Choosing the right technology stack can be really tough, especially for non-tech entrepreneurs. You always have questions about scalability, developer availability, reliability, and community support. For eCommerce, these concerns are even more critical. Proper knowledge about the e-commerce architecture is vital to choose the ideal tech stack.
We understand your worries and are here to help. In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the eCommerce tech stack and the architecture, so that you can develop your eCommerce business confidently and with peace of mind.
What is A Tech Stack?
Tech stack is a set of frameworks, tools, apps, libraries, and programming languages used together to build a website or mobile application.
The word “stack” comes from the concept of putting different technologies on top of each other to create a complete and functioning system. There are two main components of this setup:
- Front-end (Customer side)
- Back-end (Server side)
Let’s explore these components in more detail for a clearer understanding.
Tech Stack for Ecommerce Development
Front-end Ecommerce Technologies:
The front end refers to the part of web and app development that users see and interact with. There are three main technologies that work together. The three key front end technologies are:
- HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- JavaScript (JS libraries used for front end development include React, Vue, Angular, and jQuery)
In addition to these basics, developers also use SCSS, LESS, and SASS for creating user-facing designs. When everything is put together, developers use tools like Gulp, WebPack, and Crunt to help organize and compile their work.
Back-end Ecommerce Technologies:
The part of the technology that users don’t see, known as the back end, uses a wide range of tools and frameworks to operate. There are many processes happening in the background that we don’t even notice.
Let’s take a closer look at the main back end technologies:
Operating System:
The first step in getting started with back-end technology is picking an operating system (OS). This is something that many people can relate to, even if they’re not tech experts. There are four main brands of operating systems :
- Android
- Windows
- MacOS
- Linux OS
Web Server:
Web servers are programs that handle requests from users. They look at these requests and then return the documents or information that the user asked for. Two popular web servers that are free and open source are Apache and Nginx.
Database:
Databases play an important role in the backend of technology, helping us manage and work with large amounts of data. Some of the most popular databases include:
- MySQL
- MongoDB
- Amazon’s DynamoDB
- Google’s Firebase database
- PostgreSQL
Storage:
When it comes to storage solutions, the most commonly used ones are:
Programming Language:
Programming languages use different styles of writing (syntax) to tell a computer what to do. Here are some of the main programming languages used in website development, along with their related frameworks:
- PHP (Laravel)
- Ruby (Ruby on Rails)
- Java (Spring)
- Python (Django, Pylons, Flask)
- Scala (Play)
Popular Ecommerce Technology Stacks
There is a long list of technology stacks to build an eCommerce website, but here we will focus on five best ecommerce tech stack:
Laravel + React
A powerful and modern tech stack for developing dynamic, high-performance web applications and eCommerce platforms. This is likely the best tech stack for your eCommerce solutions.
- Web Server: Nginx or Apache
- Database Management: MySQL or PostgreSQL
- API: RESTful API with Laravel
- Hosting: AWS, or Google Firebase
- Scripting Language: JavaScript and PHP
LAMP
This is one of the fastest tech stacks for developing apps, but it has two main downsides: it doesn’t scale very well, and its performance isn’t the best.
- Operating System: Linux
- Web Server: Apache
- Database Management: MySQL or MariaDB
- Scripting Language: Perl, PHP, or Python
Python-Django
The Django Framework, used with Python, offers a high level of security for backend development.
- Web Server: Apache
- Database Management: MySQL or PostgreSQL
- Scripting Language: Python
MEAN Stack
This stack is another popular choice for creating eCommerce websites.
- Database Management: MongoDB or MySQL
- Backend Framework: Express
- Web Application Framework: Angular
- Backend Platform: Node.js
.NET Stack
Developed by Microsoft in the early 2000s, this stack has become partially open source, making it more popular.
- Operating System: Windows (though it can also be used with Linux and MacOS)
- Framework: ASP.NET
- Web Server: Microsoft SQL
- Database Management: Various options
- Scripting Language: C# and JavaScript
How to Choose the Perfect Tech Stack for Ecommerce Business
Ensure Compatibility with Your Current System
If you’re not starting a business from scratch, it’s best to use existing tools and frameworks for web development. Make sure that any new platforms or tools you choose work well with what you’re already using.
Focus on Your Strengths
Startups often have tight budgets, and we understand that. Listening to your own experiences and recognizing your team’s strengths is a smart move. If you have a developer on your team with specific skills, prioritize building a website that takes advantage of those skills.
Think About Your Project’s Needs
Understanding what you need for your project, including its size and specific requirements, will help you choose the right technology for eCommerce development.
Consider Ecommerce Store Development Time
How quickly you need your project finished is another important factor in choosing eCommerce technology. If you just need a quick app to test an idea, a LAMP stack might work. But if you have more time and want to focus on quality and flexibility, you might want to look for something other than LAMP, since it may not scale well and could perform poorly.
Scalability is Key
Scalability in eCommerce is really important for growth. If your distribution system is as good as your product, you might need to grow quickly. If your platforms and frameworks can’t grow fast without spending a lot of money, time, and effort, you could end up losing customers and revenue.
Finding Talent
Technology popularity and developer skills are linked. The more popular a technology is, the more developers are likely to learn it. Also, user-friendly tech tends to attract even more developers. Make sure to consider the availability of talent in your area or remotely for the tech stack you choose.
Developer Support and Resources
Having a strong developer community and open-source resources can be very helpful. Make sure the technology you choose for your project has good documentation, community support, and resources available to fulfill your business needs.
Budget for Hardware Needs
Some software may require additional servers to function properly. Double-check the hardware requirements of your chosen solutions, especially if your eCommerce startup is working with a limited budget.
Recommended Tech Stack for E-commerce Web Development by Laraforest
- Frontend: React
- React for building interactive and dynamic user interfaces.
- Redux or Context API for state management.
- Axios or Fetch API for making HTTP requests.
- Backend: Laravel
- Laravel for robust and scalable backend development.
- Eloquent ORM for database interactions.
- Laravel Passport or Sanctum for API authentication.
- Database: MySQL or PostgreSQL
- MySQL for efficient and reliable relational database management.
- PostgreSQL as an alternative for advanced features and scalability.
- Server: Nginx or Apache
- Nginx for serving the application with high performance.
- Apache as an alternative for its robust features and flexibility.
- API: RESTful API with Laravel
- Use Laravel to create a RESTful API for communication between the frontend and backend.
- Hosting: DigitalOcean, AWS, or Heroku
- Version Control: Git and GitHub
- Git for version control and managing code changes.
- GitHub for code repository hosting and collaboration.
- Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD
- GitHub Actions for automating testing and deployment workflows.
- GitLab CI/CD as an alternative for robust CI/CD pipelines.
- Payment Gateway: Stripe or PayPal
- Stripe for seamless and secure payment processing.
- PayPal as an alternative for a widely-used payment solution.
- Caching: Redis
- Redis for efficient caching to improve application performance.
- Search Engine: Elasticsearch
- Elasticsearch for powerful and scalable search capabilities within the eCommerce platform.
This stack combines the strengths of Laravel and React to create a powerful, scalable, and efficient eCommerce platform.
Technology Stack Examples: The Big 3 Ecommerce Giants
Amazon Tech Stack:
eBay Tech Stack:
Walmart Tech Stack:
Modern Ecommerce Platforms
There are several platforms available that enable startups to create an eCommerce website quickly and with little initial investment. If you are among the many aspiring eCommerce entrepreneurs, you should consider exploring some of these top eCommerce platforms like
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- Magento
- WooCommerce on WordPress
Final Words:
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with ambitious goals for your eCommerce business and aim to become a leader in the industry, consider investing in a custom eCommerce website. Collaborate with skilled remote developers to bring your vision to life.
These remote developers are not only budget-friendly but also provide you with access to a diverse, global talent pool. Wishing you the best of luck with your eCommerce venture!