fact is, however, that the most popular backend frameworks are those that are a direct response to the developer’s challenges. Let’s go through the most important and promising ones. Also, take a look at this animated chart to see the progression of some of the most popular tools:

Laravel

Hands down, one of the most significant frameworks out there. It’s open-source and it’s designed for Symfony-based web applications. Laravel is perfect for creating complex software projects. With a large number of security features, strong algorithms for creating passwords, widgets with built-in CSS and JS code, and templates for layouts and content creation, Laravel is one advanced piece of software.

Laravel is for senior developers who will not be overwhelmed by its high level of development. Laravel grew like any other framework out there but now it’s a nearly-favorite tool for all who know what they’re doing.

Flask

It’s a JavaScript-based backend framework. It’s a Web Server Gateway Interface (WSGI) tool; it takes from the user’s browser the need to run a web server. Flask is used to create highly personalized projects. I

t also runs on Python, which is known for its handsome advantage of not using large portions of code. It makes debugging easier, allowing to embed of code into the browser, therefore correcting mistakes with requests. Flask is recommended for those who need server-side web development.

Ruby on Rails

Based on a Ruby programming language, Rails is open-source. The language itself isn’t the most popular tool, but this framework is. It arms developers with automatic testing procedures and great libraries. It also provides much-needed simplicity for speed product creation.

Ruby on Rails is among the best backend frameworks for its flexibility. Developers can decide, and in detail, how the applications are going to run and how a database is going to perform. It’s increasingly important in an age of Big Data, analysis of consumer behavior, etc. 

Express.js

JavaScript development services are so popular because JavaScript is the most popular programming language of all time. Top backend frameworks are those with the community to back them up through updates, mods, external tools, and constant support in the form of projects for clients. Express.js has it all. Why?

It gives tremendous options to create highly flexible applications. It’s also a language that provides full-stack development for mobile. For both frontend to backend alike. Another huge advantage is the ability to use one programming language, which is JavaScript, for frontend and backend development. 

Django

Designed to support complex web projects, Django can handle database-driven websites. In these cases, performance is everything. Django is designed with high-performance web platforms in mind. Currently, it’s one of the most preferred backend frameworks among middle and senior developers. 

Python software developers are also using it heavily. Django is, after all, Python-based. This framework can be used in popular JSON, XML, and HTML formats, giving developers the ability to choose their preferred tool. Django has also a Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) feature. It offers maintainable and reusable codes to make coding and debugging easier for developers. Developers can use reusable codes to speed up the development process. It also has various Search Engine Optimization (SEO) inner frameworks to position your website among others in Google. 

Vue.js

The framework is component-based and offers a visual DOM model. This makes Vue.js very efficient and versatile. It has grown from its conception in 2014 to one of the most community-driven web frameworks out there. It’s simple, small, and offers two-way data binding.

It has the end-to-end application development of Angular and View layers. Also, external data flow features of React. It has vast and exceptionally good documentation.

React

From its initial release in 2013, React became increasingly popular among business owners and developers alike. Currently, it’s among the most preferred Java frameworks. One of the top features of React is its virtual Document Object Model (DOM). It enhances the framework with additional functionalities. On top of that, it introduces a cross-platform mobile development framework called React Native.

Gatsby

This is a popular framework for all React developers. Gatsby is used mostly for e-commerce websites, landing pages, and blogs. Developers get all React features and can create a fully customizable user experience. 

Since Gatsby is a static site generator, it doesn’t connect with the database nor gather sensitive information. Therefore, you don’t need to bother implementing advanced security measures. The framework follows an architectural pattern called PRPL (preload, render, pre-cache, lazy load) and was developed by Google, so you can enjoy additional tools for increasing performance. 

NestJS

NestJS is a NodeJS-based framework. It has a complete kit that supports scalable server-side web applications and allows for reliable and efficient application development. It also has a real-time rendering feature, that saves up time.

NestJS has a modular architecture. Meaning that you can use any given frontend library with the framework and rest without compatibility issues. It also offers a Dependency Injection system, so you are required to upload only the user module – the controller will take care of the rest. Plus, you can use controllers and services, making it easy to spot errors. 

Spring

Although its launch was in ancient 2002, Spring is still one of the primary web frameworks on the market. It’s for Java-based development.

Spring allows testing support and tech-related with validation, emails, dependency injection, and any other, similar vital features. It supports cloud-native development, event-driven application development, batch processing, data access and transaction management, and a lot more. 

Summary

If you’re looking for quality backend development services, look for a company that gives you not only seasoned developers but also added value. Knowledge about the most popular backend frameworks can really make a difference here. The best vendors not only deliver – they also advise. 

No matter if it’s this or Node JS web development services (which are also very popular) – you need someone who can trust. Which backend framework is most popular? Depends on the year and targeted type of application. One thing remains the same – it’s performance you need to be worried about. Leave technical aspects to us.