MERN stack is like the peanut butter to your jelly, the yin to your yang, and the macaroni to your cheese! Okay, enough with the fun idioms. But seriously, the MERN stack is a powerful combination of technologies that can take your SaaS startup to new heights.
MongoDB, ExpressJS, ReactJS, and NodeJS work together like a well-oiled machine to provide everything you need to build and scale a successful SaaS business.
In this blog post, we’ll delve into why the MERN stack is the icing on the cake for SaaS startups and how, when you hire MERN stack developers, they can help you build a solid foundation for your business. So, if you are a SaaS entrepreneur looking to hit the ground running, you want to take advantage of this!
Challenges Of Developing A SaaS-based Product
Developing software as a service (SaaS) products can be a complex and challenging endeavour. Some of the challenges you may face include the following:
- Finding a target market and identifying a need for your product: It is important to understand your target market’s needs and pain points and determine if there is a demand for your product.
- Building a scalable infrastructure: SaaS products are typically delivered over the internet and must be able to handle a large number of users. This requires a robust and scalable infrastructure, which can be a significant challenge to build and maintain.
- Creating a business model that is sustainable and profitable: SaaS products often rely on a subscription-based pricing model, which can be difficult to get right. You must find a balance between charging enough to cover your costs and being competitive in the market.
- Ensuring security and data privacy: SaaS products often store and handle sensitive customer data, so it is vital to have robust security measures in place to protect this data. Ensure that you consult with a web app development company that applies fundamental security standards when you consult with a web app development company to build a SaaS product.
- Managing updates and new feature releases: SaaS products are constantly evolving and must be updated to meet customers’ needs. This can be a significant undertaking, requiring ongoing development and testing efforts.
- Handling customer support and onboarding: Providing excellent customer support and helping new users get up and running with your product is crucial for the success of a SaaS business, which can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive task.
How To Choose The Right Tech Stack For Any SaaS Startup?
It is difficult to determine the “right” tech stack for any SaaS startup, as the ideal stack will depend on many factors specific to your business, such as the type of product you are building, the size of your development team, and your budget.
That being said, here are a few general considerations to keep in mind when choosing a tech stack for a SaaS startup:
- Scalability: Choose a tech stack that can handle numerous users and high traffic as your business grows.
- Cost: Consider the total cost of ownership for different tech stacks, including initial development and ongoing maintenance.
- Team skills and resources: Choose a tech stack that aligns with the skills and resources of your development team.
- Performance: Look for a tech stack that offers good performance and can handle the demands of your product.
- Tools and integrations: Consider the available tools and integrations for different tech stacks, as these can make adding new features and functionality to your product more accessible.
- Long-term support: Choose a well-supported tech stack with a strong community, as this will make it easier to find help and resources as you develop and maintain your product.
Ultimately, the right tech stack for your SaaS startup will depend on your business’s specific needs and goals. Researching and experimentation may help you find the stack that works best for you.
What Is The MERN Stack and How Is It So Popular?
MERN stack is one of the most popular technology stacks for web development, and it is easy to see why.
This combination of MongoDB, ExpressJS, React, and NodeJS has become a go-to choice for businesses and developers worldwide. But just how popular is the MERN stack? Let’s take a look at some statistics.
According to a survey by Stack Overflow, MERN stack was the second most popular full-stack development framework in 2021, with 22.7 per cent of respondents saying they used it.
This put it behind only the MEAN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, and Node.js), which had a slightly higher popularity at 23.9 per cent.
It shows that the MERN stack is not only popular among startups but also among investors who are looking to invest in promising companies. This is because investors recognize the benefits of using the MERN stack, such as its versatility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. As a result, these startups are often seen as more attractive investment opportunities.
Though No-code tools are gaining in popularity as they allow developers to build complex applications without the need to write code.
However, No-code tools may have limited customization options and depend on the tool for updates and changes. They may also lack control, and flexibility, and potentially have poor performance compared to traditional full-stack development techniques.
Reasons To Choose The MERN Stack For Your SaaS Startup?
Starting a SaaS product can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to choosing the right technology stack. That is where the MERN stack comes with its bag full of numerous benefits.
Full-stack Development
MERN stack is a full-stack development framework that includes everything you need to build a web application from front to back. This makes it a convenient choice for SaaS product development, as you don’t need to worry about integrating multiple technologies.
Reusability
Code that can be used again in multiple projects is called “reusable code.” A web application made with MERN technologies has parts that can be used in other projects as well. This means that code from one project can be used in multiple places.
The ability to reuse code helps to speed up and improve the development process for web applications, leading to a faster time-to-market for the product.
Security
One way that the MERN stack can enhance the security of web projects is by using secure hosting providers. For example, hosting providers that offer SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates can encrypt data transmitted between the client and the server, helping to prevent cyber attacks.
In addition, the MERN stack includes several security features that can help protect web projects. For example, Node.js, a runtime environment for executing JavaScript code on the server side, has built-in input validation and sanitization support, which can help prevent injection attacks.
MongoDB, a NoSQL database, has data encryption and role-based access controls to ensure the database’s security.
Speed and Performance
The MERN stack, which includes the technology called Node.js, can improve the performance of web applications. In contrast, legacy LAMP languages like PHP are used as the foundation for open-source systems such as WordPress and Shopify.
The ability of NodeJS to handle tasks asynchronously allows for better handling of demanding events and data-driven applications, which leads to faster overall application speed and enhanced performance.
The MERN stack allows for real-time experiences in web apps, meaning that notifications and updates are made instantly without requiring a page refresh. This is especially useful for social media or e-commerce apps.
Scalability and Cloud Compatibility
MongoDB and NodeJS, are highly scalable and compatible with cloud storage. This means that web applications built with the MERN stack can easily handle large amounts of data and can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
Using a NoSQL database like MongoDB, which is highly scalable and compatible with the cloud, ensures that the SaaS app’s scalability is not compromised. Also, using NodeJS, which maximizes processing power, helps improve digital product performance.
Examples Of SaaS Startups Using The MERN Stack
Many successful SaaS startups have used the MERN stack to build and scale their businesses. Here are a few examples:
- Accompany: Accompany is a virtual personal assistant service that uses the MERN stack to power its web and mobile apps. Cisco acquired the company in 2017 for $270 million.
- Dashlane: Dashlane is a password management and online security company that uses the MERN stack for its web and mobile apps. The company has raised over $200 million in funding and has millions of users worldwide.
- ClassPass: ClassPass is a fitness class booking service that uses the MERN stack for its web and mobile apps. The company has raised over $300 million in funding and has partnerships with thousands of fitness studios worldwide.
- Slack: Slack is a popular team communication platform that uses the MERN stack for its web and mobile apps. The company has raised over $1 billion in funding and has millions of users worldwide.
These are just a few examples of successful SaaS startups that have used the MERN stack. Many others have also achieved success using this technology.
Why is the MERN Stack Great For SaaS Startups?
The MERN stack is an ideal choice for SaaS startups for many reasons. Its features make it a strong contender. Additionally, the large and active community of MERN developers provides a wealth of resources and support for startups working to develop their products.
So, if you are a startup founder, entrepreneur, or CTO looking to build a SaaS product, the MERN stack is definitely worth considering. It is the whole package – it has all the tools you need to build a solid foundation and take your product to new heights.
Don’t let this opportunity slip through your fingers – get on the MERN bandwagon and watch your SaaS product soar!
Suvarna Parikh is a technical content writer at ultroNeous Technologies – a leading web and mobile application development company that crafts user-centric digital products for brands of every size. She is passionate about writing on tech and marketing and balances informative content with an engaging read. Aside from her writing, she is a bookworm interested in various fiction genres and loves sharing her perspectives on key technological and marketing aspects.