Why Use Node.js? Is It Beneficial to Your Next Web App Project?

Developing modern software applications is vital for every growing business. As you’re reading this, you’re likely aware that JavaScript stands as one of the most commonly used backend technologies.

Selecting the right technology stack is a pivotal decision that can have a profound impact on the success of your forthcoming web application project.

JavaScript, a programming language that has been pivotal in web development since its inception in 1995, is known for its extensive influence. Over the years, it has amassed numerous libraries and frameworks, largely without a direct backend counterpart. This discrepancy led to the emergence of Node.js in 2009, which has since witnessed a surge in popularity. Node.js is an event-driven JavaScript runtime primarily employed for crafting scalable network applications.

Notably, Node.js extends JavaScript’s capabilities beyond the confines of web browsers. Studies indicate that a significant 49.9% of developers opt for Node.js as their preferred backend solution.

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a robust and versatile back-end JavaScript runtime environment that is freely available and open-source. Its design caters to the creation of scalable network applications that can be run on a variety of platforms. The framework leverages the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine to execute code and incorporates an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model to deliver outstanding efficiency. As a result, Node.js has gained immense popularity among developers for its ability to facilitate high-performance and seamless integration with various web technologies.

Big companies like LinkedIn, Netflix, Trello, PayPal, NASA, Medium, etc., use Node.js.

1. PayPal

PayPal, a global leader in online payments, transitioned to Node.js to overcome the challenges of their monolithic architecture. By adopting Node.js and developing microservices, they improved their system’s performance and allowed for better scalability. Node.js’s event-driven nature also enabled real-time updates for users, making transactions smoother and more efficient.

2. Netflix

Netflix, the world’s largest streaming platform, utilizes Node.js in its content delivery and backend systems. The Netflix user interface relies on Node.js to serve over 100 million subscribers with fast, responsive experiences. Node.js has helped them optimize streaming by enabling quick, non-blocking I/O operations and efficient handling of requests.

3. Uber

Uber, the ride-sharing giant, adopted Node.js to handle their vast network of drivers and riders. Node.js allows them to process and relay millions of requests in real time, ensuring quick response times and efficient matching of drivers and passengers. Its scalability makes it a perfect fit for handling the fluctuating demands of a global ride-sharing platform.

4. NASA

Even space exploration can benefit from Node.js. NASA used Node.js to develop its web-based tools for data visualization and communication with satellites and rovers. The asynchronous nature of Node.js helps process and present data to scientists and engineers in near real-time, aiding research and decision-making.

5. Trello

Trello, a project management tool, employed Node.js for its backend, enabling real-time updates and collaboration. Node.js’s WebSocket support ensures instant board updates and smooth team collaboration, making it a favourite choice for project management.

6. LinkedIn

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, adopted Node.js for its mobile application backend. Node.js’s single-threaded, event-driven model aligns with the real-time nature of social interactions on the platform. This transition led to reduced server response times and improved user experiences.

7. Slack

Slack, the popular team collaboration tool, relies on Node.js to deliver real-time chat and collaboration features. Node.js’s capacity to handle multiple concurrent connections and push data instantly to clients aligns perfectly with Slack’s requirements.

I know you must be curious after reading this. So, without further ado, let’s discuss other topics of Node.js.

Advantages of using Node.Js

Now you must be thinking about why you should use Node.js and what is so special about node js? Relax, we are here to help you. Here we mentioned a few points you should read before starting your journey with Node.js.

Scalability

Due to the scalability of node.js, it can handle many concurrent requests simultaneously without stressing the server. It only works when needed; otherwise, it goes offline and prevents unnecessary wastage of RAM.

Mobile-friendly, Cross-platform, and Dev-Friendly

Node.js helps the applications run smoothly on Windows, OS, or Linux. In the past few years, the development of cross-platform apps has been raised. The fear of not running apps on the operating system is not anymore- the credit goes to node.js. It helps developers build apps that run on different platforms by minor modifications.

Light and fast

The execution speed of node.js is fast, so any input-output operation does not block other functions. You can also send emails, queries to the database, etc., at the same time.

The virtual machine in node.js consists of JIT compilation which can take source code to compile it into machine code at runtime.

Its super-fast characteristic enables enterprises to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) to experiment with Node.js project ideas on the market.

Highly extensible

Node.js has a default package manager Node Package Manager (NPM), by which you can download millions of open source packages.

Caching ability

The cache is hardware or software that stores data for future requests. Node.js can cache a single module. When a module request is made, it is collected from the cache instead of the primary servers. Thus, the application loads faster and responds quicker.

Easy to learn

Node.js is pretty much popular among developers due to its simplicity. Anyone can learn node.js in a few weeks, but you have to learn Javascript first. Without the knowledge of Javascript, learning node.js would be difficult and take more time to learn. Hence node.js is easy to learn.

Best Uses for Node.js

There are several app projects that Node.js technology makes the best choice for:

Chat servers

Node.js is used to build a real-time chat application that sends and shows messages to a recipient without any page refresh.

Video conference apps

Projects that require intense data streaming for audio and video files make the best use of node.js.

API

It is a most popular application; nearly all apps use some kind of backend technique to communicate with other databases. Thanks to node.js, you can easily find libraries to create GraphQL or REST API.

Server-side applications

By being an event-driven programming model, the flow is determined by messages, user actions, and other specific events of this kind.

Command Line Tools

With the help of available NPM, you can easily create advanced and straightforward command-line tools according to your requirements.

Comparing Node.js to Other Backend Technologies

Since every project needs different technology to code it, you must choose the correct code.

Python vs. Node.js

Node.js executes code outside the web browser, so the application uses resources more efficiently and effectively. The execution of the V8 engine and the non-blocking nature of node.js makes it even faster. Therefore, Node.js is the most preferred choice for real-time web apps.

The speed of Python is not as good as node.js because Python is an interpreted language which means it does not convert directly to machine code which results in longer runtime.

Node.js vs. Java

The execution speed has to do with how both tools process input/output requests. Node.js processes IOs in a non-blocking manner, meaning that its single thread can manage several IO requests simultaneously. There is no need to wait to complete one request to process the others.

Java uses both blocking and non-blocking IOs- Blocking IO means that a given thread cannot do anything until the first IO is fully received. So the speed is reduced automatically as the application needs to wait until the thread processes requests one by one. Adding threads can increase the speed, but that option is a little bit expensive.

The non-blocking flow in Java is a bit more complex than in node.js because non-blocking IO has been accepted as a standard in Java. Non-blocking IO processing makes Node.js the tool suitable for creating applications that involve massive reading and writing operations, such as logging, data acquisition, backup, transaction processing, and real-time apps.

When Node.js Backend is Not the Best Choice

Here are some cases when Node.js is not the best choice for a backend:

When you need to support a large number of concurrent users. 

Node.js is a single-threaded language, which means that it can only handle one request at a time. If you need to support a large number of concurrent users, you may be better off using a language like Java or Python, which are multi-threaded.

When you need to handle a lot of CPU-intensive tasks. 

Node.js is not as efficient as some other languages for CPU-intensive tasks, such as video processing or image recognition. If you need to handle a lot of these types of tasks, you may be better off using a language like C++ or Go.

When you need to use a specific framework or library that is not available for Node.js. 

Node.js has a large and growing library of frameworks and libraries, but it is not the only language that has these. If you need to use a specific framework or library that is not available for Node.js, you may be better off using a different language.

When you are not familiar with JavaScript. 

Node.js is a JavaScript-based language, so it is important to be familiar with JavaScript if you want to use it. If you are not familiar with JavaScript, you may be better off using a different language.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to use Node.js for your backend depends on your specific needs and requirements. If you are not sure whether or not Node.js is the right choice for you, it is always best to consult with an experienced developer.

Node.js Frameworks or Approaches

We mentioned the All time popular Node.js Frameworks, and top npm modules, which are currently redefining the application development field.

Socket.io

Socket.io is a realtime web framework that allows you to build interactive applications that can communicate with each other in real time. It is used by many popular chat applications, including Slack and Discord.

Nest.js

Nest.js is a progressive Node.js framework that combines the best of Express.js and Angular. It is a great choice for building scalable and maintainable applications.

Hapi.js

Hapi.js is a robust Node.js framework for building APIs and other applications. This framework has a strong plugin system and features like input validation, implement caching, error detection, etc.

Adonis.js

Adonis.js is a modern and feature-rich MVC framework for Node.js that is designed to be easy to use and maintain. It is a great choice for building high-quality web applications.

Express.js

Express.js is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework. It is used by many popular websites and applications, including Uber, Netflix, and Airbnb.

Meteor.js

Meteor.js is a full-stack JavaScript framework that is used to build real-time web applications. It is a great choice for building applications that require a lot of interactivity, such as chat applications and games.

Redis

Redis client library that includes features like Blocking Commands, Auto-Pipelining, Clustering, etc.

Koa.js

Koa.js is a modern and performant Node.js framework that is designed to be scalable and maintainable. It is a great choice for building high-traffic applications.

Feather.js

Feather.js is a lightweight and modular Node.js framework that is easy to learn and use. It is well-suited for building RESTful APIs.

Sails.js

Sails.js is a full-stack MVC framework for Node.js that is used to build web applications. It is a great choice for building complex applications that require a lot of features.

Related:- Top mobile app development frameworks

How to Get Started With Node.js

Node.js is one of the most popular technologies globally, especially in the USA. It is an excellent skill to have on your resume if you are a developer, and it gives you more excellent job opportunities. You can develop cool applications like real-time video, messaging apps, social media apps, and more!

Installation of NodeJS is simple; let’s find out how to start with Node.js!

Step 1: Download Node.js Installer

Open the web browser and search nodejs download. Then click on the windows installer to download the latest version. The Node.js installer has the NPM package manager.

Step 2: Install Node.js and NPM from Browser

1. After finishing downloading, Open downloads and double click on the file to launch it.

2. Then click on the Run to run the software.

3. Now you see Node.js Setup Wizard, click Next.

4. Review license agreement. Click Next after accepting the T&C.

5. Install the software and set location, then click Next.

6. Finally, click Install to run the installer, then click Finish.

Step 3: Verify Installation

Click on the command prompt, and enter node -v.

Resources to Learn Node.js

We have listed several helpful resources by which you can learn Node.js.

• Courses – There are several online courses available to learn Node.js. You can learn from Udemy, Coursera, etc.
• Videos – learning from books can be typical for you when you are new to Node, so finding videos to learn is a better way to start!
• Ebooks – A good open source ebook can be a good resource to learn Node
• Tutorials – There are several free tutorials available online for Node.js.
• Blogs – Blogs can help you learn Node.js and stay tuned with changes. 

Related:- Top Online Learning Platforms in 2022

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to Node.JS

Why is node.js so popular?

One of the biggest reasons Node.js is so popular is because it uses JavaScript as its primary language to build applications. And to be honest, JavaScript is now the only choice to develop web applications in the web browser. Numerous companies have trusted Node.js to produce their applications.

Why use node.js as a backend?

Node.js backend development is brief, as it provides many features that can be impossible to have with an event-based environment. It is supported by a large community of developers who constantly improve it.

What are the two types of API functions in Node.js?

The two types of API functions in Node.js are:

• Asynchronous
• Synchronous

What are the best uses for node.js?

Node.js is used for Data Streaming, hardware programming, online gaming, real-time web applications, REST APIs, and more.

Wrapping Up

Kudos! You have got the complete information about Node.js. You can go further and start exploring other features of Node.js. If you want to learn the essential elements of Node.js, give Express.js a try. I’m sure you would love that. 

If you are looking for quick Project delivery, Invedus is here to help you. Vetted & handpicked Node.js Developers with $0 Recruiting fee. Contact us to Outsource Nodejs development work from India. 

Happy Coding!