Node JS vs GoLang - Ending the dispute once and for all!

The backend is integral to building applications and is the life behind the smooth running of the application. We have unlocked a great feat in the programming world that we have so many languages to choose from today but this makes the decision to choose one from such a variety a rather daunting experience. Choosing the right backend language for your application with the goal of it being effective and scalable is at the core of developing a successful application. We have tried to make this a little less daunting and exhausting for you by reducing it to two of the best programming languages for today- Node.Js vs GoLang.

The comparison between the two has been done numerous times but we will be settling this debate for you to choose the best programming language for your project.

Let’s start by briefly discussing the two individually first.

Read our well-structured Programming Language Articles to gain valuable insights to kickstart your project.

Node JS as a Programming Language

Node.js is an open-source, server-side runtime environment that came out in 2009. The usage of libuv for asynchronous IO support and the V8 JavaScript engine to execute JavaScript as independent applications. Its popularity can be attributed to cross-platform applications as it features an event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture that allows developers to build highly scalable yet fast-performing applications. For example, companies like Netflix and LinkedIn are using Node.js in their mobile applications. 

Golang as a Programming Language 

Go or Golang is an open-source, statistically-typed, multi-purpose programming language that was introduced by Google in 2007. It has the speed of Python combined with the performance and security benefits of C and C++.  It has features like safe memory usage, object management, and better garbage collection which is why it is often termed as the more polished and organized language. 

It is recommended for cloud-based interfaces, networking applications, real-time application development, and microservices but isn’t highly recommended for web development. 

Go vs Node: The Ultimate Dispute

Now that we have established what both programming languages basically entail, we can discuss the highs and lows of both languages and compare them to find out which one beats the other and in what category.

Node JS vs Golang - The performance battle

Performance can differ greatly between the two and you should choose carefully which one suits you better. There are multiple factors that affect the performance of a programming language and every project requires a different set of factors. 

Most developers are of the view that Go exhibits the same performance as C/C++ and this was one of the objectives to achieve higher performance. How does it exhibit such good performance? It doesn’t have a virtual machine and compiles to machine code which results in the fast execution of programs that require no warm-ups. 

The built-in garbage collector automatically discards the occupied memory that is not required any longer and makes it available for reuse. This provides effective memory management with fewer security vulnerabilities.

When compared with Node.js, using Golang is a better option for raw performance and computation.

On the other hand, Node.js which is a statistically typed programming language is generally slower than the other programming languages. It can’t offer the same raw performance of the CPU and memory-bound tasks as Golang. 

So to mark this category, it is evident that Go surpasses Node.js in terms of raw performance and gives a better time to developers in the performance factor.

But in terms of real-life performance, both Go and Node.js put on a great show and perform equally well.

Node JS vs Golang- Concurrency

Go uses coroutines (called Goroutines) and a lightweight thread communication which helps to run multiple functions concurrently. This feature isn’t available in Node.js. It doesn’t support the simultaneous running of functions as it's single-threaded and uses an event callback mechanism that demands everything to be done in a linear fashion.

For the category, the winner has to be Golang.

Node JS vs Golang - Scalability 

As we have discussed above the Goroutines being the major asset of Go and how it helps run multiple functions simultaneously which leads to reliability. Go is recommended for large projects because of these features whereas Node.js can’t run parallel processes and doesn’t support functionality much. It is a no-brainer then that Golang is better if talking of scalability. 

Node JS vs Golang - The community

Node.js and Golang both are open sources which means a large community of developers. 

The whole community works to improve these languages and make them bug-free. The two have repositories on GitHub. It will be easier for you to find a specialist in these two languages owing to the mass popularity of the two.

Node.js is continuously working to increase the adoption of the tool and for this very reason, it has a team of professionals for security and improved support plans. The technical steering committee has increased to 18 members while the number of contributors has exceeded 2000 already. To give you an idea of the community, it has reached one billion downloads and 56,000 starts on GitHub.

The Go community is relatively smaller compared to Node.js but is growing every year. Google’s support can be a considerable reason for transitioning to Go. GopherCon is an event that takes place annually and gathers all the Go developers to discuss the way forward and exciting opportunities. 

Node JS vs Golang - Tools

Go is a relatively new language compared with Node.js and therefore has fewer tools available. People who plan to join the Go community should gain experience in manual configuration.

On the contrary, Node.js has a wide range of tools, libraries, and frameworks to assist developers in building all sorts of applications. It has a bigger community that can be of help and support too. 

Node.js is a clear winner when it comes to development tools between the two.

Node JS vs Golang - Error Handling 

Node.js uses the traditional throw-catch error handling mechanism which is quite popular among programmers. This allows the programmers to catch errors right on time when they occur before moving forward with any other operation.

Whereas in Golang, error handling means the explicit checking of errors. The compile-time and run-time errors are handled separately which becomes problematic for the developers. The problem has been addressed by the creators and additional functionalities will be added to shorten the development time. 

For these reasons, developers find Node.js better as they are quite familiar with the traditional method that Node.js employs for error handling. 

Node JS vs Golang - Skilled professionals availability

It can be a task to find skilled developers for Golang as the language is relatively new but with its increasing popularity, it won’t be a problem for too long. 

Node.js being the popular language among developers has an ever-expanding community. It’s easier to find a Node.js expert developer and build a team of professionals and experts.

After Golang vs Node js, it makes Node.js better than Golang in this particular department.

Conclusion

There’s no one way to clear one language better than the other in every department. Both languages have some strongholds and some weak points and both perform better in some areas and not the others. It is important to understand what the project entails and which one of the two will go better with the project in question. If you aren’t sure which language you should be using for your project, contact InvoZone for consultation. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Golang faster than NodeJS?

GoLang is generally faster than NodeJS due to its compiled nature and efficient concurrency model. However, the actual performance will depend on the specific use case, and both languages have their strengths and weaknesses. It's recommended to benchmark and profile both languages for your particular use case to determine which is best suited for your needs.

How much memory does NodeJS need?

The memory usage of NodeJS depends on several factors such as the size and complexity of the application, the number of modules and libraries used, and the amount of data being processed.

It is recommended to allocate at least 512MB of memory to run a basic NodeJS application, but the exact amount of memory required will vary depending on the specific requirements of the application.

Which is better Golang or NodeJS?

Both Golang and NodeJS have their unique advantages and disadvantages, and the choice ultimately depends on the specific needs of the project. Golang is known for its fast performance and concurrent processing, while NodeJS is popular for its event-driven programming model and vast ecosystem of modules. Therefore, it's essential to carefully evaluate the project requirements and choose the technology that best fits the needs. Both Golang vs Node JS memory usage is also different.