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Web & app frameworks

Overview​

A framework provides structure, conventions, and reusable building blocks for applications (routing, ORM, templating, auth scaffolding, CLI tooling). Choosing a framework balances ecosystem maturity, hiring, hosting model, and long-term maintenance.

Key concepts​

  • Convention over configuration: Sensible defaults speed greenfield work.
  • Batteries included vs minimal: Monolith frameworks vs composable libraries.
  • Rendering model: SSR, SSG, SPA, and hybrid (e.g. Next.js, Remix).
  • Data layer: Migrations, query builders, and connection pooling.
  • Security defaults: CSRF, XSS mitigations, dependency updates.

How a server framework handles a request​

Sample: Express-style route handler (Node.js)​

import express from 'express';
const app = express();

app.get('/api/health', (_req, res) => {
  res.json({ ok: true, uptime: process.uptime() });
});

app.listen(3000);

References​