Knowing the pros and cons of Node.js is very crucial in developing successful web applications for your business. Combining a technology stack for a node.js web application development is a task in itself. Therefore, selecting the right languages, tools and platforms can decide a lot of aspects of the future app functioning – right from the straightforwardness of development to the performance, scalability, and efficiency.
Hence, it is very important to make the right choice in the beginning.
If you have a web application development project rolling in mind, you are most probably, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of developing your apps around JavaScript and the tools using it. Sooner or later, you will also think of the backend development platform and probably come across Node.js.
But, you must be wondering!
What is Node.js?
What is Node.js used for?
Why use Node.js?
What are the node.js advantages and disadvantages?
We will try to answer these questions to help you determine whether this technology matches your project requirements.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source runtime environment that uses JavaScript on the server side, which is built on Google Chrome’s V8 engine and runs on various platforms such as Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. Node.js uses asynchronous programming and is fast, lightweight, and efficient. It is used for creating highly scalable, data-intensive, and real-time web applications. Developing such web applications requires frameworks. And Node.js framework offers the best collection of tools, helpers, and libraries.
Plus, Node.js is a cross-platform Javascript run-time environment that implements Javascript code outside of a browser. Thus, Node.js uses javascript for building web applications. we can also use any other language that ultimately compiles to javascript (like typescript). It is the best tool for developing real-time web applications. Additionally, It provides cross-platform applications which run easily on any web without a need to make anything extra for running up a node application.
According to the Node.js Survey of users, 43% of programmers claim to use Node.js for enterprise application development. Since, It’s a light, scalable, and open-source language platform, that makes it very easy to develop applications even at the enterprise level also. Furthermore, Node.js increases the efficiency of the development process as it fills the gap between frontend and backend applications. when you hire node.js programmers, they use the approach of non-blocking I/O to develop apps. This non-blocking I/O eliminates the need for multi-threading and provides fast and efficient results.
Next, we will move on to know the reasons to choose Node.js web application development for your project.
Why use Node.js web application development?
When you hire node.js developer for your project, you probably need to know what features it provides to make your app successful. So before moving to know the advantages and disadvantages of using node.js, we will first go through its amazing features.
Features of Node.js:
- Single-threaded
The Node.js web app development process operates on a single thread. It works on the “Single Threaded Event Loop Model” architecture which can handle multiple client requests efficiently and with ease. Here, the main event loop is achieved by a single thread, but in the background, the input-output work is accomplished on separate threads; as Node.js is asynchronous. Therefore, Event Loop is what enables node.js to execute all the non-blocking operations.
- Asynchronous
Node.js is asynchronous by default, thus it operates in a non-blocking way. This means, when a client requests a server, a single thread handles the client request; it verifies if the request has any database interaction if it does not; the request is then processed and the server sends back the response to the client. This way, the thread is ready to handle the next request.
- Event-driven
The event-driven concept in node.js is somewhat similar to the concept of the callback function in asynchronous programming. Here, the difference is that the callback function performs once the asynchronous function returns its result, and events are triggered on its associated event handler.
- Performance
Node.js is developed on Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, which helps node.js developers in faster code execution. The engine combines the JavaScript code into machine code which makes code easier and faster to implement effectively. Plus, asynchronous programming and the way it operates on nonblocking input-output operations bring high performance. It also uses events which makes it pretty fast.
- Node package manager (NPM)
NPM is a package manager for the Node JavaScript runtime environment and is a recommended feature of the Node.js installer. Plus, It is the world’s largest online repository. For all the above features that Node.js web application offers, it prefers more in the development of enterprise industries.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of Node.js Web App Development?
Developing web applications with any technology has a few drawbacks that are negligible against the advantages it provides in development. Same way Node.js too has some benefits and disadvantages.
So, without wasting a time, we will go through some questions to clarify. Why use Node.js? And what are the Node.js advantages and disadvantages?
Advantages of Node.js for web application development
- Highly scalable for modern apps
Many companies have improved their consumer base consistently with tens and millions of users like Netflix, Walmart, Uber, and PayPal among others have accepted Node.js as a viable solution for scalability.
Moreover, this cutting-edge technology has tons of features like the cluster module that facilitates load balancing over multiple CPU cores. Plus, Node.js provides a non-blocking event-loop mechanism that brings high scalability and allows the server to process requests seamlessly.
Node.js also allows you to use microservices that help you to separate your application into smaller parts. As a result, you get to define tasks and assign them easily among other teams to accelerate the development, deployment, and maintenance of each division of your application.
thus, Node.s and microservices help modern apps to scale up and down as per the requirements and allow companies to achieve high performance with fewer resources.
- Cost-effective with full stack javascript
As the Node.js web application development allows developers to write server-side code in Javascript, we can also write codes on both the front and backend very easily. Hence, this is the biggest node.js advantage as it eliminates the need to hire two resource teams by saving a great deal of time, cost, and energy for overall project development.
- Great community support
Today, Millions of developers are contributing actively to the Node.js community, it ensures you extensive support from development experts across the world to resolve even the most complicated development problems.
NPM package manager for JavaScript is the biggest package manager registry in the world for Node.js web app development. Plus, it provides various tools and libraries readily available to use in your project. Furthermore, You’ll also get a large pool of resources such as ready-to-use solutions, codes, modules, libraries, and registries on GitHub built by programmers to help you achieve more with few resources.
This widely popular technology is being deeply supported by IBM. It has also expressed its wish to sponsor and speak at key Node events to drive and improve the project.
Moreover, This large community is supported by many leading tech giants such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Netflix, contributing to node.js advantages extensively. Hence, this acceptance by tech giants and the developer community ensures tech presence and growth in the future.
- Easy to learn and adapt
It is well-known that javascript is the most popular and widely used programming language in the developer’s community. Plus, It is a lot easier to learn and grasp the language for making successful Node.js web application development. Further, It also takes less time to write codes.
Javascript is also the most loved programming language for front-end development. Mostly loved by beginner or junior developers.
- Build cross-functional teams
Node.js provides full-stack development capability when you hire node.js developers. It also helps you in developing a team that focuses on improving your development life cycle wherein you get to address challenges quickly. Hence, This work environment adds value to healthier productivity and lets you conquer issues and troubleshoot them timely. This way, you are more likely to fasten your time-to-market.
- Better app response time that boosts performance
Node.js web application development with the help of its single-threaded event-loop model provides a non-blocking asynchronous architecture without creating many threads by employing fewer resources. Therefore, boosting the responsiveness of your web app as it can deal with multiple concurrent users simultaneously.
Same way, when Netflix switched from java and javascript to Node.js and hit the jackpot by drastically reducing their start-up time from 40 min to under 60 seconds.
- Reduces time-to-market
Time is precious in any development process, especially when time-to-market is one of the crucial benchmarks of quality and performance. As Node.js is lightweight, it allows developers to increase the overall development speed. Plus, your team gets to use a ton of libraries, ready-to-use codes, and other resources from GitHub, which saves a lot of coding time and effort during the development process.
- Extensibility
Business never stops evolving, so whether you have an increase in your user base or you’re planning to explore other industry dimensions, Node.js can be easily extended and customized for fast-growing enterprises. It extends by using built-in API for developing HTTP and DNS servers, which makes data exchange between client and web servers very easy.
- Reduces loading time by catching
Node.js has helped developers by reducing the task workload and re-execution code with its caching module. So whenever the first module of your web app gets a request, it gets cached in the in-app memory. Through this, within a fraction of a microsecond, your users can quickly access the web pages without having to wait for too long.
- Build cross-platform applications
Node.js allows you to use various platforms to build cross-platform real-time web applications. Therefore, it eliminates the need to invest time in writing separate codes for different desktop versions – Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Furthermore, your development team can develop native desktop apps without expert-level knowledge in Objective-C, C#, or any other languages. Plus, if you hire Node.js developers, they can even access more tools from Google Chrome Developer Tools to develop, debug, and write codes without any limitations.
Disadvantages of Node.js for web application Development
85% of the companies are using Node.js for web app development. There are several benefits of using Node.js, but like other technologies, Node.js has some disadvantages.
- Lowers performance while handling heavy computing tasks.
Having the advantages of being single-threaded and event-driven, Node.js still falls short in performing heavy CPU-based computing for the same reason.
When Node.js receives a sizable CPU-driven task during the process in its event loop, it uses all of its available CPU strength to complete the undertaking. This leads to the deceleration of the overall event loop, further disturbing your app’s interface.
To solve this issue Node.js introduced the “worker threads” module that helps programmers to execute multiple threads simultaneously. However, this solution does not fully equip you to handle CPU-bound computation challenges.
- Heavy code changes in Node.js due to Unstable API
One of the most important drawbacks noted by Node.js users is the frequent API changes that are normally backward-incompatible, which drive them up the wall. Unfortunately, this requires them to consistently change the access code to match in sync with the latest version of Node.js API.
- Difficult to maintain code in an Asynchronous programming model
The technology mainly relies a lot on callbacks because of its core nature of the asynchronous approach. This function works after every task in the queue safeguarding several queued tasks in the background that are still running. This results in callback hell. Thus, directly affecting the performance and the quality of the code itself. This limitation practically makes it hard to understand and maintain the code.
- Lack of library support can endanger your code
There are numerous NPM registries and libraries which are either bad quality or incomplete and not accurately documented. So, this inadequate monitoring is challenging if some amateurs build a web application in Node.js.
Hence, Only well-qualified experts with good project experience can drive success to your project. The fact that it is open-source with a large pool of libraries and modules might develop a lack of high coding standards. Therefore, It is essential to hire node.js developers that are experienced and able to develop your web applications for extraordinary outcomes.
Conclusion
Node.js plays a vital role in developing scalable & high-performing web applications for your business. Hire node.js programmers from kanhasoft that love exploiting node.js advantages and so do the companies working with us. Node.js provides a perfect package of performance, scale, and speed, which powers use cases important for web apps in 2023. As long as your web app doesn’t need CPU-intensive tasks, your applications can utilize the node.js advantages I have shared in this article.
If you are still not clear about the benefits of Node.js or whether it will be helpful in your project or not? then feel free to contact us! we would be grateful to offer you a free consultation and help you understand if Node.js will prove beneficial for you or not.
FAQ
Q. Why is Node.js web application development popular?
A. The asynchronous programming model in Node.js gives it a viable and efficient choice. Its event-driven architecture allows it to tackle multiple concurrent requests simultaneously while keeping it lightweight.
Q. What is the reason behind the fast and high performance of Node.js?
A. The major reason behind its high -performance is its non-blocking I/O model. NodeJS leverages a single asynchronous thread, which reduces the CPU workload and avoids HTTP congestion in the development process.
Q. What are the pros of Node.js web application development?
A. Node.js provides several benefits for web application development such as high scalability, ease of learning, extraordinary performance, profound extensiveness, and active community support from a large community of developers, among others.
