Best Mean Stack Project Ideas For Beginners [2024]

Our world abounds in languages which form the basis of human interaction all across. The linguistic diversity of the world is indeed a unique aspect of our civilization. While every region of the world speaks a different tongue, some languages have a more widespread presence and have emerged as a common mode of communication between different people.

In other words, these languages are referred to as “lingua franca”. There is however one language that unifies an enormous proportion of our global population and is not limited to any geographical boundary. In fact, this language not only is limited to communications but also on several accounts, is the driving force of all technological developments in the contemporary context. I’m alluding to the coding language or the language of software development. 

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Be it our communications system or our work systems, our everyday gadgets or global transportation, every facet of our lives is closely intertwined with software and its myriad offerings. Each day a new application, a new software is conceived and we imperceptibly move towards adapting a new line of usage.

The key to this constant evolution of software lies in the coding and the programming language is the fulcrum on which software development stands. Consequently, programming language in itself is a highly dynamic field. Faced with intense competition, the Tech giants felt the need to equip developers with a holistic skill set that will promptly cater to both client end needs as well as server end needs. Thus was born full stack development. By virtue of full stack development, the applicability and adaptability of software became all the more divergent. 

However, as with every facet of life, soon a need was felt to upgrade the full stack development into a more pithy and efficient development stack. This set the stage for MEAN stack which included applications that could be written in one language and could simultaneously serve both front end and back end. 

Learn more: Full stack Vs MEAN stack

What is MEAN stack?

MEAN stands for MongoDB, Express JS, Angular JS and Node JS. This stack is essentially an enhancement of the functionalities of the full stack only with lesser languages. In many ways, it is analogous to the old saying of killing two birds with one stone. Unlike full stack, MEAN doesn’t include devops and cloud infrastructure but the four pillars of MEAN are able to cover the range of performance of full stack and add incremental value to the software.

The difference is probably best demonstrated as the fact that all MEAN stack developers are full stack developers but not all full stack developers are MEAN stack developers. At the core, both are Java based frameworks. In recent times, MEAN stack projects have emerged as highly popular forms of applications due to its dynamic and swift properties.

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The salient feature about MEAN is that by running a single application at every level of the programming, it facilitates prompt and efficient approach to software development. When it comes to programming languages, a thorough knowledge of MEAN stack development is one of the most sought after skill sets in the contemporary context of web development. 

Why are MEAN stack project topics so popular of late?

In today’s highly competitive business spaces, time is money. Technology has time and again elucidated how best to leverage the available resources and time in order to maximise your profits. So a software which enables you to run applications swiftly without much input and keeps you on top of your game at all points is highly desirable. MEAN stack was designed just to cater to that need.

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As a uniform JavaScript framework which is compatible with every level of the application development, MEAN facilitates prompt, up to date approach to web application development. MEAN stack project topics can provide a straightforward pathway to any cloud native applications. This enhances the reach of the enterprises and enables them to deliver innovative solutions to their customers way faster.

MEAN employs a top down approach to the enterprises within which the developers can create a dynamic running environment using a single language framework. This covers codes both for the browser as well as the database. A comprehensive set up, which is easy to use and is known to be long lasting, MEAN stack project ideas are steadily emerging as the next big thing in the domain of software development. 

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Also read: Top 21 MEAN Stack Developer Interview Questions

What are some unique MEAN Stack project ideas that can be developed?

As the amalgamation of four highly dynamic and multifaceted coding languages, MongoDB, Express JS, Angular and Node JS, MEAN stack projects are highly adaptable and may be deployed easily without any complicated coding or long drawn processing period involved. MongoDB is the database system while Express JS is the back end web framework and Angular is the front end framework whereas Node JS is a web server platform.

Thus, with MEAN stack, one can avail of every aspect of development within a single, potent framework. As a result, an increasing number of employers are welcoming developers adept in MEAN stack development. A key factor behind this tendency is the fact that with MEAN stack, enterprises can foray into a variety of domains and explore MEAN stack project ideas across different thematic areas. 

Not only are the MEAN stack project ideas cost effective but also extremely supple in terms of its applicability and functionalities. It is hardly surprising then that MEAN stack project topics range from online video streaming platforms like Netflix to e-wallets like PayPal. MEAN stack project ideas continue to be developed and deployed in several novel areas of client utility and the biggest boon of MEAN stack project topics are that they can be developed at one go by a single developer.

In terms of deployment as well as troubleshooting, MEAN stack facilitates the use of a single framework. This in turn boosts the scalability of the MEAN stack project topics. It must be noted that the crux of MEAN stack’s effectiveness and scalability is JSON. JSON enables data to be distributed among the different layers of the application uniformly. It also makes formatting easier. The developers are spared the hassle of having to re-write the codes. Overall, it is JSON which is responsible for making the routing properties of MEAN stack so advanced. 

How are MEAN stack projects developed?

By amalgamating the salient features of web development under a single roof, MEAN stack makes the development and the deployment process rather convenient for the developers. MEAN stack enables the developers to cater to both the server end as well as the client end aspects of a webpage or a web application.

A frequently used term among theMEAN Stack developers is GIT. Web development involves a lot of back and forth revisions of a single project. It helps to keep  track of the progress of the entire process. This is when Git comes handy. Git is a versions control system which archives every minute changes of a particular project and lets you access it at any given point. Git also lets several people from different locations, collaborate and work on the same project at the same time.

Now that we know about Git, another closely related concept is Github. It is a networking platform for web developers where you can version control your project using Git and also look into others’ codes. GitHub facilitates authorised collaborations and knowledge sharing. 

When it comes to MEAN stack project topics, developers are also concerned with the hosting and testing aspect of the project. While servers are responsible for the hosting side of things, domains take care of the deployment or testing angle of a MEAN stack project. Servers can be understood as a bridge between the users and the world wide web.

It comprises software programs that use hypertext transfer protocols and other protocols to provide and regulate access to the hostel files. The computer that holds a server software is often interchangeably termed “servers”.  Simply put, domain refers to an address on the internet. Just how land plots have addresses, internet spaces are designated by something called as IP addresses which are long series of numbers.

For the ease of the users, such IP addresses are replaced by readable domain names which must be registered. Once registered, the web recognises the domain and redirects users to a particular website. Web hosting is a process every developer is well aware of. Through this process, anyone can store and maintain website files on the internet. 

MEAN stack development also enables easy and quick maintenance of the applications. Once the website goes live, the web developers are not off the hook. Maintenance is a process of regularly visiting the website and checking if it is functioning smoothly.  Maintenance enables the developers to look out for potential corrupt files, server breakdowns and also in certain cases defend against hacking.

Many feel that the job of a web developer ends with the launch of a website. A statement couldn’t be more erroneous. By way of maintenance, a MEAN stack project usually entails troubleshooting, upgrades and analytics. 

Troubleshooting- Often the website yields one or the other issues or bug attacks, which will require a quick fix or troubleshooting. Upgrades-With the ever evolving technology and the ever changing user experiences, the need for keeping apace with security and software upgrades are crucial for the smooth functioning of a website. There may also arise the need to update the content of the website from time to time. Here again, the web developers are your go to people. 

Analytics-Another important post launch  task is to analyse the performance of the website, user trends and the efficiency of the Search engine optimization features of a given website. For  MEAN stack project topics, a singular framework will suffice to address each of this aspect of development. No wonder then, in the tech industry, MEAN stack developers are arguably the most sought after professionals. 

What kind of MEAN stack project topics can be developed?

Now that we have familiarised ourselves with fundamentals of MEAN stack development, including the process of developing a MEAN stack project using GIT, now let us explore some of the MEAN stack project ideas that developers can work on. MEAN stack project topics cover a wide array of thematic areas and boasts of even a wider scale of applications.

From building a portfolio website to designing a mood board for a platform like Pinterest or creating a user-efficient form to creating an application which locates the nearby WiFi networks in your vicinity, the ranges of MEAN stack project ideas are astoundingly divergent and ever evolving. 

Irrespective of the area in which the MEAN stack project ideas are riveted, most MEAN stack developers follow a set flow of tasks for their development. It entails first designing the architecture and a modular app of the final application, followed by security authorization and controlling the logging in interface. With these basics in mind, anyone can think of any MEAN stack project topic and develop as well as deploy the same using one framework. 

From the mainstream and established names like Netflix, PayPal and Uber to lot more niched applications like FollowFly, a social media aggregator which aggregates different social media platforms and customises content for a particular user, Ziploop, a popular e-wallet that offers attractive VIP privileges and services at different transaction points, MEAN stack project ideas cut across themes and regions. 

MEAN stack development surely brings out the optimum functionalities of different layers and yet developers may choose to use one or the other language. Post the architecture stage, developers might choose to use either Express JS or Angular JS for the coding.

Learn more: MEAN Stack Developer Salary in India 2024

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Conclusion

The idea is to optimise the dynamic and interactive features of the webpage or the web applications as much as possible and MEAN stack offers a multifaceted approach to accomplish this goal. On most occasions, Node has served as the chosen server for the applications because it helps in easing out the layout of the applications while minimising the maintenance requisites.

If you’re interested to learn more about full-stack, check out upGrad & IIIT-B’s Executive PG Program in Full-stack Software Development which is designed for working professionals and offers 500+ hours of rigorous training, 9+ projects and assignments, IIIT-B Alumni status, practical hands-on capstone projects & job assistance with top firms.