When you’re not staying up to date with the latest web development frameworks and technologies, you risk developing outdated and hard-to-use websites.
This can lead to a bad user experience, which of course, is terrible for conversions and business.
This blog post will discuss top 5 Front-end & 5 Back-end web development technologies / frameworks currently prevalent in the industry.
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What Are Web Development Frameworks?
A web development framework is a software tool that provides a structure for website development.
It includes pre-built components and functions that can be used to develop a website quickly and effectively. A framework can also be considered a set of libraries that work together to create a cohesive development environment.
Front-end vs. Back-end Frameworks
There are many web development frameworks, but the main differentiator between types is front-end vs. back-end web development.
A website’s front end is the part that users interact with directly.
In contrast, the back-end is the server-side of the website where all the behind-the-scenes magic happens.
The back-end includes the graphical interface (GUI) and the code that runs behind the scenes to make the website function properly.
We’ll be looking at frameworks for both front-end and back-end web development.
Web Development Frameworks
Below is a list of the top 5 front-end and 5 back-end web development frameworks.
| Front-End Development Frameworks | Back-End Development Frameworks |
| Bootstrap | Django |
| React | Ruby on Rails |
| Vue | Laravel |
| Angular | Node.js |
| Svelte | Express |
Let’s look at them in more detail.
5 Best Front-End Web Development Frameworks
1. Bootstrap
Bootstrap is a free, open-source CSS framework that helps you quickly and easily create responsive websites. It includes a wide range of pre-built components that can be used to create beautiful websites.
Bootstrap uses Sass, meaning it has customizable architecture and can import only the essential components you need instead of the entire framework.
It utilizes CSS variables for:
- Global theme styles
- Individual components
- Utilities
It also has:
- Pre-built themes
- Powerful JavaScript plugins without jQuery
- A Utility API
2. React
React is not a framework but an open-source JavaScript library for building UI.
It is declarative, efficient, and flexible. As a result, react can be used to create single-page applications and complex web applications.
- Component-based: You can only use the components you need
- It works with any back-end framework and can be used anywhere
Interestingly React was developed by Jordan Walke, a software engineer at Facebook and, as you can imagine, has been adopted by most of the web development world.
3. Vue
Vue is a progressive JavaScript framework that is easy to use and helps you build user interfaces quickly. It is also lightweight and flexible, which is why millions of web developers like to use it.
Vue also works for businesses of any size, whether you are a freelancer, startup, or Enterprise.
Its core features include:
- Refined Reactivity System
- Declared Rendering
- Static Site Generation
- IDE Support
- Testing Utils
4. Angular
Angular is a TypeScript-based open-source web application framework that can be combined with any back-end framework. It is used for building single-page applications and Progressive Web Apps.
Similar to react, it was also developed by one of the big tech Giants, but Google instead of Facebook.
Its core features include:
- Works on all platforms
- Progressive Web Apps
- High-speed and great performance
- simple, declarative templates
- Universal
- Code Splitting
- Animation
And more.
5. Svelte
Svelte takes a new approach to building web apps, and it compiles your components at build time instead of using an interpreter. This approach makes it much faster and more efficient.
Svelte is very lightweight and easy to use. It also has a slight learning curve as it does not require you to learn a new framework or build tools.
Its core features include:
- No runtime overhead
- Small bundle size
- Flexible and easy to use
- Fast compile times
- Rich ecosystem
- Back-End Web Development Frameworks
5 Best Back-end Frameworks for Web Development
1. Django
Django is a free and open-source web framework that is written in Python. Many back-end developers love it because of its ease of use and flexibility.
It uses the Convention Over Configuration pattern and follows the DRY pattern.
Another great perk of Django is that it works with any front-end framework.
What you need to know about Django:
- Lightning fast
- Highly Secure
- Extremely Scalable
- It includes tons of extras
- It’s highly versatile
This makes it perfect for developers that need an Enterprise solution.
2. Ruby on Rails
Ruby on Rails is a web application framework in the Ruby programming language. It helps you create simple yet powerful web applications.
Its core features include:
- Convention Over Configuration
- DRY pattern
- MVC architecture
- Its open source
- It has a large and supportive community
Although it is built for simplicity so that you can learn as you go, it’s also highly scalable, with some household names using the framework:
- Shopify
- Twitch
- GitHub
- Airbnb
3. Laravel
Laravel is a free and open-source web framework that runs on PHP. It is designed to develop model–view–controller (MVC) web applications.
Its core features include:
- Artisan CLI
- MVC Support
- Blade Templating Engine
- Eloquent ORM
- Action Views to mix Ruby and HTML
- Bundles Packages
Laravel is one of the most popular PHP frameworks and is used by many enterprises such as:
- Twitch
- Disney
- The New York Times
4. Node.js
Node.js is not just a framework but a JavaScript runtime environment used to develop server-side and networking applications.
Its core features include:
- Asynchronous and Event-Driven
- Lightweight and Fast
- Highly Scalable
- Single-Threaded but Highly Scalable
- No Buffering
- Utilizes JavaScript
Node.js is used by some of the largest companies in the world, such as:
- PayPal
- Netflix
- Uber
5. Express
Express is a flexible and fast Node.js web application framework with solid web and mobile app features.
Its core features include:
- Minimum and Flexible
- Routing Template
- Template Engines
- Session Management
Express is used by some of the largest companies in the world, such as:
- PayPal
- IBM
- MySQL
The framework has been around since 1995 and is used in some of the biggest tech companies, but it has continuously been developed to stay up to date with the industry.
Web Technologies Frameworks: Frequently Asked Questions, Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions about web development frameworks.
What Is the Difference Between a Library and a Framework?
The main difference between a library and a framework is that a library provides reusable code that can be called from your code, whereas a framework defines how your code should be written.
What Is the Difference Between Front-End and Back-End?
A website’s front end is the part where users interact directly and what they see on their screen.
The back-end is the server-side of the website where all the behind-the-scenes programming and functioning happens. In a nutshell, the front-end is what the user sees, the back-end is the functioning and systems.
Which framework is better for web development?
Here are the top web development frameworks from our list:
- Bootstrap
- React
- Vue
- Angular
- Svelte
- Django
- Ruby on Rails
- Laravel
- Node.js
- Express
Is react better or Angular?
Both React and Angular are popular front-end JavaScript frameworks.
They both have pros and cons, but React is generally considered easier and is preferred by some because of its virtual DOM implementation and advanced rendering optimizations.
Final Thoughts
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