Best Software Development Tools, Frameworks & Libraries You Can’t Afford to Miss
February 11, 2022
With the increase in demand for several programming languages in the market, several frameworks, libraries, and tools are also being introduced to help in simplifying the software development process. Making use of the right frameworks and tools helps to reduce the lines of code and reduce the time taken between prototyping to production.
When you plan to opt for app development for your business needs, you should be aware of many options available today and pick the most suitable one as per your specific requirements.
We often face development challenges while using programming languages but with the help of these frameworks, the software development system can be made more efficient & easier. Here is the list of a few programming tools, frameworks, and libraries that have evolved to ease the development process-
Top 15 Software Frameworks, Tools & Libraries
1. Angular JS
Brought by Google in 2012, this structural framework is used for building dynamic web pages and is considered a great option for building Single Page Applications (SPAs). Some of the best features of this JavaScript framework used for front-end development are-
- With development flexibility, any HTML developer can use the language with new HTML syntax having new attributes to extend the web page functionality.
- As an MVC framework, synchronization between the model & view takes place via two-way data binding. This means all changes in model data will take place instantly in the view & vice versa.
- Angular JS directives are used to create reusable components, which help in hiding complex DOM structure, CSS & behavior. Focus on how an app looks & works separately.
2. Node JS
Another top JavaScript runtime framework is Node JS, which is asynchronous, event-driven & based on a non-blocking I/O model making it the right choice for building data-intensive apps that render output to the users in real-time. Introduced in 2009, this framework is used for backend development and used in various corporate apps such as GoDaddy, Walmart, Yahoo, Netflix, LinkedIn, etc.
- Some benefits are I/O operations are non-blocking, which is good for handling multiple, concurrent events at a point.
- Node JS apps use less RAM with faster execution of operations, making it a great choice for building apps with heavy I/O bound workflows.
- Node Package Manager (NPM) is used to manage modules in projects by downloading packages, resolving dependencies & installing command-line utilities.
- Nodejs developers for backend work with front end developers, which is best for managing lines of code, spotting & fixing bug.
3. React
Built by Facebook in 2013, React is a JavaScript library that is open source in nature and is used for building user interfaces for the web. Known as easy, fast, and flexible, this framework is JavaScript developers’ favorite as it helps in spending more time writing JavaScript code than framework-specific code.
- The top benefit is virtual DOM which helps in locally comparing elements and allowing React libraries to render only changed components, which saves time and avoids needless operations. Some brands that use React JS are Netflix, Facebook, Yahoo, etc.
- React Native is used for building mobile-friendly user interfaces and helps in developing cross-platform native apps using Javascript without the need for Objective-C and Swift.
Get Cost to Create React Native App
4. .NET Core
Another framework in the list is .NET Core, which is an open-source, next-gen .NET framework built by Microsoft. If you are planning to build an application that needs to run on multiple OS platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS), then .NET is a good choice.
- This software framework, .NET Core, proves to be a compatible choice for server-based applications when there are cross-platform app requirements.
- It is also a great option when there are high-performance and scalable systems, which involves the use of Docker containers, microservices, etc.
5. Vue
Built by Evan You in 2014, Vue is a progressive JavaScript library that helps in making UI development more organized. It is lightweight, fast, and based on MVC architecture, which makes the configuration of Vue apps simple.
- Some of the best features are PWA (Progressive Web App) support, instant prototyping, Vue.js DevTools, the browser extension that enables developers to inspect web apps & change data manually.
- One disadvantage of Vue is that most of the materials in the Vue community are in the Chinese language, making it a language barrier for English-speaking developers.
6. jQuery
Another JavaScript library that is loved by many developers is jQuery due to benefits like simplicity & cross-browser compatibility. It is mainly used to build user interfaces and it has clean and simple syntax making it easy to interact with DOM elements on web pages.
- The best thing about jQuery is that it is easy to learn which means developers don’t need to invest a lot of time in learning this language and can easily create animations and effects.
- One desirable feature of jQuery is that it is lightweight with no unusual functions. With plug-ins, one can easily add a function, if needed.
7. Torch/Pytorch
Known as a machine learning of Python, PyTorch was created initially to overcome the challenges associated with its predecessor, Torch.
- One benefit is that it helps in writing new neural layers in Python using libraries and packages like Cython and Numba.
- Though PyTorch has been the mainstay for computer vision for several years, this language could not experience the success that other languages did due to the unwillingness of many developers to study the new language Lua.
8. Hadoop
The next is the open-source framework by Apache i.e. Hadoop that helps to store and distribute large data sets across multiple servers, operating parallel.
- The best thing about Hadoop is that it is a cost-effective option for storing large data sets, as compared to traditional RDBMS.
- Written in Java, Hadoop makes it easy for developers to handle tasks & process data efficiently.
- Hadoop’s MapReduce feature makes the processing of data fast i.e. terabytes of data can be processed in just a few minutes.
9. Cordova
Earlier known as Phonegap, Apache Cordova is a hybrid app development framework that relies on HTML, CSS, and Javascript for building mobile apps.
- With both the features of HTML and JavaScript, Cordova enables developers to work on any device.
- Due to a hybrid app development approach that saves time, effort as well as cost, the code can be shared between multiple platforms.
- Some of the best tools, frameworks & cloud services that improve Cordova performance are Visual Studio, Ionic, Framework7, etc.
10. Spark
The next is Spark, which is an open-source, micro-framework that helps in building web apps in Kotlin and Java.
- Java web development can be tiresome even though Java Virtual Machine (JVM) has several java web frameworks. Spark is the best option for those who love JVM but don’t want the code of frameworks and verbose.
11. Xamarin
The top player when it comes to cross-platform native apps, the future of mobile app development is Xamarin.
- It is much better than proprietary and hybrid development models with a class library and runtime environment that helps in building full-fledged mobile apps using a single language, C#.
- With less memory & CPU time utilization, Xamarin is the best option for a cross-platform native development process with benefits such as code-sharing, cost-saving, easy maintenance, and a less complex environment.
12. Django
Written in Java, Django is an open-source framework for web app development that is based on Model-View-Template (MWT) architecture and is considered the best option for complex and database-driven apps.
- This Python-based framework is known for reusability, rapid development, fewer lines of code, low coupling, etc., and is popularly used in big brands like Pinterest, Instagram, Disqus & more.
- Django simplifies development to a huge extent and includes built-in mitigation for web attacks.
13. Spring
The next on the list is Spring, an open-source application framework for building Java enterprise apps that offers an infrastructure for well-structured & easily testable development.
- With built-in templates for Hibernate, JPA, JDBC, JTA, etc. Spring enables developers to save time that would be taken for writing too much code.
- As it is a dependency injection framework that assigns dependencies to the object during runtime, the code is loosely coupled making it easy to maintain.
- It offers a consistent programming model making it easy to use in any environment.
14. TensorFlow
The next in the list is Tensorflow, which is used for AI app development. Built by Google, it is a machine learning framework based on Deep Learning models making it easy for systems to learn and improve progressively.
- As TensorFlow includes Google Recognition, Google search, photos, etc., multiple brands such as Dropbox, Twitter, Intel, etc. are relying on this ML-based framework.
- With the high demand for languages associated with ML, there is a high chance of growth in the development industry.
15. Ember
Based on Model-view-ViewModel (MVVM) approach, Ember enables software developers to build modern user interfaces.
- This programming language is used to develop a web solution, mobile as well as desktop apps. The best feature of this web development framework is a testing program that is created for every new entity by default.
- Ember is a great option if you are looking for a language with an ever-increasing community of developers that constantly release new features to improve the platform.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, after going through the blog, you must have got an idea of some of the best software development frameworks, tools, and libraries that can be considered for your next project development needs. Every framework has its pros and cons, which is why you must know your project requirements thoroughly to choose the most suitable option based on the features you need.
Take time to consider factors such as functionality, community support, performance, etc. for each framework before you choose to invest in them. Still, have queries? Get in touch with our expert app developers to clear your doubts & help you choose the right one.