10 Best Web Development Frameworks in 2024
Whether you want to land a job as a web developer, enhance your portfolio, or build your skills, modern web development has become hugely dependent on web development frameworks. But what is a web development framework anyway? If you’re new to the concept, don’t worry. I’ll introduce the idea of a web development framework before diving into our list of the top 10 web development frameworks.
If you’re in a hurry, here’s the TL-DR: A web development framework is a set of tools and pre-written code that helps developers build and manage websites more efficiently. Put simply, they’re kind of awesome and ideal for web developers like you and me! Plus, when you consider that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an average salary of more than $85K for web developers, getting to grips with web development frameworks can be rewarding.
What Is A Web Development Framework?
If you’re new to web development or you’re fresh off a web development course, start here! Let’s start with the very basics: what is a web development framework? Web development frameworks are a type of software framework that can help you develop websites, web apps, web services, web APIs, and web resources. The idea here is to provide a standardized method for building and deploying your web apps by automating the most common actions you need to perform for web development.
Does that make sense? Kind of? Okay, how about ELI5? Sure! Imagine you want to build a house. You wouldn’t want to start from scratch, right? I mean, who wants to dig up clay to make bricks or cut down trees to get wood? So, it makes more sense to start with a kit that has all the basic parts you need, like bricks, wood, and glass. This kit is like a web development framework.
In web development, rather than building a website or app from nothing, a web development framework gives you the basic parts. These are pre-made pieces of code that do common things most websites need, like showing pictures or letting people log in. I like to think of it like building with blocks, where each block is a piece of code that does something special. You can then put these blocks together to make your website, which is much easier and faster than trying to create each block yourself in your favorite web development IDE. Plus, because many people use the same frameworks, it’s like having a team of friends who help you build your house who can give you advice or help you if you get stuck.
So, in a nutshell, a web development framework is like a big box of building blocks for making websites. It makes things easier and faster, and you have a lot of friends to help you along the way!
Key Aspects of Web Development Frameworks
- Pre-written Code: Frameworks provide a structure for web applications so you don’t have to code from scratch, including basic functions for managing data and displaying it on web pages.
- Libraries and Tools: They often come with libraries for database access, templating frameworks, and session management, and they often promote code reuse.
- Security Features: Frameworks also offer security features to protect against threats like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and others.
- Efficiency and Speed: By providing a structured environment, frameworks can make the development process faster and more efficient.
- MVC Architecture: Many frameworks follow the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, which separates the data model with business rules (Model), the user interface (View), and the user input (Controller).
- Community and Support: Most web development frameworks have strong communities and support. This means there’s a wealth of documentation, forums, and third-party tools available.
The Best Backend Frameworks for Web Development
Let’s get things started with the best frameworks for backend web development. Whether you’re looking for the simplicity of Node.js, Python for rapid development, or Ruby’s convention-over-configuration philosophy, we’ve got you covered. Or maybe you want to take advantage of PHP’s elegant syntax or Java’s enterprise-grade robustness; again, no problem! I’ve tried to include a range of web development frameworks with varying strengths and pros, so whatever you choose, you’ll be ready to create powerful, scalable, and efficient server-side applications.
Express.js
What it’s best for: creating web applications and RESTful APIs quickly and easily with Node.js. Let’s start things off with Express.js! This is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework that provides a robust set of features for web and mobile applications. I find Express.js incredibly efficient for building server-side applications, especially when creating RESTful APIs. Its minimalist nature allows for the quick and easy setup of servers, making it a go-to for many Node.js developers.
For me, one of the major strengths of Express.js is its simplicity, coupled with its powerful routing and middleware capabilities. Plus, it’s unopinionated, which is perfect if you like control over your applications. In general, Express is ideal for designing complex functionalities with less code and more flexibility.
The middleware in Express.js also helps to process requests and responses, making it a breeze to implement functionalities like parsing incoming requests or setting up cookies. Express.js doesn’t enforce strict conventions; it also offers me the freedom to structure my application as I see fit. This flexibility is particularly great for projects that require a custom setup or integration with other tools and libraries. You also get the added versatility of compatibility with other frameworks like Socket.io for real-time web applications.
The fact that Express.js is lightweight and integrates seamlessly with databases like MongoDB also makes it great for building fast, scalable network applications. It’s also a part of the MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, Angular, Node.js) and MERN (MongoDB, Express.js, React Node.js) stacks, both of which are hugely popular for full-stack development.
In my opinion, if you’re a web developer who wants to dive into backend development with JavaScript, Express is an excellent choice.
Django
What it’s best for: rapidly developing robust and scalable data-driven web applications with a “batteries-included” approach. Now, depending on where you stand on the Flask vs Django debate, you may or may not agree with me choosing Django! They’re both great options, so let’s not start a flame war! Plus, if it’s good enough for companies like Instagram, it must be pretty good!
Django is a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development and clean, pragmatic design. Known for its “batteries-included” philosophy, I really like that Django comes packed with a huge range of features that are essential for web development out of the box.
One of the aspects I particularly appreciate about Django is its emphasis on automating as much as possible. This is visible with its powerful Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) layer, which simplifies database interactions, and its robust migration system for evolving your database schema without much hassle.
Django’s built-in admin interface is another highlight. To me, this can be a game-changer for developers, as it provides a ready-to-use UI for managing your site’s data — think of it as a powerful tool for rapid prototyping and an asset for less technical users to manage site content.
Django is also highly regarded for its security features, as it helps developers like you and me to avoid common security mistakes by providing a framework that has been engineered to “do the right things” to protect the website automatically. Yep, this means you get protection against CSRF, SQL injection, and XSS, making it a trustworthy choice for projects where security is paramount.
Django’s template engine, URL routing, and authentication mechanisms are all built with the same overarching goal of simplifying and accelerating web development. These features, combined with Django’s adherence to the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle, boost development speed without sacrificing code quality.
In general, this web development framework’s scalability and versatility make it a popular choice for small projects and complex, high-traffic sites like Instagram and Pinterest. Plus, its strong community and wealth of third-party packages…
