What is Node.js and is it suitable for front-end development?
Today, the Node.js framework is the preferred choice for building fast, efficient network applications. Its open-source and cross-platform runtime environment makes it flexible and fast.
Generally, Node is used for I/O-bound applications, data streaming applications, real-time data-intensive applications, and single-page applications. Although Node.js is a back end language, it is appreciated by many front end developers as it drastically increases productivity in web app development. Node was the most used developer tool in the world in 2020.
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. It contains everything you need to run a program written in JavaScript. JavaScript now has the ability to do things that other scripting languages like Python can do.
Both your browser JavaScript and Node.js run on the V8 JavaScript runtime engine. This engine takes your JavaScript code and turns it into faster machine code. Machine code is low-level code that the computer can execute without having to interpret it first.
Many well-known companies have benefited by using Node.js. Some of them are eBay, General Electric, Microsoft, PayPal, and Uber. Node.js is used across industries, countries and applications.
Advantages of the Node.js framework
The Node.js framework has become the most widely used development framework for building front end and back end for web applications. And it is the most preferred environment for custom web development.
The differences between Node.js and PHP are:
1. PHP is powered by the Zend engine, while Node.js is powered by Google's V8 JavaScript engine
2. PHP is synchronous, while Node.js is asynchronous
3. PHP is slower, while Node.js is faster
4. PHP has a ready-to-install feature to use it on the server side, while Node.js is a runtime for JavaScript on the server side
Top 10 Node.js Frameworks
1. hapi.js
This is a top Node.js framework that mediates between the server side and the client. It is clean, intuitive and easy to use.
It is mainly intended for large teams and projects
It is configuration rich, stable and reliable
Hapi makes it easier to render dynamic content
Scalability is provided by the plugin-based architecture
It can be used with MySQL, MongoDB and Postgres to create potential and static websites
Disadvantages of this framework are:
It is not as efficient for CPU-intensive applications
The speed of coding is not extremely fast
2. express.js
This is a widely used framework and the first choice for many developers. It offers both speed and flexibility.
Express is suitable for both web and mobile based applications as it is lightweight and consistent across platforms.
With many HTTP utility methods and ample middleware, creating a robust API is quick and easy
Many other popular Node.js frameworks are based on Express. It is fully customizable and quick to learn
Templating and rendering and standard features right out of the box
Some feel that among the disadvantages of Express:
As the codebase grows, refactoring becomes a challenge
All endpoints must be created manually
Organizational clarity becomes "critical to survival"
3. meteor.js
This is a full-stack JavaScript platform for developing contemporary web and mobile applications. Real-time updates are a key advantage of Meteor.
It is supported by a large community, so documentation, tutorials, and learning techniques are also readily available.
Popular tools can be built out-of-the-box, with a focus on features
The same code can be used for web, iOS, Android, or desktop
The code is lightweight and involves only a few lines of code
Several pre-built modules come with Meteor.Js, which is beneficial for developers
However, there are also some disadvantages of Meteor. These include:
It lacks SSR support
The lack of a native widget library
The lack of built-in support for PWA
4. derby.js
This is a full-stack framework for modern applications. Data can be synchronized across clients and servers due to automatic conflict resolution.
Templates can be rendered in both browsers and servers, and code can be turned into components with designer-friendly HTML templates.
Derby.js is composed of several standard Node.js modules
It provides functionality with standard tools such as npm and browserify
Many consider it ideal for developing real-time collective applications
Disadvantages:
Total is a full-featured open source framework that is fast and robust. It is extremely flexible and is used by many for IoT applications and other web and desktop based applications.
It is compatible with database systems as well as many front-end systems
Many of the benefits come from its modular architecture
Some exclusive features include - an image processing tool, a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) system, and others
Many front-end developers who build effective content management systems use Eshop, one of the versions of Total
The modular design has many advantages. However, it can also lead to disadvantages, such as excessive dependency and administration.
6. nest.js
This is a progressive Node.js framework for efficient and scalable server-side applications. The modular architecture provides flexibility, and the adaptable ecosystem makes it versatile.
It uses TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript, which offers advantages over other frameworks
It arranges codes systematically, making it easier to use external libraries
It leverages the features of Express.Js, and so developers can create linked and manageable applications
Nest also has elements of OOP (Object Oriented Programming), FP (Functional Programming), and FRP (Functional Reactive Programming)
However, some front-end developers feel that with Nest:
Loopback is also modular, with a simple CLI and a dynamic API explorer. Developers can create a server API that maps to another server. This is similar to an API that is a proxy for another API.
Developers can create dynamic end-to-end REST APIs in less time.
It can connect devices and browsers to data and services
It is compatible with Android, iOS and AngularJS SDKs for building client apps
There are add-on components for file management, 3rd party login and OAuth2
Note, however:
Sails.js is a model-view-controller framework for web applications. It is open-source and designed for custom, enterprise-grade Node.js web applications and APIs.
It has modules that work with Express for simplicity and stability. Sails is a top Node.js framework that works across databases and aims to make data modeling more practical.
Many developers use it for real-time chat applications, multiplayer games and dashboards
It handles HTTP requests using Express.Js for better performance
Sails is also compatible with other front-end technologies
However, it was also noted that more learning and hands-on experience is required to use Sails.js in a meaningful way.
9. koa.js
Koa was developed by the team behind Express and aims to provide a smaller and more robust foundation for web applications and APIs. It uses asynchronous functions to make fewer mistakes.
The lightweight middleware components are known to improve the quality of applications.
Koa.js has many customization options. It allows developers to work with applications where they add only the functions they need
It allows the use of generators that restrict the use of callbacks
It does not pack a bunch of middleware into the core
Standard features include cache refresh, content negotiation and proxy support
However, since the Koa community and team are still relatively new:
Adonis focuses on usability for developers as well as stability for scalable server-side web applications. It runs on all major operating systems.
It uses the Edge template engine for simplification and has its own CLI and set of standard conventions.
There is a constant ecosystem, so front-end developers can focus on immediate tasks
It supports ORM technology for exploring and handling databases such as SQLite and Postgres
It is easy to learn and requires only basic knowledge of Node, JavaScript and Async programming
However, the disadvantages include:
Today, the Node.js framework is the preferred choice for building fast, efficient network applications. Its open-source and cross-platform runtime environment makes it flexible and fast.
Generally, Node is used for I/O-bound applications, data streaming applications, real-time data-intensive applications, and single-page applications. Although Node.js is a back end language, it is appreciated by many front end developers as it drastically increases productivity in web app development. Node was the most used developer tool in the world in 2020.
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. It contains everything you need to run a program written in JavaScript. JavaScript now has the ability to do things that other scripting languages like Python can do.
Both your browser JavaScript and Node.js run on the V8 JavaScript runtime engine. This engine takes your JavaScript code and turns it into faster machine code. Machine code is low-level code that the computer can execute without having to interpret it first.
Many well-known companies have benefited by using Node.js. Some of them are eBay, General Electric, Microsoft, PayPal, and Uber. Node.js is used across industries, countries and applications.
Advantages of the Node.js framework
The Node.js framework has become the most widely used development framework for building front end and back end for web applications. And it is the most preferred environment for custom web development.
- Real-time working environment
- Simple coding experience
- Seamless data streaming
- Same code pattern throughout the development
- User-friendly
The differences between Node.js and PHP are:
1. PHP is powered by the Zend engine, while Node.js is powered by Google's V8 JavaScript engine
2. PHP is synchronous, while Node.js is asynchronous
3. PHP is slower, while Node.js is faster
4. PHP has a ready-to-install feature to use it on the server side, while Node.js is a runtime for JavaScript on the server side
Top 10 Node.js Frameworks
1. hapi.js
This is a top Node.js framework that mediates between the server side and the client. It is clean, intuitive and easy to use.
It is mainly intended for large teams and projects
It is configuration rich, stable and reliable
Hapi makes it easier to render dynamic content
Scalability is provided by the plugin-based architecture
It can be used with MySQL, MongoDB and Postgres to create potential and static websites
Disadvantages of this framework are:
It is not as efficient for CPU-intensive applications
The speed of coding is not extremely fast
2. express.js
This is a widely used framework and the first choice for many developers. It offers both speed and flexibility.
Express is suitable for both web and mobile based applications as it is lightweight and consistent across platforms.
With many HTTP utility methods and ample middleware, creating a robust API is quick and easy
Many other popular Node.js frameworks are based on Express. It is fully customizable and quick to learn
Templating and rendering and standard features right out of the box
Some feel that among the disadvantages of Express:
As the codebase grows, refactoring becomes a challenge
All endpoints must be created manually
Organizational clarity becomes "critical to survival"
3. meteor.js
This is a full-stack JavaScript platform for developing contemporary web and mobile applications. Real-time updates are a key advantage of Meteor.
It is supported by a large community, so documentation, tutorials, and learning techniques are also readily available.
Popular tools can be built out-of-the-box, with a focus on features
The same code can be used for web, iOS, Android, or desktop
The code is lightweight and involves only a few lines of code
Several pre-built modules come with Meteor.Js, which is beneficial for developers
However, there are also some disadvantages of Meteor. These include:
It lacks SSR support
The lack of a native widget library
The lack of built-in support for PWA
4. derby.js
This is a full-stack framework for modern applications. Data can be synchronized across clients and servers due to automatic conflict resolution.
Templates can be rendered in both browsers and servers, and code can be turned into components with designer-friendly HTML templates.
Derby.js is composed of several standard Node.js modules
It provides functionality with standard tools such as npm and browserify
Many consider it ideal for developing real-time collective applications
Disadvantages:
- The community is smaller compared to others
- There is no support for server-side view rendering
Total is a full-featured open source framework that is fast and robust. It is extremely flexible and is used by many for IoT applications and other web and desktop based applications.
It is compatible with database systems as well as many front-end systems
Many of the benefits come from its modular architecture
Some exclusive features include - an image processing tool, a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) system, and others
Many front-end developers who build effective content management systems use Eshop, one of the versions of Total
The modular design has many advantages. However, it can also lead to disadvantages, such as excessive dependency and administration.
6. nest.js
This is a progressive Node.js framework for efficient and scalable server-side applications. The modular architecture provides flexibility, and the adaptable ecosystem makes it versatile.
It uses TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript, which offers advantages over other frameworks
It arranges codes systematically, making it easier to use external libraries
It leverages the features of Express.Js, and so developers can create linked and manageable applications
Nest also has elements of OOP (Object Oriented Programming), FP (Functional Programming), and FRP (Functional Reactive Programming)
However, some front-end developers feel that with Nest:
- Documentation is inadequate
- Support from a large organization is lacking
Loopback is also modular, with a simple CLI and a dynamic API explorer. Developers can create a server API that maps to another server. This is similar to an API that is a proxy for another API.
Developers can create dynamic end-to-end REST APIs in less time.
It can connect devices and browsers to data and services
It is compatible with Android, iOS and AngularJS SDKs for building client apps
There are add-on components for file management, 3rd party login and OAuth2
Note, however:
- Front end developers might be forced to use raw SQL in many places
- Learning the framework is more involved relative to others
Sails.js is a model-view-controller framework for web applications. It is open-source and designed for custom, enterprise-grade Node.js web applications and APIs.
It has modules that work with Express for simplicity and stability. Sails is a top Node.js framework that works across databases and aims to make data modeling more practical.
Many developers use it for real-time chat applications, multiplayer games and dashboards
It handles HTTP requests using Express.Js for better performance
Sails is also compatible with other front-end technologies
However, it was also noted that more learning and hands-on experience is required to use Sails.js in a meaningful way.
9. koa.js
Koa was developed by the team behind Express and aims to provide a smaller and more robust foundation for web applications and APIs. It uses asynchronous functions to make fewer mistakes.
The lightweight middleware components are known to improve the quality of applications.
Koa.js has many customization options. It allows developers to work with applications where they add only the functions they need
It allows the use of generators that restrict the use of callbacks
It does not pack a bunch of middleware into the core
Standard features include cache refresh, content negotiation and proxy support
However, since the Koa community and team are still relatively new:
- Bugs may appear
- May take longer to update than other frameworks
Adonis focuses on usability for developers as well as stability for scalable server-side web applications. It runs on all major operating systems.
It uses the Edge template engine for simplification and has its own CLI and set of standard conventions.
There is a constant ecosystem, so front-end developers can focus on immediate tasks
It supports ORM technology for exploring and handling databases such as SQLite and Postgres
It is easy to learn and requires only basic knowledge of Node, JavaScript and Async programming
However, the disadvantages include:
- There is no standard test setup
- The user community is comparatively small