- Compare and contrast the types of frontend development you used in your full stack project, including Express HTML, JavaScript, and the single-page application (SPA).
Overall I found that Express HTML was the easiset to understand of the three. However, in the end I prefer the SPA (built using Angular) development process overall. Using JavaScript as a coding language is still quite new to me, but I can see why developers would choose to use it, especially for the entire stack.
- Why did the backend use a NoSQL MongoDB database?
NoSQL MongoDB useds BSON and JSON to store database data, which fit into the MEAN stack (uses JSON and JavaScript for the front and back end)
- How is JSON different from Javascript and how does JSON tie together the frontend and backend development pieces?
JSON is used to pass data via HTTP/HTTPS requests to the backend. While JavaScript is a coding language to develope the functionalities of the web page(s).
- Provide instances in the full stack process when you refactored code to improve functionality and efficiencies, and name the benefits that come from reusable user interface (UI) components.
Within the final module a requirement was to add encryption to the database and the data being transfered to and from the client to the server. This added a level of security that can help protect the site from potential bad actors by protecting the database and user passwords.
- Methods for request and retrieval necessitate various types of API testing of endpoints, in addition to the difficulties of testing with added layers of security. Explain your understanding of methods, endpoints, and security in a full stack application.
A method is a way to request and send data to the web page via an API from an endpoint, GET and PUT are an example of this. This can help show what data is being sent and received by an endpoint prior to go live of a site. Adding security to this can prevent unwanted access to the API by requiring authentication to gain access. Enabling encryption can also improve security by encrypting the database and user information being sent to the server.
- How has this course helped you in reaching your professional goals? What skills have you learned, developed, or mastered in this course to help you become a more marketable candidate in your career field?
While this course did not directly assist me with my professional goals, it did assist with my understanding how a modern website works. This skill can be applied to many other areas of my career path, such as server and networking troubleshooting. The skills I have developed is the understanding of NPM, Express, Angular, and the data flow of a modern website.