
What Are Node.js Frameworks?: How To Choose the Best Node.js Framework for 2023
Node.js powers many of the modern real-time web applications you’re likely familiar with. It’s a scalable JavaScript runtime environment widely used to build online games, messengers, video platforms, and more. Technology companies like Netflix, Uber, Trello, and others use Node to create both rich user interfaces (UIs) and server-side environments.
Node derives a lot of its versatility from Node.js frameworks. But with countless frameworks available, which one is the best choice for your project? Read on to find out.
What Are Node.js Frameworks?
Node.js frameworks are pre-built tools and accelerators that further extend the functionality of Node.js. These frameworks are built by the Node developer community itself to aid fellow developers in their projects.
Node frameworks not only reduce development time and effort but also provide additional functionalities and dimensions to your projects. Moreover, they ensure a standardized codeset across your development team and enhance productivity.
Not all Node frameworks are built equal. They excel at different functions and choosing between them involves assessing your unique project requirements.
Types Of Node.js Frameworks
Depending on their support of a particular use case in the development lifecycle, Node.js frameworks are primarily of three types:
1. MVC
Model-view-controller (MVC) frameworks adopt a unique design pattern by splitting the application logic into three interconnected elements, namely models, views, and controllers. MVC frameworks separate the application’s business logic and display to produce a better division of labor. As a result, this enhances the scalability and maintainability of the application.
2. Full-Stack MVC
Full-stack MVC frameworks offer the tools to build both the front-end and back-end of applications, eliminating the need to work with multiple frameworks. They also offer capabilities like libraries, scaffolding, template engines, and more to offer a fully developed interface to the user.
3. REST API
Representational state transfer (REST) API frameworks offer a fast and flexible build experience by using REST APIs. These APIs enable seamless client-server interaction and allow developers to easily add additional functionalities to an application.
Top 14 Node.js Frameworks To Use in 2023
Based on their popularity and usage by Node.js developers, we have shortlisted the top frameworks for Node.js. These are some of the most widely-used frameworks, as shown in the Node.js Web Survey Report 2018.
1. Express.js
Express has more GitHub stars than any other Node.js framework, hinting at its substantial popularity. The MVC framework is fast, robust, asynchronous, and useful for designing single, multi-page, and hybrid web applications.
Express combines the best of API frameworks with browser-specific APIs that aren’t normally supported by Node.js. By connecting the back-end code to the browser, you can store files directly in the browser, which makes Express a top choice for dynamic content. It allows fast client-server interaction and aligns well with the single-threaded nature of Node.
Key Features
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Rapid server-side development packages
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Highly performant due to multiple processes executed asynchronously
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Exceptionally high test coverage
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Supports multiple template engines
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Easily integrates with SQL and NoSQL databases
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Easy content negotiation with URLs and HTTP protocol
2. Nest.js
Nest is a Node.js framework used for building extremely efficient server-side applications. It supports TypeScript as well as JavaScript, integrates well with Express.js, and supports elements of functional programming, object-oriented programming (OOP), and reactive programming.
You can use Nest to build multi-layered enterprise applications owing to its extensive collection of libraries. Nest is a fairly popular Node framework, though it is ranked second to Express in GitHub stars.
Key Features
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Easy integration with frameworks like Express
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Compatibility with Angular on the front-end
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Large developer community
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Small learning curve for beginners
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Highly systematic and easy-to-use external libraries
3. Meteor.js
Meteor is an open-source and isomorphic Node framework specific to JavaScript. It allows rapid prototyping and the production of cross-platform codes. The framework is compatible with multiple operating systems like Android and iOS, making it ideal for developing simple yet modern and efficient web applications.
Meteor has a huge developer community offering support for new developers. Another important feature of the framework is its ability to process automatic changes to the front-end without any intervention from the developer. Meteor is known for being able to provide seamless data transfer between the client and the server. Such a feature is essential for high-streaming, real-time applications.
Key Features
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Cross-platform framework
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Rapid prototyping with command-line interface (CLI)
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Full-stack solution
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Easy integration with other frameworks
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Lightweight yet feature-rich
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Isomorphic framework
4. Koa.js
Koa is developed by the same team behind Express.js. Referred to as a lighter version of Express, Koa is highly effective in creating web applications due to its cascading middleware. With this feature, you can maintain different versions of the same webpage content for different users.
Many of Express’s plugins and libraries have been adapted to Koa, allowing you to enjoy the flexibility of Express and the lower complexity of Koa. With exceptional error handling and high customization, Koa is a contemporary framework that’s actively growing in scope.
Key Features
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Increased personalization through cascading middleware
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Resolution of code inconsistencies to increase maintainability
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Ability to leverage Express’s rich ecosystem of libraries and packages
5. Sails.js
Sails is an MVC framework that supports modern, data-oriented development. Known for its compatibility with multiple databases and easy integration with Node Package Manager (npm), Sails is suitable for building high-end and complex web applications.
Sails isn’t tied to any specific front-end framework and uses Express for HTTP requests and Socket.io for WebSockets. It integrates well with other JavaScript frameworks and is also famous for its ability to auto-generate REST APIs. Sails doesn’t have the huge community support of Express but it’s a great option for developing custom, enterprise-scale applications.
Key Features
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Reusable security policies
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Object-relational mapping for compatibility with databases
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Integration with Express and Socket.io
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Support for Angular
6. Feathers.js
Feathers is a simplistic real-time framework built on top of Express for designing advanced web applications. Customizability and rapid development of robust and lightweight applications are a few of Feathers’s useful features. Feathers is a popular back-end framework that provides flexibility with not just Node but React Native as well.
Feathers is designed to simplify web and mobile app development. Developers using Feathers need not get into the complexity of RESTful APIs. The framework makes it easy to implement and connect features for web applications while also enabling you to execute SMS, authentications, and email messaging.
Key Features
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Extremely lightweight codebase
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Reusability in terms of services and functions
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Command-line interface
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Automatic RESTful APIs
7. Hapi.js
Hapi.js is a security-focused Node framework that doesn’t compromise functionality. The team behind Hapi focused on code quality control and verification when designing the open-source framework.
Developers often use the framework for building proxy servers, REST APIs, and other rich desktop applications. Hapi checks each npm package when installed and defines clear, immutable ownership. This enables developers to easily diagnose issues given the well-structured code.
Hapi also offers a lavish set of built-in plugins to eliminate any need for third-party middleware.
Key Features
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Support for secure defaults
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Rich ecosystem of libraries
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Fast and easy debugging
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Minimal overhead
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High scalability
8. LoopBack.js
LoopBack.js is an open-source Node.js framework offering effortless connectivity with any other Node framework and different API services. Developers can enjoy reduced development time and excellent compatibility with a wide range of devices, browsers, databases, and operating systems when they use LoopBack.
LoopBack uses built-in modules to connect to different HTML5, iOS, and Android APIs. Another powerful feature of the framework is its ability to convert web applications to mobile apps. Loopback does this due to its support of SQL and NoSQL databases.
Key Features
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High extensibility
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Rich built-in modules
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Well-structured codebase
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Support for multiple databases
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Built-in client API explorer
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Full-stack development
9. MEAN.js
MEAN is not a framework, but an end-to-end development solution featuring a combination of open-source technologies. of dynamic web applications from scratch. Using MongoDB, Express, Angular, and Node.js (MEAN), engineers can develop secure, robust, maintainable, and dynamic applications.
Other important features of MEAN include isomorphic code generation for enhanced extensibility and single-language development.
Key Features
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Lightweight and easy to use
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Huge collection of libraries
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Sizeable community support
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Low memory overhead
10. Total.js
Total started as a Node.js framework for real-time applications, REST services, ecommerce platforms, and IoT projects. Now its use is versatile, operating as a content management system (CMS), HelpDesk,eShop, and more.
Total does not rely on dependencies through third-party tools and libraries. One of the key focus areas of the framework is the integration of applications with IoT services, REST services, and other super-fast applications. Total offers more than 100 services for JavaScript development, code sharing, cloud computing, and UI development.
Key Features
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Real-time tracking
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Compatibility with multiple databases
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Rapid development and low maintenance cost
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Inclusion of API testing
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Integration with multiple front-end frameworks
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Active, open source community
11. Socket.io
Socket.io is a JavaScript library for configuring real-time response updates and requests between applications. By establishing bidirectional communication between clients and servers, the library underpins real-time applications such as WhatsApp.
Applications that need to continuously refresh in the background require WebSocket development. Socket is especially ideal for such development projects. It also offers real-time analytics in a compact codebase.
Key Features
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Binary support between clients and server
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Auto-reconnection support
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Multiplexing support
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Error detection and auto-correction
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Similar APIs for client and server-side development
12. Adonis.js
Adonis.js is an MVC Node framework focusing on an organized structure and stability. It reduces development time by focusing on a few essential development elements like out-of-the-box support for WebSocket, lifecycle dependency management, development speed, and productivity. Adonis consists of multiple packages that run on the server side of the application.
Key Features
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Highly customizable template engine for delivering dynamic content
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Native support for JSON APIs
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Customization for WebSocket, ORM, JWT, routing
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Native support for Express, MEAN, and Koa
13. Derby.js
Derby.js is a full-stack MVC development framework prioritizing ease of development. Creating real-time applications is a breeze with Derby as it allows the same code to run on Node.js (server) and the browser.
Derby uses the Racer engine that automatically syncs data between browsers, servers, and a database. This enables real-time synchronization between the user, application, and back-end. It also supports offline usage with a simple scripting feature.
Derby mitigates the delay in content delivery with client-side view rendering on the server. This makes applications SEO-friendly and enhances the user experience.
Key Features
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Data synchronization through Racer engine
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Support for offline use
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Codeset customization
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Bidirectional script development
14. Keystone.js
Most commonly used for content-heavy web development projects, Keystone is a Node framework for static and dynamic content management. Content management systems, online editorials, forums, social media platforms, and e-commerce platforms are some examples of applications that work great with Keystone.
Keystone consists of a collection of modules, supporting core functionality for back-end development, UI tools, and web protocols.
Key Features
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Provides easy handling for large pieces of content
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Decentralized modules
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Smart data models
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Real-time framework for managing, tracking, and publishing updates
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Native add-on for image editing, storage, and management
How to Choose the Best Node.js Framework for 2023
Choosing the right Node.js framework for your development project becomes much easier if you’re able to define your standard for quality early on in the project. Clarity on what features and approaches are essential to your project’s success makes the choice much more objective.
For instance, if you value flexibility in your Node framework, then stay away from opinionated frameworks like LoopBack. Frameworks like Express, Koa, and Meteor will work best in this scenario. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a framework that is flexible, lightweight, and supports the auto-generation of REST APIs, you won’t go wrong with Sails or Feathers.
Whatever your choice of Node framework, you’ll need a talented team of Node.js developers to see your project to fruition. Trio provides you access to industry-leading and thoroughly vetted Node developers without inflated recruitment cycles. The process is fully streamlined and Trio even handles all the HR responsibilities for you, leaving you free to take your project to success.
Conclusion
Node.js is a powerful web development environment and its frameworks only enhance its capacity. Hiring the right people to make the most of your Node.js framework is essential for a productive and efficient development process.
Contact Trio to find out more about how you can find the best senior Node.js developers for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Node.js?
What are Node.js frameworks?
How do I choose the best Node.js framework?
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Node.js is widely known as a versatile runtime environment, powering both back-end and front-end web development. Its popularity notwithstanding, the community often pits it against Golang or Go, Google’s programming language introduced in 2009.
Comparing a runtime environment with a programming language might seem absurd on the surface. But, a deeper examination of the pros and cons of each throws light on which of the two back-end development tools you should choose for your project.
This article showcases a head-to-head comparison and attempts to settle the Node vs. Go debate, at least for now and in the near future. If you’re deliberating between the two from a hiring perspective, read on to find which option makes the most sense for your project.
What Is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source runtime environment built on the V8 JavaScript engine that extends JavaScript’s capabilities beyond web browsers. Node.js excels at building server-side logic, while also integrating well with JavaScript on the front end. Back-end developers can easily upskill to full-stack competencies using Node.js.
Node’s rich ecosystem of libraries and reusable components makes it a prime choice for developers.
What Is Node.js Used For?
Node.js provides developers with the tools to create beautiful, modern real-time web applications. Node’s asynchronous architecture is especially ideal for creating applications like online games, online messengers, video chats, and more.
Due to its seamless JavaScript integration, virtually any web application focused on the end-user experience can be built with Node.js. Developers can also create robust server-side environments and networking applications using Node.
Who Is Using Node.js?
Companies like Netflix, PayPal, Walmart, LinkedIn, Trello, Uber, and many more use Node.js for their industry-leading UIs and server-side platforms.
Netflix even managed to achieve a 70% reduction in startup time when they implemented Node.js and unified their server and client environments with JavaScript. Using the same programming language at both the server and client end is one of Node’s most powerful features.
Companies that want to build two-way applications that don’t require waiting for APIs to return data find Node.js perfectly suited to their needs.
The 2022 Stack Overflow Developer Survey clearly shows Node.js as the second most wanted framework by developers.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Node.js?
It’s important to be aware of both the pros and cons of Node.js before committing resources to a development project. Node.js isn’t free from a few drawbacks, some of which might be deal-breakers for your particular use case.
Pros of Node.js
- Simplicity: Using JavaScript on both the server and client ends makes Node.js code easier, simpler, and shorter. Components can be reused and developer costs can be kept down by hiring full stack developers.
- Scalability: Thanks to native API clusters, child_process, and worker_threads, building scalable web apps is quite easy with Node.js. It can tackle an increased number of requests by taking the burden off of CPU resources.
- Time-to-market: Node’s lightweight nature and inherent reusability considerably reduces build time. The huge number of reusable components available in Node Package Manager (stylized and abbreviated as ‘npm’) makes development even simpler for your team.
- Future-proof: Owing to the widespread popularity of JavaScript, it’s safe to say Node.js isn’t going away anytime soon. As the second most loved runtime environment by developers, Node will continue to retain its relevance due to a large pool of current and future Node developers.
Cons of Node.js
- Not ideal for CPU-heavy computing: Node’s single-threaded and event-driven nature yield a performant codebase, but this is a sub-par alternative for CPU-based computing tasks. Large CPU-dependent tasks can slow down its event loop, hindering performance in such cases.
- API dependency: Node’s APIs are regularly updated with little to no backwards compatibility. Maintaining Node.js code due to the frequent changes requires ongoing commitment and resources.
- Error handling: Node.js uses JavaScript which is a dynamically typed language. This means debugging can be a pain and it will take some expertise to keep the code error-free.
- Asynchronous model: Node’s asynchronous programming is an advantage that makes it ideal for scalability but it also requires a high level of expertise to master it.
- Library dependency: Developers more dependent on the npm libraries and registries could encounter some incomplete packages in the underlying JavaScript. As an open-source standard, JavaScript is constantly modified by the community. This can lead to some inconsistencies and incomplete packages
What Is Go?
Go or Golang is a statically-typed programming language released by Google in 2009. It is an open-source language created to tackle challenges like multi-core computing, networking, and web development that were prevalent during the time. The language rose in popularity in 2016.
Golang developers based the language on C, a low-level language. Given that low-level languages offer little abstraction from pure machine code, Go is easy to compile, providing superior speed and efficiency.
Unlike JavaScript, Go is a strongly-typed language with excellent concurrent programming, garbage collection handling, and memory usage capabilities.
Golang is still one of the most wanted programming languages according to the 2022 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
What Is Go Used For?
Go combines fast compilation and garbage collection to bring the benefits of both low-level and high-level languages to applications. Its excellent handling of concurrency makes it ideal for CPU-hungry tasks often seen in back-end applications.
Popular development tools like Kubernetes and Docker have been built with Go. Go can even be used for system programming, large-scale distributed systems, and highly scalable network applications.
Go is also useful for cloud development, big data apps, and machine learning applications.
Who Is Using Go?
Google, Netflix, Dropbox, IBM, Soundcloud, Medium, Twitch, and many others use Go widely in their applications. Google has claimed that it uses Go in YouTube and Chrome.
Uber’s microservice for geofence lookups that supports everything from driver searches to dynamic pricing is written in Go. This microservice is Uber’s highest ‘queried per second’ service and has been running 99.99% of the time since its launch
What Are the Pros and Cons of Go?
Google’s highly efficient programming language has its own set of pros and cons that should be seen in conjunction with those of Node.js.
Pros of Go
- Efficiency: Go’s code is compiled directly to machine language and hence doesn’t require an interpreter. This makes Go extremely fast, efficient, and easy to maintain.
- Scalability: Go’s ability to handle concurrency with ‘Goroutines’ is one of its foundational features. Go can handle up to 1000 concurrent requests per second and can make full use of multi-threaded CPUs.
- Simple syntax: Go’s syntax comprises a mere 25 keywords. This not only keeps the code highly readable and clean but also minimizes the chances of errors by developers.
- Memory handling: Go’s excellent garbage collection handling prevents memory leaks in cases where developers forget to release memory from redundant objects.
Cons of Go
- Time-consuming: Go’s simplistic code makes it harder to implement complex abstractions. Developers need to code more for using simple features, limiting the language’s versatility.
- Limited reusability: As Go doesn’t support generic functions, it doesn’t support reusability JavaScript does.
- Nascent community: Go’s community is less mature as compared to that of some other programming languages. This makes it less attractive for newer developers as they can find it hard to get their questions answered by the community.
- No built-in GUI library: Building GUI applications needs significant effort as you need to connect additional libraries with your project.
- Resource-heavy: Go is prone to consuming significantly more resources for complex applications as it doesn’t have a virtual machine (VM).
Node.js vs. Go: Side-By-Side Comparison
Both Node.js and Go have advantages and drawbacks when it comes to different aspects of web development. In order to choose the one best suited for your present use case, it’s important to compare them side-by-side.
Simplicity
When it comes to simplicity in coding, Go trumps Node.js. Its simple syntax and strict rules keep its code clean and readable. On the other hand, Node’s code deals with all the intricacies inherent in JavaScript.
Learning Curve
In terms of ease of learning, Node.js takes the win here. As JavaScript is already used by a large population of developers, Node.js is relatively easier to get a hang of. Whereas Go has a whole new set of of. processes, rules, pointers, interfaces, strict typing, coroutines, and much more.
Performance
In terms of raw performance, Go has a clear edge over Node.js as its code is compiled directly into machine language. But in terms of real-world performance where database server interaction and network applications are involved, there is very little difference in speed between the two.
Scalability
Go’s ability to process around 1,000 requests per second and its reliable execution of multiple threads through goroutines make it a clear winner in terms of concurrency. This makes Go ideal for scaling large projects. Node.js applications can also be scalable but its asynchronous single-thread architecture lags behind that of Go.
Error Handling
Error handling works differently in Node and Go. Node uses the conventional throw-catch method to catch errors during runtime, debugging each line sequentially. Go requires explicit error checking which can create inconsistencies. Node is thus the better choice in this aspect, at least until Go2 (Go’s planned successor) brings some improvements.
Community
While Go has fast gained the trust of developers (it has 105k stars on GitHub; Node has 91k), it still has a long way to go in terms of community support. The Node.js foundation enjoys the support of the likes of IBM, Microsoft, and PayPal and has a more mature ecosystem of developers and reusable libraries.
Development Tools
JavaScript has been around for decades now and as a result, Node.js developers have access to more than 800k ready-made tools in npm alone. In Go, developers need to do a lot more manual work. Although it has a solid built-in library to make tasks easier, Go lags behind in terms of sheer quantity of development tools.
Node.js vs. Go: Which Is Better?
Deciding which technology to go with depends not only on technical factors but also on strategic considerations. If your organizational tech stack is Node.js or JavaScript heavy, there might not be enough long-term benefits to go with Go, even if it performs faster.
On the other hand, in cases where you need to leverage the most CPU bandwidth you can, Go might be the ideal choice despite having a lengthy and costly development cycle.
In short, it all depends on your business use case and the compromises you’re more comfortable with. Both Node.js and Go are fantastic development tools with their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusion
If your project requires Node.js developers, Trio can make the hiring process smooth and economical for your organization. Trio developers are extremely skilled, thoroughly vetted, and ready to be onboarded in no time.
Contact Trio today to learn more about outfitting your project with senior Node.js developers from around the globe.

Node.js is used for back-end development with JavaScript. Web developers as of late having been optimizing their tech stack by implementing this far-reaching technology.
Every competent web developer knows that they need a solid grasp of JavaScript in order to build any modern web application or website. After all, JavaScript is the premier programming language for front-end web development; or rather, it is the only language.
But with so many tools available to manipulate and enhance the use of JavaScript, just knowing the programming language you’re going to use for your next software project isn’t enough.
As an illustration, flocks of JavaScript developers have been opting to use Node.js as a back-end technology. In fact, as of a 2020 Developer Survey by StackOverflow, Node.js is in the top ten of most loved languages or technologies among developers.
Node.js is versatile. Among the many uses of the software, you will learn about four applications of Node.js:
- Collaborative Tools
- Streaming Services
- Dashboards
- Microservices
Take a closer look at several Node.js examples explaining precisely when and where to use this JavaScript-based tool.
What Is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment for JavaScript. First released in 2009, it provides web developers a platform to write, test, and debug JavaScript code outside of a browser.
While Node.js does not change the syntax, structure, or really anything about JavaScript itself, it does come equipped with many application programming interfaces (APIs) that extend the capacity for back-end development in JavaScript.
Support for file systems, HTTP requests, and child processes glimpse some of the features offered towards this undertaking. The same cannot be accomplished in a browser so these Node.js examples of back-end agency are thoroughly exciting to many a web developer.
The notion of back-end development with JavaScript, combined with JavaScript's well-established role in front-end web development is defined under the popular slogan, ‘JavaScript everywhere’.
This slogan means to convey the enthusiasm of web developers who appreciate the ease of using a singular programming language – JavaScript – throughout their tech stack. In other words, Node.js projects make full-stack development an attractive reality. And developers love to see it!
What Is Node.js Used For?
Naturally, like anything that has to do with the mere mention of JavaScript, developers use Node.js to build dynamic websites and web apps. Current Node.js examples of major websites thriving thanks to its platform include the likes of Netflix, PayPal, LinkedIn, and more.
These names are not underground by any means. Node.js is a stable and popular technology used in the everyday tech stacks of web developers big and small. Most of these companies saw a drastic improvement in speed when they adopted Node.js.
From a technical side, this is likely because Node.js provides an environment for non-blocking, event-driven servers. Non-blocking or asynchronous i/o refers to how operations execute in Node.js.
In synchronous or blocking programming, an operation must be finished before starting another. For instance, if a web server is asked to open a file and return the content to the client, the process that must occur is quite exhaustive.
A task is sent to the computer’s file system. The file system opens and reads the file. Nothing else can happen during this operation so there is a waiting period. Then the content is returned to the client. Now, another request can finally be handled.
Node.js handles file requests in a much more efficient manner because as it is asynchronous multiple things can happen at once. The task is sent to the computer’s file system. And then Node.js is ready to handle the next request!
Similarly, Node.js is event-driven, a programming paradigm that is designed to respond to user actions such as mouse clicks or key presses. Although theoretically, all programming languages can carry code of this nature, an environment like Node.js makes the paradigm far easier to implement.
This line of coding enables asynchronous programming and to a larger extent leads to faster overall performance. Arguably, this is one of the bigger benefits of using Node.js.
Related reading: Node.js vs. PHP: Which Is Better For Your Business?
4 Examples of Node.js Applications
Looking for a bit more straightforward Node.js examples? The following Node.js application examples should give you a more detailed understanding of what Node.js can do for you.
1. Collaborative Tools
Like mentioned, Node.js specializes in asynchronous programming, allowing for multiple things to happen at once. Such an ability is especially useful for programs that must facilitate real-time processes and operations.
Co-collaborative features like document editing is one Node.js example of this in practice. Video conferences and instant messaging also rely on the same technology. WebSockets is a Node.js API rendering event-driven, two-way interactive communication.
2. Streaming Services
With the birth of smart devices came the boom of streaming services. Simply defined, streaming services are platforms that permit users to watch videos or listen to music from a widely accessible internet hub.
Netflix, of course, is probably the most popular Node.js example of streaming in action. With a small monthly fee, Netflix users can choose from a plethora of films and series to watch any day of the week.
Node.js has a built-in module for streaming capable of transmitting large amounts of data chunks in a sequential fashion. Because of this, developers won’t need to temporarily store or cache data in the application memory.
3. Dashboards
Dashboards are a great way to effectively and easily strengthen the user experience (UX) of your web app. Your app may offer the same essential services to every customer but dashboards cater to the customer’s individual experience and history within your app.
Web apps can use Node.js on their server-side to provide immediate updates to a dashboard user interface (UI). Server-side rendering (SSR) generally signifies faster load times as it eliminates the need for browser-to-server round-trips.
In effect, customers will have a satisfactory impression of your app’s UX and UI.
4. Microservices
Microservices is an architectural style where an app is managed not as one unit but as a collection of services. Businesses opt for this style because they can be easier to manage in maintenance in testing. They can also be deployed independently.
NASA is actually one of the many major enterprises using Node.js. It also happens to be a fruitful Node.js example for the moment. Using microservices, NASA was able to migrate all its data to the cloud.
There’s a pretty in-depth case study that explains all about how Node.js keeps astronauts safe and data accessible.
Conclusion
Now that you know what your business can do with Node.js, trust that utilizing this software will bring you the function and speed to uplift the spirits of any developer.
However, you’ll need developers in the first place if you plan to do any spirit uplifting – or developing for that matter.
At Trio, you’ll find highly qualified developers that can whip up any of the four Node.js examples mentioned not so long ago and add a few sprinkles on top as well.
If you want to do something more, don’t worry. Trio still has you covered. Our developers can adapt to your business and roll with new challenges as they come along.
Contact Trio now to learn more about hiring Node.js developers.

Django vs. Node.js compares two in-demand tools for developing your next software project. Both are dynamic technologies for building web-based applications and mobile apps.
Between 2012 and 2021, JavaScript has maintained its title as the most commonly used programming language.
Likewise, the 2021 Developer Survey by Stack Overflow listed Python as the third most popular programming language.
Node.js and Django being the respective offspring of these languages, it’s clear why their comparison can breed fierce competition.
Today, you will get a brief snapshot of the key differences contrasting Node.js vs. Django.
And then you’ll have an opportunity to dive deeper into their main attributes, ending with a side-by-side comparison of Django vs. Node.js in the following categories:
- Community
- Scalability
- Architecture
- Security
- Usability
- Performance
To learn more about the differences between Django and Node.js, and find out which tool will be the last one standing, stay tuned!
What is Django?
Django — cleverly dubbed ‘the web framework for perfectionists with deadlines’ — is a Python-based full stack web development framework.
The origin story of Django starts in 2003 — as corroborated by Django’s co-creator via Quora.
Simon Willison and Adrian Holovaty were working in a newsroom, using PHP to develop websites like Lawrence.com and other projects associated with the paper.
At the time, PHP wasn’t the most convenient language for maintaining large sites and the team eagerly switched to Python.
But their opinionated assertions on how web development should work led them to build Django, which they hoped would be better suited for scalability.
The Django name was inspired by Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt, one of Holovaty’s favorites.
The technical underbelly of Django is just as interesting. The framework emphasizes several principles for optimizing the software development process.
Loose coupling, don’t repeat yourself (DRY), and less code are three prominent design philosophies of Django.
In loose coupling, the architecture of Django makes it so that different aspects of a software can function independently, rather than interdependently.
DRY is a well-known programming concept that stresses the importance of the reusability and pluggability of functions and objects to cut down on development time.
Lastly, less code is a round-about way of highlighting Django’s need for speed and simplicity.
Boilerplate code, or code that encourages redundancies and tediousness, is adamantly discouraged within the Django framework.
There’s definitely more where that came from. But for right now, these guiding principles should give you a pretty good idea of how Django operates.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. JavaScript itself is the go-to programming language for building dynamic websites and web applications.
Except, JavaScript favors front-end use, and deals with actions on the client-side like scrolling and clicking.
In fact, JavaScript is a notorious asset for front-end web development. Few websites would survive without it.
But the kicker here is that Node.js is a back-end technology. This means you can use JavaScript on the front-end and back-end of your project.

Allowing developers to use an all-time favorite language to script server-side behavior like managing databases and APIs is an ingenious way to simplify development.
This explains why major companies use Node.js with glee, such as Netflix, LinkedIn, and Amazon Web Services.
To get back on track, it’s worth exploiting Node.js’s origins. Node.js was born in 2009. Ryan Dahl, a software engineer at Google gets due credit for its conception.
Node.js is predated by LiveWire, a 1995 Netscape project that aimed to render JavaScript webpages on the server-side. The project failed.
The current success of Node.js can largely be accredited to its Google V8 JavaScript engine.
In short, this engine interprets and compiles JavaScript code directly into machine code, making the user experience of a Node.js program exceptionally swift.
Related reading: Node.js vs. PHP: Which Is Better for Your Business?
Django vs. Node.js: Side-by-Side Comparison
Now that you have the basics down, prepare for a more in-depth take on what Django and Node.js can offer. Here goes:
Community
Both Node.js and Django are free and open-source, empowering their communities in unique ways.
In fact, experienced Node.js users review updates to the software and offer feedback and customization.
However, Django’s community is relatively small and only moderately active. In comparison, Node.js’s community is notably large and very active.
In addition, Node.js amounts to nearly three times the market share in the most relevant categories.
Developers flock to Django to take advantage of Python’s ease of use. The syntax of Python is known amongst developer circles for being absurdly simple.
Big names like Pinterest, Instagram, Spotify, and Youtube are some of the higher-status Django applications.
But Node.js gets most of its attention from front-end developers who want to give server-side JavaScript a taste.
And full stack JavaScript development is the root of many Node.js applications from dashboards to streaming services.
The innate agility of Node.js makes the runtime environment a favorite tool for many developers.
Because of the thriving community of Node.js, developers using the tool have easier access to information and knowledge.
As a result, your development team will have an overall better time building your next software project.
Winner: Node.js — Due to JavaScript’s popularity, Node.js has a larger user base and community than Django.
Architecture
Node.js is a runtime environment rather than a framework and operates using an event-driven model.
In a nutshell, Node.js uses asynchronous programming. Asynchronous programming permits functions to execute out-of-order.
In turn, synchronous programming relies on a hierarchy, in which one function must fully execute before the next even starts to run.
For Node.js, this means an improved user experience as web pages won’t delay once one or two elements fail to load immediately.
Node.js also supports object-oriented programming, a way of structuring code that is intuitive for developers and great for scaling.
That said, there are specific nuances of the Node.js platform and native methods that present an unfortunate learning curve to those most interesting in using Node.js.
To compare, Django has a straightforward architecture. Its model-view-template structure clearly separates the data access layer from the presentation layer.
In plain English, developers can compartmentalize their programming based on whether they want to make changes to the user interface (UI) or to the business logic on the back-end.
Combined with the favorability of Python, Django’s architecture is appealing to developers who plan to scale but hate complexity.
Winner: Django — Though Node.js has its perks, the architecture of Django makes it an overall easier tool to use
Scalability
Since Node.js employs asynchronous programming, it provides concurrency for executing simultaneous functions.
Naturally, this leads to more scalability overall, making Node.js a clever choice for web and web app development.
And the fact that you can use JavaScript on both sides of development engenders what some call a ‘JavaScript everywhere’ paradigm that is undoubtedly convenient.
In addition, this relieves you of the pressure involved in implementing and managing a bloated tech stack where businesses must use several different tools for a single project.
Node.js supports microservices as well. Microservice architecture is independently deployable which can help businesses who want to scale by optimizing the software development process.
On the other hand, many facets of the Django framework make it similarly scalable.
For one, Python is a treasured language with an all-around easy-to-use syntax.
Django is also extremely portable. While Node.js runs on Windows and Linux, Python runs on virtually any platform, including Apple operating systems. And where there is Python, there is Django.
Reusable apps are another valuable feature of Django. These apps put the DRY principle into practice by enabling users to write, package, reuse, and install Python packages.
Called Django apps, these packages are small libraries representing a submodule of a larger Django project.
Using tools like MemCache, Django developers can cache applications easier, giving users quick access to memory and speeding up their experience.
Winner: None — Both Node.js and Django are highly scalable tools.
Security
Django has built-in security protocols that ensure security risks are low. Developers pretty much don’t need to think about security issues at all.
On its site, Django lists its top security protection against a number of common attacks like SQL injection, clickjacking, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery.
Though this may just sound like gibberish, you can check out Trio’s article on cybersecurity to learn more about why these cyber attacks are so threatening in the first place.
Node.js is not as advanced. There are no default security settings so developers have to do extra work to feel safe.
Winner: Django — Django has robust security measures in place to protect your data where Node.js is lacking.
Usability
Django is monolithic. As compared to microservices, a monolithic architecture is limiting at best and bad for business at worst.
Software applications in Django are single-tier and code within the program is generally interdependent.
Plus, the framework is meant for building complex web apps. Unlike Flask, Django’s more down-to-earth brother-in-law, Django isn’t suited for small and/or simple apps.
In contrast, you can build microservices with Node.js and since the tool is an environment in and of itself, there’s more freedom to code however you want.
One of Node.js’s best assets is npm, or the Node Package Manager. This is a repository of several free libraries and extensions, making the platform even more flexible.
You can also customize templates in Node.js. And though it might be challenging, experienced developers enjoy this feature thoroughly.
On the flip side, Django has built-in templates. While this is handy for beginners, often developers like having the independence to build things from scratch.
Winner: Node.js — Django may have a vast collection of templates and libraries but Node.js is frankly more customizable.
Performance
Although Node.js offers concurrency, it is still single-threaded. Single-threaded processes use a single sequence to execute tasks.
Programming in Node.js is asynchronous, but a multi-threaded infrastructure would greatly increase a program’s capacity to process instructions.
Luckily, this is where Django shines. Not only is it multi-threaded, but app caching and database optimization boosts the framework’s performance as well.
Winner: Django — Node.js and Django are both high-performing tools, but Django performs much better in this category when you account for all its bonuses.

Conclusion
In comparing Django vs. Node.js, it is clear that Django takes the lead. If you’re looking to build your next software project with a technology that is secure, performant, scalable, and straightforward, Django is the right choice.
But if for some reason your heart is still yearning for Node.js, rest assured that you’re not alone. Node.js is a flexible, scalable software with a supportive community to help you further your goals.
Depending on where your desire lies, Trio is well-able to be a pillar of support for your next project.
For example, if you choose Node.js, Trio is eager to point you in the right direction for hiring Node.js developers.
Adversely, if Django is calling to you, Trio is just as prepared to take your call and lend you highly qualified Django developers,