What is MERN Stack?

“MERN stack” is the colloquial name given to the full stack JavaScript framework made up of MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js. This set of frameworks lets developers build front end, back end, and server infrastructure for web applications entirely in the JavaScript programming language. It is among the most popular full stack frameworks among programmers. Its open-source nature has led to the development of a large community of programmers building resources for the framework. In this overview, you’ll learn more about the MERN stack, what it can do, who uses it, and how to learn it to determine how to add this skill to your professional toolbox.

What Can You Do with the MERN Stack?

Using the MERN stack, skilled programmers can develop and maintain all aspects of a web application. Using these four JavaScript frameworks, you can build the front end, back end, and database infrastructure for complex webpages, including the increasingly in-demand single-page applications and internet-enabled devices we use daily. The more complex a web application is, the more complex its programming will need to be, and learning the MERN stack offers students an accessible way to learn full stack web development skills. Learning the MERN stack will also let users take advantage of the functionalities of each framework for their non-full stack web development projects.

The most significant advantage of learning the MERN stack is that it allows you to do full stack web development projects without combining multiple programming languages. Since MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js are all JavaScript frameworks, MERN stack training will let users build the entire infrastructure of a web application in a single programming language, JavaScript. This is ideal both for making a student’s JavaScript training more versatile and for improving workflow since developers can be confident that there won’t be any problems owing to the server and client-side elements of the application running off of different languages. MERN is an ideal skill set for users hoping to build complex, multi-functional web applications without learning multiple programming languages.

How Do You Get MERN Stack Technology? How Much Does it Cost?

Each element of the MERN Stack, as well as the JavaScript language itself, is open-source. This means that they won’t cost programmers anything to use, and programmers aren’t restricted in how they use the frameworks. They are available for all major operating systems, meaning that users are free to develop with the MERN stack on the platform they prefer. Information about utilizing these frameworks and the latest versions are available on the MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js websites.

While there is no direct cost in using the MERN stack, there are some minor incidental costs to consider. Designing a web application is free, but users may need to pay a hosting fee that can vary in cost. In addition, while programming with MongoDB is free, utilizing their servers for database storage may require users to pay a regular fee if they exceed a data limit.

What Are the Benefits of Learning the MERN Stack?

Students with JavaScript training may want to learn the MERN stack to expand the kinds of web design projects they can work on. MERN is an accessible collection of frameworks that will let users begin full stack web development work. Learning these skills also helps complement existing JavaScript training as they are four of the most commonly used framework libraries for JavaScript (including 3 of the top 6 most commonly used frameworks). Even if you aren’t going to work as a Full Stack Web Developer, learning these frameworks can significantly expand the scope of the projects that you can code with JavaScript. Since this is a full stack framework, learning to use the MERN stack will allow programmers to manage both the front and back end of their web applications, making it easier to maintain them without needing to employ a team of programmers.

MERN compiles many of the most versatile and commonly used JavaScript frameworks and gives its users complete control over every aspect of web development. This makes the MERN stack an ideal place to follow up on JavaScript training. Learning any individual aspect of the MERN stack will pay immediate dividends in your web development career. You won’t have to wait until you’ve mastered all the elements of the MERN stack to use React training to build components front end web assets, nor will you need to learn MongoDB to take advantage of Expres.js and Node.js server-side development functionalities. Students can learn MERN at their own pace since the skills are complementary to one another, but once you have learned JavaScript, no single part of the MERN stack is required to start making practical designs with the other aspects of the stack.

Read more about why you should learn the MERN stack.

MERN Stack Careers

The MERN stack is one of the most commonly used framework stacks for Full Stack Web Developers. This means that learning the MERN stack will open many career doors for students across various fields. Since MERN stack training lets users build and maintain all elements of a web application, learning these skills will also help students diversify their abilities and contribute to all aspects of a project. A few career opportunities for students training in the MERN stack include

• JavaScript Developer: Since the MERN stack is a full stack JavaScript framework, developers who specialize in designing web applications using that programming language will frequently use elements of the MERN stack. These developers work on web applications, utilizing React to build the front-facing elements of an application and Node.js and Express.js to help the application communicate with back end functionalities. JavaScript Developers are likely to work as part of a large development team, meaning they won’t be tasked with designing and coding all the elements of a full stack development project. Still, they will need to know how each aspect of the stack interacts with other elements to build a functional final product.

• Full Stack Developer: Full Stack Web Developers are well-rounded programmers who will be responsible for developing and maintaining both the front end and back end elements of a web design project. These developers must learn multiple programming languages and a wide range of frameworks and libraries. While they will likely learn MERN stack and other JavaScript frameworks, competitive Full Stack Developers will need to know other frameworks and languages. Full Stack Developers are in high demand but learning Full Stack development involves learning several advanced programming skills.

• Project Manager: In most industries, web application development projects are often undertaken by large teams of developers working on discrete elements of the project. These teams will need to be overseen by Project Managers tasked with organizing the work and ensuring that the project is completed in the time and cost requested by a client. Project Managers will want to be well-versed in all elements of web development to effectively oversee teams working on front end and back end aspects of the project. This means learning the MERN stack is an excellent way to cover many different bases. Project Managers will also need to be trained in the soft interpersonal skills required to manage the human element of a development project.

How to Learn the MERN Stack

Students interested in learning MERN have a few options to receive training. While each student will learn differently, the most important thing to consider when enrolling in a MERN stack course is your level of comfort with JavaScript. Since the MERN stack consists of important JavaScript frameworks, students must be very comfortable with JavaScript to learn the advanced frameworks. Most live training courses emphasize JavaScript training alongside MERN skills development, so students should compare their options to find the MERN training method that best suits their needs.

Most students find that live instruction is the preferable way to learn new skills, especially advanced skills like the MERN stack. The primary benefit of live instruction courses is that they are taught by expert instructors who are present to be interacted with directly. This lets students receive feedback and get necessary assistance immediately, which can be invaluable for a student’s learning. These courses are taught through live in-person web development training and live online web development training in private digital classrooms. Students enrolled in a live training course can also utilize the training center’s computer labs. In contrast, online students will be able to learn from experienced instructors from the comfort of their personal workstations.

Students who want to target their training to a specific skill or whose schedules don’t allow them to enroll in a live instruction training course may wish to consider on-demand MERN stack training. These classes are ideal for students who want to learn at their own pace since the primary advantage of these classes is their asynchronous delivery method. Students can stop and start their training when it is most convenient for them, making these classes the perfect place to learn a skill very quickly or very slowly. They are also good places for students with extensive JavaScript training to find seminars that aren’t tied to a JavaScript training program. However, these classes lack live instructors, meaning that students may find it challenging to get back on track if they find an aspect of their lessons difficult or unclear.

Finally, students may consider taking advantage of free training resources to ease themselves into learning the more advanced aspects of the MERN stack framework. These free training resources won’t replace professional skills instruction, but they are a good place to start to become comfortable with the MERN stack. Noble Desktop offers free JavaScript training seminars for students looking to learn MERN basics. This includes resources available on their free seminars page and their official YouTube channel, such as their Intro to Full Stack Web Development seminar. This course will introduce students to the functions and uses of each element of the MERN stack to help students select the proper training method that is right for them. Students should also consider checking out Noble's Learn JavaScript page's articles, resources, and tutorials.

Read the full guide on how to learn the MERN stack.

A Brief History of the MERN Stack

The individual elements of the MERN stack were each developed separately to address different development tasks commonly associated with JavaScript. Node.js was developed in 2009 to serve as a scalable run-time framework for running JavaScript code outside a web browser. Express.js was developed over a year later to serve as a de-facto server framework for Node.js applications. MongoDB was developed in 2009 to create a JavaScript native database documentation framework. React was introduced in 2013 as a framework for building and repurposing component UI elements.

MERN is a modification of the previously popular MEAN stack, which utilizes Angular.js rather than React. It was coined in 2013 by Valeri Karpov and has since become one of the programming industry's most commonly utilized full stack frameworks.

Comparable Tech Stacks

The MERN stack is not the only tech stack that developers can learn to build full stack web development infrastructure. Other stacks include MEAN (which is identical to MERN except that it utilizes Angular.js rather than React for front end development), Ruby on Rails, Python and Django, and LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP). Each of these stacks provides the same functionality and makes full stack development more efficient, so developers will need to compare their strengths and weaknesses to decide which stack is best suited for their needs.

Python and Django are the most commonly used alternatives to the MERN stack and are recommended for developers who want to build simple, fast web applications, such as blogs and news update sites. By contrast, the MERN stack is more complicated and slower but better at handling large, complex requests and functions than Django. Django isn’t a complete full stack development framework, so anyone hoping to do full stack work will need to complement Django with other programming frameworks.

Similarly, Ruby on Rails is a faster, easier-to-utilize framework that will produce cleaner code, but it isn’t as powerful as its MERN alternatives. Node.js, in particular, will be very useful for building single-page applications, and neither Ruby on Rails or Django readily replicate this functionality. This means that more elaborate event-driven web applications, particularly those which run chat features or in-app browser games, will benefit from the MERN stack framework.

Students interested in learning Django or Ruby on Rails should explore the options available through Noble Desktop.

Learn the MERN Stack with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Students looking to master the MERN stack can turn to Noble Desktop for comprehensive skills training, regardless of their prior programming experience. These courses are taught through live online instruction or in person at Noble’s Manhattan campus. Regardless of which delivery method a student chooses, they will be taught by Noble’s experienced instructors in real-time. Students can ask questions, receive feedback, and get assistance directly from their instructors. Plus, all of Noble’s courses provide students with the chance to retake the class within one year, allowing students to receive extra instruction and more hands-on experience in all of the component frameworks that make up the MERN stack.

Students with prior coding experience who want to learn the extent of the MERN stack should consider enrolling in Noble’s JavaScript Development Certificate program. In this career-focused skills training program, students will learn how to develop web applications using JavaScript and, once comfortable with that training, will learn the functions and uses of each element of the MERN stack. By the conclusion of this class, students will be prepared to enter the workforce as JavaScript Developers. Since this is a career-focused course, students will also benefit from professionalization training seminars, including one-on-one career mentorship and portfolio-building training sessions. This course expects students to have a working knowledge of coding fundamentals and HTML and CSS, so students should consider the requirements before enrolling.

Students looking to become expert coders from scratch will instead want to look into Noble’s Full Stack Web Development Certificate. This immersive training course is designed to take students with no prior coding experience and teach them all of the elements of professional web development. MERN is a relatively advanced set of skills with many prerequisites to learn, and this course will teach students all of those prerequisites, including JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Once that training is out of the way, students will learn MERN stack frameworks and tools like Flex, Git, Virtual Studio Code, and Bootstrap. On top of this, students will also receive the same top-notch professionalization training that they can expect from any Noble certificate program, meaning they will leave the class ready to start working as Full Stack Web Developers.

Students looking for more directed training in some aspects of the MERN stack or wanting to space their training to fit their needs and schedules should explore Noble’s JavaScript classes and bootcamps. These immersive skills courses will teach students the ins and outs of the frameworks that make up the MERN stack, but they are less directly focused on helping students find new careers.

Key Insights

• MERN stack is an acronym for a full stack JavaScript framework consisting of MongoDB, Express.js, React, and Node.js. It is among the most common full stack frameworks available and is prevalent in web development projects utilizing JavaScript.
• Learning the MERN stack is an ideal way to start a career in full stack web development, though these are advanced skills, so you’ll need some existing programming knowledge.
• MERN is only one of several full stack development frameworks that coders can learn and use, so students will want to consider the kinds of projects they are working on when selecting the first framework to study.
• Students looking to learn the MERN stack can visit Noble Desktop to learn all about their comprehensive MERN and JavaScript courses, which are available both live online and in person at Noble’s Manhattan campus.