JAMstack is a popular framework for various reasons, including hosting an application on static servers, using content delivery networks (CDNs), and making applications quicker than dynamically generated apps. This essay will explain why JAMstack is so popular throughout the world. Learn why JAMstack has been dubbed the “future of web development” and how it is rapidly being used for all types of contemporary online applications.
Web development has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Several new changes and trends have emerged in the domains. JAMstack is one of the best-known web development architectures in recent times, and it is one of the numerous new trends.
To put things into perspective, the total proportion of JAMstack-powered web pages in 2020 was 0.91 percent for desktops and 0.85 percent for mobiles. This is an 85 percent and 147 percent increase over 2019. JAMstack is an acronym that stands for JavaScript, API, and Markup (JAM). These are the three technologies that make up the JAMstack framework. Mathias Biilmann invented the term to characterize this current web development architecture.
This web development architecture combines three technologies, and the platform is built on client-side JavaScript, reusable APIs, and prebuilt Markup. JAMstack is a superior solution for web applications than all of its pieces; as Aristotle once stated, “the whole is genuinely more than the sum of its parts.”
Adopting JAMstack for your web apps is a good decision. We’ve spoken about why and how JAMstack may be the ideal web development architecture for your apps.
What Is Considered a JAMstack?
There are a few factors to consider when determining what constitutes a JAMstack. However, it is critical to understand and remember that if an application delivers pre-rendered pages from a static host, it may be classified as a JAMstack.
One of the major characteristics of a JAMstack is that the core site is statically served. That being said, not all apps require all three features of JAM.
- On the front end, a site may not need the usage of JavaScript.
- API calls from the UI may also be unnecessary.
- In addition to Markdown, the app may employ a serverless content management system (CMS) for content generation.
- To manage user interaction and other progressive upgrades, the site may not require JavaScript code.
- API calls may not be used to enhance the application.
In addition, any misconceptions regarding the framework must be dispelled so that you do not have unreasonable expectations from the platform. To be clear, JAMstack is not a specific front-end-backend-database-platform stack, such as a MEAN stack (Express, MongoDB, Angular, Node) or a LAMP stack (Linux, MySQL, Apache, and PHP).
When it comes to defining what situations do not qualify as a JAMstack, the following arguments must be made:
- An application that dynamically produces pages on the server using Java, Node, Python, Ruby, and other programming languages.
- When a single-page app renders isometrically on the server.
- When and if a site is built on a strongly linked server-side CMS.
- WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are all examples of content management systems.
Why Should You Use JAMstack for Your Web Applications?
To get to the core of this post, there are numerous reasons why JAMstack might be the ideal option for your web applications. If you are unfamiliar with JAMstack, it is a framework-agnostic approach for organizing a web application to improve its performance. JAMstack may host apps on static servers, allowing them to run much quicker than dynamically generated applications.
Many developers, including large companies, are migrating to JAMstack for their web apps, and the reasons stated below should make it abundantly apparent why this is a sensible and long-term move. Let’s have a look at why JAMstack could be the best web development architecture for your web applications.
Page Loading Times are Extremely Fast
JAMstack simply provides static files from a low-latency edge server that is closer to the user geographically. This makes it considerably quicker than any typical application, even when caching is enabled, which will run logic to render HTML.
This leads us to the difference between how caching works in regular apps and a JAMstack application. In an application where caching happens at every stage, deciding what is cached and not is an additional load.
Such activities will need specialized settings at various locations, as well as the deployment of new code. Because everything is cached in JAMstack, it becomes incredibly straightforward. You also gain improved search engine rankings in addition to quicker website loading speed. The golden rule of SEO is that faster sites rank better in search engines. Sites built with current JavaScript frameworks will have low search ranks.
Server-side rendering and other third-party technologies can significantly enhance this. Even after that, they will not be able to compete with JAMstack apps in terms of speed.
Superior Scalability Or Improved Adaptability To Traffic Surges
JAMstack apps are just unrivaled when it comes to scalability. JAMstack apps are extremely capable of handling traffic smoothly. This is one of the primary reasons why many large businesses prefer JAMstack since they can avoid traffic surges using JAMstack apps. Another significant advantage is that the content is provided via CDNs. Even under severe pressure, these systems can deliver static content rapidly. This is because they are geographically separated and have many built-in redundancies.
They are also designed to handle high traffic and hardware failures more effectively than original servers. It operates differently in a conventional application. The technical architect assesses the possible load on each layer of the application at this point.
Seamless and convenient deployments
Another significant advantage of JAMstack is the fact that it greatly simplifies installations. This is because it operates by transferring files to a static server or CDN.
Netlify, for example, is a service that has prebuilt facilities for continuous deployment. This results in the automated initiation of builds, followed by deployments, whenever a modification is made to a Git code repository (like Bitbucket, GitHub, etc.).
They are traditionally distributed in a certain order to several levels of the application in traditional deployments. These include scripts that must be deployed to the database, web server frontend modifications and API changes on the application server.
Aside from this, to-be-cleared caches, configuration changes, and so on are also included in the order of layers. JAMstack is a collection of static files that make deployments immutable. This means you may go back to any previous version of your site at any moment without worrying about it not working.
Outstanding Development Experience
The amazing development experience provided by JAMstack is a significant reason why it is a popular architecture among current web developers. JAMstack is incredibly simple to grasp. Web developers may construct sophisticated websites using only HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Even if a new developer is on the team, their local development environment may be easily and quickly set up and ready to go.
Another important feature is that developers do not need to be concerned about the behavior of their code in different levels of the application after deployment. Developers can quickly run the build on their local computer, examine the results, and be certain that the modifications they have made will work as expected.
Superior Security by Design
One of the main features that make JAMstack valuable is that it provides greater security for your application. The design substantially and effectively increases your application’s security. This is accomplished by completely disconnecting your dynamic application backend from the event when a request is made.
Before deployment, the dynamic apps are disconnected during the build process. As a result, when a user requests a page from a JAMstack application, it is just serving a static file. This is a feature made possible by design. All of the moving pieces of a JAMstack application run on their own infrastructure. This effectively decreases the application’s vulnerability to cyberattacks.
Are There Any Constraints of the Jamstack Framework?
Jamstack may be one of the best frameworks for application development, but developers may encounter a few issues. They are as follows:
- A lengthy application development procedure
- Good web development knowledge and abilities are required.
- The use of real-time data is limited.
- Built a complex API
To summarize, it is abundantly obvious why JAMstack is the solution to the contemporary world of web development. After reading this article, you should better understand the JAMstack web application framework and its usefulness. It is one of the most environmentally friendly options and can be used to create complex, functional, and adaptable web applications.
So, if you were wondering, “Why to Choose JAMstack Framework for Your Web Application,” we hope you now have an answer!