Top 9 Backend Frameworks for Web App Development in 2024

Are you looking for the best backend frameworks for web app development?

Well, the demands for web app development have recently gone up. This is due to the amazing performance they offer. They are fast, they can be used online-offline, can be accessed through the web, mobile phone, and what not.

Now, with the growing demand for PWA development, the number of web apps in the market has also increased. Therefore, if you are planning to develop one for yourself, you need to make them unique and just something different to ensure it doesn’t get buried under competition.

How do you do that? Well, the answer is right by improving your development process, thus, creating a better product. And in order to do that, you need to use market leading framework.

Speaking of which, the development process itself can be divided into two different parts i.e. front-end development and back-end development. While the former deals with the design and everything, it is the back-end development that actually does all the magic.

Therefore, by improving your back-end game, you can create web apps that appear in the market like Sun in the sky. To help you do just that, we shall be looking at the top backend frameworks 2024 has to offer for web app development.

Before getting into that, let’s discuss what are web apps and web app development frameworks. Let’s get right into it:

What is Web App Development?

We all know what mobile applications are, but when you mention the name web apps, you might get some confused looks.

Now, web apps are quite a simple concept and quite similar to their mobile counterpart. The only difference is, that whereas mobile applications are stored in mobile phones’ storage, web applications or web apps are software that runs of the server. They are delivered to the user over the internet via a browser.

In definition, they are quite similar to cloud-based services. As such, they don’t need to be downloaded on mobile and are quite fast.

Moving on, progressive web app development itself refers to the process through which web-based applications are developed.

With this out of the way, let’s see what backend frameworks in the next section of the blog are.

What is a Backend Framework?

Most of us already know what frameworks are used for, but fail to describe the framework. Well, since learning more about the framework can help you finalize which one is best for your web app development project, we shall be discussing this.

You see, web app development can be divided into two parts. This is back-end i.e. server side and front end.

Here, we are looking for server side frameworks. As such, these frameworks can be described as stacks of libraries. With their functionality and prowess, they allow developers to create stellar web apps with ease, much faster, and much more capable.

This is possible because the backend framework for web app development has prewritten code, which includes functions, modules, and routines. In addition to this, the web app development framework allows developers to create web services, resources, as well as APIs.

As it is clear by now, the backend framework makes the development process a lot easier, faster, and more effective, and the results are considerably more effective. This improves productivity a lot while reducing development time and helping minimize development costs.

Now that you know all about web app development and backend framework related to the same, let’s discuss some of the best framework for web development in the market.

9 Backend Frameworks for Web App Development That You Should Try

Due to the increasing demand for web app development in the market, a lot of resources have been developed over the years. And a majority of this comes in form of a Backend framework for web app development.

Now, there are a lot to choose from and this can be confusing. Thus, to save you trouble, we shall be looking at the 9 most popular backend frameworks in the market.

Moving on, these are, as mentioned below:

1. AngularJS – JavaScript Framework

For anyone who has spent some time in the web and web app development world, Angular is quite a common name.

This is because angular.js is the best web app development framework out there. It was first released in the year 2009 by none other than Google. It was based on the popular programming language JavaScript, as one might guess through the name.

As of today, AngularJS Development Services gained a place among the most used technologies with support from Google and the ever-growing community. In fact, it is so effective that, other tech companies like Microsoft and PayPal have adapted to this technology.

Just 5 years ago, i.e. in 2016, Google completely changed Angular. Ever since then it has replaced JavaScript with Typescript. As for Typescript, it is a superset of JavaScript itself. So, you can look at it as a sort of upgrade.

As such, there are certainly some Pros to using Angular as well as disadvantages. Both of these are, as mentioned below:

Pros of Angular

• Fast Development Process.
• MVC architecture compatibility.
• Two-way data binding
• A fast-growing community.

Cons of Angular

• Hard to learn.
• Slow processing.
• Poor documentation.

2. Django – Python Web App Development

Among all the frameworks that we have discussed and we are going to discuss, Django stands as the most popular Python framework used in web development and web app development.

As such, Django is quite a popular full-stack development framework. This is a framework that follows the DRY principle, which stands for “Don’t Repeat Yourself”. Being a python-based framework, Django is user-friendly and also quite easy to learn.

In addition, it also promotes code reusability which improves security and development speed. And there’s more, it comes with REST API support and a lot of other amazing features that help developer ease their burden.

Pros of Django

• Fast development speed.
• Inbuilt authentication tool.
• High-Level security.
• Huge community.
• Well-organized documentation.

Cons of Django

• Slow processing.
• Steep learning curve.

3. Express js – JS web development Framework

Express JS is yet another backend framework for web app development that is based on JavaScript.

While there are several other frameworks that are based on JS like NodeJS development, AngularJS, etc, Express.JS is one of the more recent ones.

It was developed in 2010 based on the requirements of Node Developers. In other words, it is a form of Node.JS but primarily focused on creating flexible web apps. As of today, any top custom web development services that you might come across may be using this platform.

Various things make Express.JS a good choice for web app development in 2024. There are a lot of available resources and the flexibility it offers allows you to “Express” your idea.

Nevertheless, some of the pros and cons of Express.JS are, as mentioned below:

Pros of ExpressJS

• Highly Flexible.
• Robust
• feature-packed
• Good Choice for API development.

Cons of ExpressJS

• High learning curve.
• Tedious callbacks.

4. backboneJS – JavaScript Library

We are back with another technology based on JavaScript. However, this time it isn’t a backend framework for web app development.

Well, let us explain. backboneJS is a lightweight but efficient library. And it is powerful enough to allow Web app development. For this reason, we thought it would be a good idea to include it on the list.

Based on the Model-View-Presenter Architecture, Backbone.JS was launched in the year 2010, by Jeremy Ashkenas.  Ever since then it has been used for web development services across the United States of America.

 Pros of Backbone.js

• Good for small projects.
• Beginner-friendly.
• Well-organized documentation.
• Easy to learn

Cons of Backbone.js

• Doesn’t support complex app development
• Small development community.

5. Laravel – PHP Web Development Framework

Well, it goes without saying that in the world of web development, PHP is an OG programming language that has been the force behind backend development.

And Laravel is one of the most popular PHP-based frameworks. Used for PHP web development across the world, it has helped developers create millions of websites.

With MVC architecture, it is quite a beginner friendly. It allows developers to create user-friendly web apps with amazing API integration.

Moreover, what makes it stand out from the rest, is the fact that it makes backend development that much easier. This is what makes it one of the best backend frameworks for web app development.

Pros of Laravel

• Have the best PHP feature
• Good documentation
• Mail services integration
• Cache backends

Cons of Laravel

• No payment gateway integration support
• No mobile app development

6. Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails which is more popularly known as Rails is one of the fastest backend framework. Much like the last one we discussed, it is based on MVC architecture.

And for the same reason, it is highly beginner friendly and easy to learn and work with. As such, it has been around for a long time and during this spell, it has become a developer’s favorite.

But this doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer something for an experienced developer. It is one of the best frameworks as it allows you to create amazing web apps. It has vast library support as well as tools.

In addition to this, it also supports automation along with fast development. The process might be a little slow, but it gets the work done. You can hire dedicated web developers to create a web app with Ruby on rails.

Pros of Ruby on Rails

• Large libraries and tools support
• Fast Time to Market.
• Automation-enabled.
• Growing community.

Cons of Ruby on Rails

• Slow Processing.
• Poor documentation.

7. React – Web App Development Framework

This technology was developed by then Facebook based on JavaScript for creating web apps. It isn’t exactly a JavaScript backend framework but being a library it gets the job done.

As such, if you are looking for alternatives to Angular, React is one of the best options. In fact, react and angular are two technologies that are often compared to each other. And there is no agreement on which is the best.

There are thousands of clients from United States developers who hire web developers for react web development services. And you can be one of them.

But before you decide to hire  anyone, let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages of React web app development below:

Pros of React

• virtual DOM
• fast document manipulation
• Easy integration with other libraries
• mobile web application development support.

Cons of React

• React does not have well-organized documentation.
• It is complex.

8. CakePHP Framework

CakePHP is the second PHP-based framework that we shall be discussing on the list.

CakePHP web development has grown quite popular in recent years. This is mainly due to it being based on MVC architecture.

In addition to this, it has amazing feature, which includes model-view-controller, front controller, active record, data mapping, and convention over configuration

A lot of people consider hiring PHP development company for CakePHP as it allows them to create amazing web apps.

Pros of CakePHP

• Reusable Code
• Fast App Development
• Structured Code via MVC architecture
• Open-source

Cons of CakePHP

• Doesn’t support default routes
• More complex than CodeIgniter
• No backward compatible changes

9. Spring – Java Web App Development Framework

Last but not least, Spring is one of the fastest backend frameworks for web app development.  Based on the popular programming language Java, it is used by top web development company across the world.

As such, the spring framework is being used to create fast, robust, and high-quality web app development. Being based on MVC or model view controller architecture, it promotes fast development, making the work for development a lot easier.

Moreover, it also helps developers overcome limited of Java. That is why it has been used on great popular websites like   Wix, Ticketmaster, and Bill Guard.

Pros of Spring

• Flexible development process.
• High performance.
• Easy to maintain

Cons of Spring

• Hard to learning
• unstable

Conclusion

Do people often ask which framework is best for web app development in 2024? If you are one of these people, this blog did well to answer all your questions related to the same.

Now that you know which are the best backend frameworks for web app development, you can consult a market-leading web app development company that can help you create market-leading web apps.

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Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.