Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that’s:
- Open-source
- Cross-platform
- Single-threaded
Together, all of this means Node.js allows for creating quick server-side applications for tasks such as networking.
The JavaScript V8 runtime engine powers Node.js and uses event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture. This is what makes Node.js so efficient and suitable for real-time apps.
Node.js is easy to use and scale. Its speed advantages and thousands of useful packages make it a great choice for web projects. Based on W3Techs research, Node.js powers 1.2 percent of all websites, which means there are more than 20 million websites that run Node.js behind the scenes.
Is Node.js a Framework?
Node.js is not a framework. Instead, Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. You can think of it like a place where you can run JavaScript without inserting the code into HTML.
Why Is Node.js Important?
Node.js solves the problem with server-side JavaScript. JavaScript is among the most popular programming languages in the world and millions of websites use it on the back end. JavaScript is a language that makes websites non-static by incorporating interaction, such as animations and effects.
Initially, JavaScript was a client-side scripting language that interacts with the back end. To run JavaScript, you had to place the code between <script></script>tags in the HTML document. This meant all JavaScript code ran in the browser which wasn’t optimal when it comes to code maintainability and speed.
This problem gave rise to the idea of having a separate runtime environment for JavaScript. This runtime environment should be able to handle simultaneous connections and offer a speed boost to web apps.
Enter Node.js, which has everything you need to run a JavaScript program quickly, securely and reliably.
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Node.js Features
Node.js has gained developers’ attention in the past couple of years thanks to a long list of useful features that come with the runtime environment.
Easy for Beginners
Node.js is great for beginners. This is, in part, due to the large, supportive open-source community. With all the available tutorials and guides, it’s a good choice for most web developers.
Scalable
Node.js allows you to introduce scalability to your web apps because of its single-threaded nature. This means Node.js can handle a large number of connections at the same time.
Speed
The thread execution is non-blocking in Node.js, which makes the JavaScript’s execution that much faster.
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Packages
Node package manager (NPM) has more than a million available packages. These packages simplify your work and you can install them with a single command. The packages handle a lot of automation behind the scenes, such as building the right type of folder structure and initiating boilerplate code. This type of automation lets you focus on building the actual project.
Powerful Backend
C and C++ power Node.js. This provides Node.js with even greater speed while also making it possible to complete useful tasks, such as networking, creating dynamic page content and collecting form data.
Cross-Platform Support
With Node.js you can build websites, desktop apps and even mobile apps.
The cross-platform support is possible because Node.js abstracts out system-specific functionality and turns it into APIs. You can then invoke these APIs with your applications from multiple platforms.
FAQs
Node. js is an open-source JavaScript runtime environment that allows JavaScript code to be run and tested. It is an ideal tool for web development, creating websites, mobile applications, and cloud computing solutions. Azumo Research.
What is the importance of NodeJS? ›
Node. js allows you to introduce scalability to your web apps because of its single-threaded nature. This means Node. js can handle a large number of connections at the same time.
What is the NodeJS framework? ›
A node framework is a workspace platform that supports the use of Node. js and which allows developers to use JavaScript for developing front end as well as the back end of an application. Node frameworks are a wide collection of frameworks built on Node and that extend its properties and functionalities further.
What is the best explanation of NodeJS? ›
Node.js is an open-source and cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment. It is a popular tool for almost any kind of project! Node.js runs the V8 JavaScript engine, the core of Google Chrome, outside of the browser.
What does NodeJS do exactly? ›
As an asynchronous event-driven JavaScript runtime, Node.js is designed to build scalable network applications. In the following "hello world" example, many connections can be handled concurrently. Upon each connection, the callback is fired, but if there is no work to be done, Node.js will sleep.
Why is a Node important? ›
Nodes on the stem mark the point from where the branches and the leaves emerge. While in some plants the nodes may help in vegetative propagation, the most important role of nodes is the leaf formation.
Why NodeJS is important for react? ›
With the combination of Node and React, developers don't require learning complex back-end languages like Python or Ruby. They can use Node for server-side development and React for front-end code building without switching between frameworks and programming languages. And it saves resources, money, and time.
What is the purpose of js frameworks? ›
They allow programmers to use the most up-to-date JavaScript features and tools without having to go through the arduous task of coding them from scratch by themselves. These frameworks are templates that provide a foundation for software applications.
Should I use a Node.js framework? ›
Use a Node.
js can provide the necessary structure and organization for building scalable, enterprise-level applications. Efficiency: Frameworks often provide built-in tools and libraries for common tasks, which can expedite development, particularly in larger projects.
Is Node.js frontend or backend? ›
Node. js is sometimes misunderstood by developers as a backend framework that is exclusively used to construct servers. This is not the case; Node. js can be used on the frontend as well as the backend.
Reason #1: Node lets you use a single-language for both front and back-end. Reason #2: JavaScript is still incredibly popular today. Reason #3: There are compound benefits when using a single programming language. Reason #4: Write fast applications, quicker and easier.
What language is used in NodeJS? ›
JavaScript is the only language that Node.js supports natively, but many compile-to-JS languages are available. As a result, Node.js applications can be written in CoffeeScript, Dart, TypeScript, ClojureScript and others.
What is the function of NodeJS? ›
Functions in Node. js are used directly in the code. Using Node. js functions enables you to get the desired action of your app in a single process, i.e., you don't have to create a new thread for every new request.
What is the main advantage of NodeJS? ›
Node. js allows programmers to develop server-side JavaScript and frontend JavaScript codes with simplicity. One of the major node. js advantages is that it eliminates the need for two resource teams, saving time, money, and energy for overall project development.
What is node and why is it used? ›
Node allows developers to write JavaScript code that runs directly in a computer process itself instead of in a browser. Node can, therefore, be used to write server-side applications with access to the operating system, file system, and everything else required to build fully-functional applications.
What makes NodeJS special? ›
Node. js is non blocking, the way it runs the code by default is asynchronous code. The second thing is that the JavaScript is event driven. It has a concept of event loop, through which it process the code.
Why do we prefer NodeJS? ›
Node is preferred to build real-time applications, mobile and web applications, online gaming apps, and eCommerce applications. Moreover, it's very easy to use NodeJS microservice architecture to make your app more scalable and powerful.
Why is everyone using NodeJS? ›
Node. js is still relevant for web and app development due to its lightweight and efficient nature, cross-platform compatibility, and large active community. It is faster than other server-side technologies and ideal for building real-time applications.
