NodeJS vs ExpressJS — Choose #1 Backend Technology
Choosing the right backend technology for web app development is vital. And, this article compares Node.js and Express.js to assist you to make the right choice.
It is difficult to select the best backend technology for web development. We know that. Don’t worry! We have brought forth a guide that makes this task easy for you.
The eternal battle currently going on is between Express and NodeJS and deciding between the two for web development. This is because both have their pros, characteristics, etc. Also, both have created a name for themselves in developing web app solutions.
Want to know more? Read this insightful article to enlighten yourself about these two tech stacks, their features, and their pros to understand what sets them apart. This will make the choice formulation easy.
So without further ado, let us begin.
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About Node.js
NodeJS is an open-source cross-platform runtime JavaScript environment that is used by developers for both backend and frontend development purposes. Alongside this, it is also used for tasks like server-side programming, non-blocking purposes, and so on.
Apart from the assistance the runtime environment provides in the aspects listed above, you need to know its set-apart factor. This is its use of an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model. This model makes it perfect for developing real-time apps that are data-intensive and can run efficiently across distributed devices.
Here we need to discuss particularly the tech stack and its relevance for backend development. The features that it constitutes within make it perfect for this.
Features of Node.js
Here are the salient features of NodeJS that make it perfect for web development and make it a recommended backend technology.
- Microservice architecture - The architecture helps to divide an app into two individual sections and develop them without causing any effect on either of the sections. This makes the final app lightweight and stateless alongside making the integration an easy task.
- REST APIs — REST or Representational State Transfer (REST) had its inception in the year 2000. An architecture based on web standards, REST APIs use HTTP protocols for smooth microservice operations and create APIs that are efficient, responsive, and of exceptionally lightweight nature.
- V8 JavaScript Runtime Motor — Also used by Google Chrome, the V8 JavaScript Runtime motor accelerates the speed of the runtime motor, making it fast. This makes code execution quicker.
Popular Apps Using Node.js as Backend Technology
- PayPal
- GoDaddy
- Netflix
Pros of NodeJS Development Services
Getting a hindsight of the features, let us now get enlightened with the pros of Nodejs development services that make it the perfect backend technology.
- Eases how multiple requests get handled.
- Enables code sharing and the reuse of library codes.
- Ensures real-time communication courtesy of its single-threaded functionality.
- Facilitates the way load balancing is performed over multiple CPU cores.
Knowing the basics of NodeJS, let us get educated about ExpressJS and how it has also become a favorite backend technology for developers, particularly for the task of web development.
About Express.js
Released in 2010, Express.js or Express is a backend web app framework that helps to build RESTful APIs.
Alongside the support it provides in building RESTful APIs, the tech stack also assists in building web apps that may be single-page, multi-page, or hybrid in nature.
Having an idea of these pros, you need to know about ExpressJS and the repute it has gained as a perfect backend technology side-by-side with NodeJS.
To learn ExpressJS in detail, there is no better course to recommend personally than Just Express (with a bunch of node and http). In detail. Check it out now for a discount.
Features of Express.js
Check out these constituents ExpressJS possesses making it the perfect backend technology for web development.
- Middleware — A part of the program having database access, alongside client requests; it supports the systematic organization of different Express.JS functions.
- Routing — Through a highly advanced routing mechanism, it supports simplistically preserving the webpage state.
- Templating engines — Supports developers develop dynamic content on webpages by creating HTML templates on the server side.
Popular Apps Using ExpressJS as Backend Technology
- Uber
- MySpace
- Accuweather
- Yummly
- IMDB
Pros of ExpressJS
ExpressJS is a recommended choice after NodeJS as the best backend technology. Here are the reasons why.
- JavaScript code is easy to interpret through Google V8 JavaScript Engine thereby accelerating code implementation.
- The framework can be modified without any form of hurdles or roadblocks.
- Provides a flexible middleware module thereby making tasks related to responses and requests easy to perform.
- Being an extensive part of the JavaScript ecosystem, it helps in building single-page, multi-page, and hybrid apps.
So now that you have comprehensive knowledge of the two tech stacks, check out the brief comparison between Node.js and Express.js to find out the best backend technology for your next project.
Comparison between Node.js and Express.js
We have finally reached the point where we find the best backend technology for web development. Let us compare ExpressJS and NodeJS to get a comprehensive view of this with utmost clarity.
The Language
NodeJS is written in C, C++ and JavaScript.
ExpressJS is written in JavaScript.
Performance
NodeJS — Embracing NodeJS development services to asynchronous and non-blocking features. This allows for the creation of an environment which can easily handle small tasks without any external interference with the main thread of execution.
ExpressJS — Possessing an awe-inspiring processing speed, Express makes it easy to process more than 10,000+ requests in a second.
Scalability
NodeJS — Possessing an asynchronous and event approach, each request can be processed concurrently. This is particularly due to its ownership of an ideal framework for building web apps. Side-by-side, it utilizes a single-thread event loop, and all requests can be handled in parallel.
ExpressJS- Borrowing the non-blocking capability from NodeJS, ExpressJS makes it effective for developers to handle user requests alongside creating scalable web apps.
Architecture
NodeJS — Possessing a single-threaded event loop, several concurrent requests are easy to handle at an altogether accelerated pace. Side-by-side, due to possessing an MVC/MVP architecture, it becomes easy to fix any possible issues within the application source.
ExpressJS– Due to it not being necessary to select a specific architecture, it is easy for developers to choose a structure of choice for the web app they develop. The primary choice remains Model View Contractor or MVC.
To learn ExpressJS in detail, there is no better course to recommend personally than Just Express (with a bunch of node and http). In detail. Check it out now for a discount.
Bottom Line - Which is the Best Backend Technology?
Both Node.js & Express.js are open-source projects dedicated to the purpose of web app development.
Regardless of their seamless processing using JavaScript, they have a bundle of rich features packed within. This has assisted it in creating next-gen applications.
Thus, in short, Node.js has proven its mettle in the field of web development. We thus suggest you go ahead with it for your next web app development project! You can hire Nodejs developers to build robust apps to take your business to the next level.
