How To Use Web Frameworks To Build Your Ecommerce Business (2024)

Building an ecommerce application for web and mobile devices can be difficult, and development teams face a mountain of challenges with many possible routes to the top. Instead of going the free solo route, which can be erratic, buggy, and inefficient, developers frequently look to web frameworks for a well-defined path to a great product. Web development frameworks offer libraries of code and procedures that can eliminate frustrating drudgework and make web application development faster and simpler.

There are many different types of web frameworks available to tackle various projects. Learn what a web framework is and see which web frameworks might work best for your ecommerce web application.

What is a web framework?

A web framework, also known as a web application framework or web development framework, is a software development tool composed of structural guidelines, as well as code and procedure libraries. Developers use web frameworks to create web applications, or apps accessed through an internet browser. Web frameworks frequently feature prebuilt programming, resources, and application programming interfaces (APIs) that developers can use alongside their own custom bits of code.

Benefits of using web frameworks

By providing logical structure and convenient tools, web frameworks assist developers in building higher quality, easier-to-maintain apps in less time. These frameworks offer a host of advantages that make life easier for web developers:

Streamlined, scalable development 

The code in frameworks is efficient, readable, and reusable, which slashes development time because programmers don’t have to start from scratch each time they build a web application. Repetitive tasks like database access, authentication, and session management can all be managed with pre-built code libraries. 

Web frameworks also provide a structured and standardized format for building your web application. When you’re ready to expand your web application, you can continue with the same procedures you followed to build your application at the beginning.

Security features

Since web frameworks include standardized web components, web applications can be easier to debug and maintain. Web frameworks also have built-in security features to resist cyberattacks. 

Support for dynamic web content 

When you’re building an ecommerce web application, you’ll want your pages to be dynamic, meaning that they change with user interaction. For example, you’ll want users to be able to add your product to their cart or see when inventory is running low. Web frameworks often include hypertext markup language (HTML) templates that can help you create these types of dynamic web pages. With web frameworks, developers can focus on content and layout while the framework handles the rest.

Front-end vs. back-end frameworks

Web application frameworks can assist with two types of development: front end (what the user sees) and back end (what the application does behind the scenes). Some frameworks are geared toward one type of programming, while others perform well for both.

While many web frameworks are built on a single programming language, some use multiple programming languages. Frequently seen combinations are JavaScript for the front end and Python or Ruby for the back end. Here’s more on how they differ:

Front-end framework

Front-end web frameworks apply to the client side of an application—the user interface your customer sees and interacts with. Ideally, a front-end user experience should be visually appealing, responsive to user interaction, and optimized for search. You can use front-end web frameworks to develop features like dynamic product filtering, cart updates, easy checkouts, customer support live chat, and more.

A front-end web framework typically uses three programming languages: HTML, cascading style sheets (CSS), and JavaScript.

Back-end framework

Back-end web frameworks provide tools and libraries to keep your website up and running. These server-side tools can help execute critical (but invisible to user) tasks like data retrieval, authentication, and URL routing. The back-end is where critical data processing happens. It’s also where site data is stored, and back-end web frameworks feature tools and integrations to work with these databases.

Back-end web frameworks frequently use the Java, Python, and Ruby programming languages. 

Top web frameworks for ecommerce developers

Let’s take a look at some of the best web frameworks you can use to develop a web application for your ecommerce business: 

React

React is a free, open-source Javascript library maintained by Meta. It’s a component-based framework, meaning that you can assemble individual pieces of premade programming (such as code for a Like button or video) into one cohesive web page. React is a great option for building web applications with custom storefronts and extensions. It can also help you streamline back-end processes like server-side rendering, which can improve your store’s search engine optimization (SEO), data access, and routing. 

Angular

Developed by Google, Angular is an open-source web framework frequently used for enterprise web applications. Angular covers both front- and back-end processes, and it’s recognized for its structured codebase and active, extensive community support. Angular can be complex, so it might be a better option for larger web application projects. 

Vue.js

Vue.js is a highly rated JavaScript framework for building the user interface (UI) on web and mobile applications, and it’s easy to learn. It supports two-way data binding, meaning that your application can automatically update the UI in response to changes in underlying data. Like other frameworks, Vue.js offers a component-based approach that breaks down code assembly into smaller parts. The developer community associated with Vue.js is large and active, so you can easily ask or answer questions and contribute code.

Ember.js

Ember.js is a good choice if you’re building a front-end user interface. Key features include two-way data binding and a strong routing system, allowing users to easily bookmark and share specific pages. Ember.js is designed for speedy and efficient development, but it might come with a steep learning curve.

Node.js

Node.js is an open-source JavaScript framework that’s good for building server-side applications, or applications that run on the server rather than the user’s device (as opposed to client-side applications). Two-way server and client communication in real time is no problem, and you can use this framework for front- or back-end development. Node.js’s heavy-duty number crunching and data processing may be a bit slower than that of other frameworks. 

Next.js

Next.js is an offshoot of the React web development framework. It’s designed to build simpler server-side rendered applications, which have fast-loading web pages. This framework supports CSS and image optimization, and since it’s built on top of React, you can use the same components you would use in a React-built application. Next.js is geared toward back-end processing, so you’ll want to use another framework for front-end development.

Nuxt.js

Nuxt.js encourages rapid development. As an open-source server-side rendering framework built on Vue.js., Nuxt can render HTML on web servers before sending HTML to the user, which improves load times and SEO. It also has an HTML static site generator, which results in speedier performance in the user’s browser. 

Meteor

Meteor is an open-source and full-stack (meaning back- and front-end) framework that uses Javascript. Its beginner-friendly nature, host of tools, and server-side debugging capabilities make it a solid choice for those starting out on their web app development journey. Plus, you’ll be able to develop both front and back end with just one coding language.

Ruby on Rails

Ruby on Rails is a popular web development framework built for speed. Its rapid development capabilities and convention-over-configuration paradigm make assumptions about how you might want to create web applications, making the development process faster. While it offers productivity, community support, built-in security features, and scalability, Ruby on Rails has a relatively steep learning curve.

Svelte

Svelte is a JavaScript framework known for its simplicity and shallow learning curve. Its reactive programming and server-side rendering boost performance for robust web applications, and it offers a more intuitive way of building reactive UI components.