JavaScript is one of the most prevalent languages and bears lots of advantages. But with the advantages come the disadvantages. So here are some of the pros and cons of using Node.js. But before diving into the Pros and Cons you first need to know about Node.js.
What Is Node.js?
Node.js is a platform formed on Chrome’s JavaScript runtime for mildly building secure and rapid network applications. It utilizes a non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight and dynamic, best for real-time applications that operate across distributed devices.
Also, it is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment for developing server-side and networking applications. Node.js applications are composed in JavaScript and can be run within the Node.js runtime on OS X, Microsoft Windows, and Linux.
Additionally, it provides a vibrant library of several JavaScript modules, which interprets the development of web applications utilizing Node.js to a large area.
What Is Node.js Capable Of?
First of all, it can generate dynamic page content and can create, open, read, write, delete and close files for the server.
Apart from this, Node.js is capable of collecting data and can likewise add, delete, modify data in your database.
What Is Node.js Used For?
Conquer your rivals with Node.js business solutions. Here are the best use cases used by different enterprises.
First of All, Chatbots
Node.js offers select high-level functionalities for real-time chatbots and chat apps. The essential characteristics such as multi-user applications, accelerated data, heavy traffic, overall devices are common in chatbots. Node.js nails the sympathetic point, for it goes over several devices and embraces all models in chat and chatbot apps.
Data Streaming
In more conventional network platforms, HTTP calls and rejoinders are treated as an insular event; in fact, they are streams. This check can be utilized in Node.js to develop some modern features. For instance, it is feasible to process files while they’re still being uploaded, as the data appears through a stream, and we can process it in an online fashion.
API
Now, it is the most prevalent sort of app. Almost every web application requires some backend to interface with databases or other outer services. Appreciations to the big community, you can effortlessly discover a library to develop e.g. REST or GraphQL API. In the past, utilizing Node.js was suggested solely for applications with a low number of CPU-intensive operations. Since the release of version 10.5.0, you can use worker threads to do it.
Applications Relying On Scalability
The excellent scalability backed by Node.js explains the “why Node.js” mystery for applications needed to withstand high peak loads. And, that’s the cause why Uber picked Node.js to build its app. The global taxi network is perpetually rising and increasing its appearance; at the same time, the nature of the taxi business causes high demand peaks throughout holidays. Node.js manages these provocations considerably well.
Pros Of Using Node.js
- High-Speed Processing
Node uses the V8 JavaScript runtime engine, the one which Google Chrome utilizes. Node has a wrapper over this JavaScript engine, giving some extra ease to develop network applications. Node wrapper and the V8 JavaScript engine are written using C language- which makes it fast. It is enormously faster than Ruby, Python, or Perl.
- Easily Scalable
Scaling your apps is moderately easy with Node.js. Whether it is horizontal or vertical, you can scale however you would like. There is additionally an alternative of uniting diverse resources to the individual nodes as you vertically scale your apps. This makes Node.js a more suitable option than the other servers utilizing javascript.
- Easy To Learn
Because JavaScript is one of the most prevalent programming languages, most front-end developers have an immeasurable grip over it.
It becomes more comfortable for them to start practicing Node.js at the backend. It is simpler to learn Node.js and employs less time to go with it.
- Lessens Loading Time By Swift Caching
Node.js has made it gentle for developers to overcome task workload and re-execution of code with its caching module. Every time the first module of your web application gets a request, it gets cached in the in-app memory.
- The Benefit of Full Stack JS
Node.js is most recognized as full-stack JavaScript as it serves both consumers, including server-side apps. Earlier, businesses used to employ separate developers for frontend and backend, as at that time Javascript was only and majorly utilized programming language for server-side programming.
Though speaking regarding the prevailing circumstances Node.js with Javascript has become one of the significant and imperative functions, which have to be used for the back end and front end web application development as it makes it easier for the application development.
- Ideal For Microservices
As the complexity of web projects increases, so the design has to emerge. Ten years ago, a traditional passageway was a monolithic one – the functionality piled up from the most imperative characteristics to the least valuable ones in an individual branched-out structure.
With the initiation of microservices, everything became much more prosperous. Now, developers write a bunch of minute services that are reliable for one function and unite them collectively into a project. Single-threaded Node.js scales flawlessly for developing such kinships.
-
Rich Ecosystem
The default package manager of Node.js is NPM which performs an essential task in the progression of the technology. NPM serves as a marketplace for open-source JavaScript tools. There are approximately 350,000 tools open in the NPM registry by now. Not only this, more than 10,000 new ones are being published every week.
Cons Of Using Node.js
- Immaturity Of Tooling
Though the core Node.js modules are durable and can be deemed mature, there are several tools in the npm registry which are either of inferior quality or not well documented/examined. Besides, the registry itself isn’t structured well enough to offer the tools based on their rating. Therefore it might be hard to spot the most suitable solution for your goals.
- Unstable API
One of the disadvantages of Node.js is that it lacks consistency. Node.js API changes frequently, and the variations are usually backward-incompatible.
- Shortage Of Developers
Even though it’s a portion of the full-stack development concept, not several JavaScript developers are prepared to learn NodeJS. That is because it needs heaps of effort and prior expertise in software development. As such, the JS developer pool by far surpasses that of Node.js.
- Might Take More Time To Complete A Project
Since Node.js is not opinionated or unbiased, it is completely your call on how to develop your product. Hence, you may be stuck at some point in time. This may delay the completion of your application or project.
Developers can take benefit of the characteristics of Node.js to compose a variety of server-side and networking applications and real-time Web APIs in JavaScript. But it is likewise imperative for users to remember the lapses of the open-source runtime environment to take advantage of its features adequately.
