Why Use Node.Js As A Backend For Your Application - A Comprehensive Guide

The internet has grown exponentially over the past decade and a half. As a result, many new technologies have arisen to help developers with web development. One of the most popular is Node.js, which was originally built for building real-time applications like chat apps or data streaming software. The article below will discuss all of its benefits and features in detail so that you can make an informed decision when choosing a framework for your backend development!

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Node.Js - The Overview

Node.js was originally built by Ryan Dahl in 2009, to create a platform for real-time web applications like chat apps and data streaming software that could scale to any size without breaking down or slowing down the system. Its use has expanded since then dramatically as it offers benefits across all types of technology from mobile or web app development to machine learning and IoT devices. Node's package manager is one feature that makes this framework so easy to work with - developers can install packages locally on their computer instead of having them hosted online somewhere -  which means they have total control over their environment when developing. This also cuts back on download speed and server load time because only necessary files need to be downloaded rather than the whole thing.

Node.Js Top Benefits

Node.js has become a standard for large-scale web applications because of its great advantages and the fact that it has been adopted by many companies across various industries. Here are some of its key selling points:

1. JavaScript everywhere

The universal language is here to stay on both the client side and the server side. While it’s pretty hard to deny the existence of JavaScript, many developers still have some concerns about using it for non-frontend apps due to its dynamic nature and lack of static typing. Node.js comes with a plethora of tools that make working with JavaScript in multiple environments easy and hassle-free, freeing you from the dreaded callback hell.

2. Modular structure

Node.js is designed with an extensive library of reusable functions that can be combined into extremely powerful apps, making it a great choice for highly scalable and secure large-scale applications where the number of lines of code could get unwieldy quickly if not implemented right.

3. Event-driven, non-blocking I/O

Node.js was built with scalability in mind, and it shows: It’s an event-driven platform and works by processing asynchronous events by using the callback pattern which makes it highly scalable, reliable, fast, efficient, and secure.

4. Built on Google Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine

The platform runs smoothly on Google Chrome's fast JavaScript engine allows it to perform at high speed, handling multiple requests with ease.

5. Strong community

The presence of a large and growing community is another great advantage since there are always new projects being created and the chance of finding an answer to any technical question quickly. The fact that the project regularly releases new versions means that developers can stay up to date with any changes and remain informed about security vulnerabilities.

6. Make real-time apps possible

Real-time apps have been around for a while, but not many programming languages straightforwardly support them. With Node.js, you’re able to easily create real-time applications with WebSockets which allow two-way communication between clients and servers. Using a framework like Socket.IO makes real-time apps straightforward to create.

7. Mature ecosystem

The Node Package Manager (NPM) is one of the largest repositories of open-source libraries available; it currently has over 75,000 packages you can use in your Node.js applications along with the thousands of modules contributed by many companies and individual developers.

8. It’s FREE to use

There are no license fees, making it a great choice for bootstrapped startups that need to work on their limited budget but still need a highly scalable platform. Some hosting providers also offer free plans for open-source projects.

9. Capability of running Node.js apps

Since it's JavaScript on top of V8, any browser that runs V8 is —The same can’t be said for other languages which usually have a dedicated environment built specifically for each language and platform that needs to be installed on the machine before you can use them.

10. Excellent support

There is a great community of developers, and there are multiple ways to get help including StackOverflow, IRC, or Slack channels.

How Does Node.Js Work For Backend Development?

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that lets developers build highly scalable applications, and it's also event-based so the code flow can be asynchronous which makes for faster coding than usual - in other words, Node doesn't use polling or waiting to handle connections like most frameworks do but rather runs each one independently from the last! This means that you'll never have any hassle with your apps running slowly and will always know they're going as fast as possible because of this framework's design.

If you want an interactive web app without having to worry about things like server load time or page ad speed then Node might just be what you need! It uses fewer resources than traditional programming languages such as Ruby on Rails and Django and is really fast to code in too.

Node.js works by letting you set up handlers in your code called events - the program will then execute these functions when triggered by different inputs such as input data streams (e.g., reading files), network connections, timers, or user interface actions (key presses). These events are handled through callbacks passed into Node's event loop which is then processed in a single thread.

What Is Node.js Used For?

Node is perfect for building chat apps, APIs over object databases, data streaming software, and more! It can handle the most demanding projects with ease while also being really quick to code, thanks to its event-driven nature. Node makes it easy for developers because they don't need a different framework for each type of project - one will do just fine as long as you know when to use it!

Types of Applications That Can Be Built Using Node.js

The applications that you can create with this framework are diverse and useful for many different industries - here are just some of the ways it can be used:

• Chat Apps - These apps interact with their users through messages on screen or notifications, such as chat rooms, social media apps, or notification messages.
• Data Streaming Software - This is a type of software that can be used to automate data capture and processing. Common ones are Log Analysis (products), Machine Learning Systems for predictive analytics.
• API on Top of Object Db - Node.js provides the perfect environment in which developers can build an API on top of an object database.
• Queued Inputs - Node.js is perfect for queued inputs because the framework handles input data streams so smoothly that it doesn't interrupt its operations or slow down the system - this makes it a great choice for applications with high input rates!

When Is Node.js Not A Good Idea?

There are some cases when you should not use Node.js for web application development. These include:

• If you want to create a simple HTML website, then using another framework will be enough instead of going with node.js; this is because the server-side rendering process can slow down more than usual on big projects and it does not allow Javascript code in templates which would make things difficult at times.
• If your company has fewer resources or just started there are certain tasks that NodeJS might not perform well such as sending emails, if so one solution could be to have two servers installed - one running PHP scripts (for emailing) and the other hosting the front end components written in JavaScript (NodeJS); however, this is not an ideal solution.

Summing Up

Node.js is something worth considering. Not only does it provide many of the same benefits as Python and Ruby on Rails (they are all great for building APIs), but developers can also use JavaScript which means less time spent training up the team (and faster development times). 

Smart and creative companies are aware that Node.js is the top choice to boost performance, make coding easier, and increase team satisfaction. If you are planning to develop a web application project and thinking of hiring a Node.js developer, contact us for a professional analysis and consultation. We will suggest the technology that showcases your idea and ensure the most optimal performance with an experienced team of developers who specialize in building enterprise-grade applications using this framework!