Top Five Backend Frameworks in 2024

Backend frameworks are the engine that drives any new application, but why are some more popular than others, what benefits do they deliver and what are some of the best frameworks available today?

Think of any application you might create as a major motion picture. Before the public sees anything a script needs to be written, sets need to be built and scenes need to be shot. This makes your dedicated software development team your production crew, who work around the clock behind the scenes to ensure your application continues to work as intended as the show goes on.

In development circles working on things behind the scenes is called working on the backend. This is where custom software development services are built, and web development technologies are polished – ensuring the application they are attached to runs smoothly.

All these technologies working in concert out of sight of users is called a backend framework, which functions as the “director” behind the entire application creation, deployment and maintenance process. It ensures everything runs on time and that every component is working correctly behind the curtain during all these key processes in the application lifecycle.

his makes backend frameworks critical in today’s marketplace, as they function as the foundation or “script” behind every digital endeavor undertaken by an organization today. Some, such as Node.js and Next.js, are more popular than other backend frameworks because of their ability to work well both behind the scenes in application production, as well as in user facing functions on the front-end.

But what factors should be considered when choosing a backend framework for a project? And how do backend frameworks impact the scalability of a web application? The following article will answer all these questions. But before that, let’s quickly go over what types of frameworks are available on the market, as well as some of the benefits they can deliver to any organization today.

Benefits and types of backend frameworks

There are two distinct types of backend framework organizations need to keep in mind when deciding which one works best for them. There are two types of frameworks to choose from:

• Client-side web frameworks: oversee the user interface, meaning this framework is the foundation for an excellent user experience and ease-of-use when navigating any application.
• Server-side web frameworks: handle anything crucial to ensuring back-end operations run smoothly – functionalities such as database manipulation, data management and web server management are covered by this framework for example, but there are, of course, many other backend functionalities that this framework would also cover in a real-world scenario.

Choosing between these two frameworks can be challenging but the benefits they provide thankfully apply to both frameworks. These benefits are:

• Speeding up development: through ready-made components, many backend frameworks can save organizations time on simple tasks, while also reducing human error by encouraging developers to use proven development patterns to complete tasks – this ensures everyone knows what they are doing and less mistakes are made during the development process.
• Improving scalability and performance: through features that enable them to handle multiple users at once, e.g., spreading loads over multiple servers or handling background tasks more efficiently, a good backend framework enables developers to focus more on providing a better experience to their users.
• Providing a standardized structure: through common rules or layouts, a good backend framework will make it easier for teams to work together and get new team members up to speed quickly as many developers are familiar with the limits and setups employed by these same frameworks.
• Enabling organizations to focus on business-critical tasks: through taking ownership of routine coding operations, a good backend framework helps everything in the application run smoothly with minimal effort on the part of the developers.

But regardless of whether organizations decide they want to cast a client-side or server-side framework as the driving force behind their next application production, there are still key factors to consider when choosing the framework that works best for them. These are speed and performance, ease of use, community support, scalability and security.

However, there are many frameworks available right now that do some of these better than others. Therefore, how can organizations start to get their new application off the ground and into production?

Most popular backend frameworks

Choosing the right framework may seem difficult, but it does not have to be. Here are Software Mind’s picks for the top five backend frameworks available today (in no particular order). They are:

• ASP.net core: an implementation of Microsoft’s server stack which can build and run applications across platforms and environments, making it ideal for developing mobile or web applications for Microsoft. It requires minimal coding, enabling it to deliver performance improvements much easier than its counterparts.
• Django: an open-source web framework written in Python that follows the model-view-controller architectural pattern and is ideal for creating database-driven websites. It is scalable, SEO-orientated and offers integrated web app security features, with minimal coding needed to implement all of this into any organization as a lot of these benefits are delivered out of the box.
• Ruby on Rails: offers full-stack capabilities and ease of use making it ideal for first-time developers. It offers real-time updates and data synchronization, while enabling full control over any project, so developers can decide how the application database should function – which brings more flexibility and adaptability to the table for development teams.
• CakePHP: makes custom web development easier by providing a scaffold that can be used as a launching pad when building web applications and is ideal for developing web and mobile applications quickly and easily for anyone familiar with PHP. It is highly scalable and is ideal for simple, beginner or complex projects.
• Flask: a WSGI framework ideal for any project focused on server-side web development. It offers a built-in web developer that enables debugging operations, while giving developers the freedom to jump in and use Python within it if things go wrong – but that is not all, it also makes setting up web servers with or without Python much easier.

If you do not see a framework that best suits any available roles you may have on this list, do not worry. There are many other frameworks to choose from and we are sure you will quickly find something that suits you after just a little research, or better yet by contacting us here at Software Mind.

Conclusion

By now, you should be aware of the benefits of several types of backend frameworks you can apply in 2024 to get the results you need from your new application.

However, at Software Mind we know that talking about implementing a backend framework is easier than doing it, and we also know that undertaking this kind of work for those not in the loop concerning current technological trends or jargon can be extremely daunting.

That is where our experienced software experts come in. They can help choose the right framework for you quickly and easily by connecting with you and understanding more about what you need these frameworks for, which in turn will save you significant costs in time and money.

So, what are you waiting for? Our experienced software development team is happy to talk about what different types of backend framework can do for you.

Read more about choosing a tech stack