comparison

Want to be a best Web Developer? Learn Golang not Node.js

Sabesan Sathananthan
Codezillas

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This article is my 3rd article in Medium. I am developing a web-based system for my 3rd semester project so this article is based on that.

Node.js is a run-time, or environment, for JavaScript code execution, while Golang is a programming language but both are used for backend development. Golang started by Google in 2007. Node.js creates an environment for JavaScript to be executed server-side, and Golang is suitable for writing code executable server-side. Node.js is written in JavaScript, it inherits most of the properties of that language. JavaScript is so popular these days that the ECMAScript standard development is done mainly in an evolutionary fashion, rather than a revolutionary fashion. Golang can be considered the result of a rather conservative language evolution from languages such as C and C++.The core structure of Golang is built on the basic principles of C and Python.

We can compare the strengths and weaknesses of each programming language, so it may be easier to choose which environment is the right tool for your next job.

Performance

Golang :- Similar performance characteristics as with C or C++, which is to say very good

Node.js :- comparison of Node.js vs Golang is fair in terms of raw performance — the CPU performance with no other load but Golang is good in real life performance both Node.js and Golang can show similar satisfactory results, as the overall performance of the server may be affected by other factors.

Concurrency

Golang :- Golang uses coroutines called “goroutines”. Goroutines allow multiple threads to be performed simultaneously with parallel tasks executed easily and reliably

Node.js :- Node.js is single-threaded, which means that the execution instructions are performed in sequence. And this may be its Achilles’ heel when it comes to large applications requiring massive scaling with a lot of parallel processes executed at the same time. JavaScript allows some concurrency with event callbacks; however, they are not too effective.

Scalability

Golang :- Golang was really designed for scalability and concurrency, without too much hassle.

Node.js :- Several people and companies using Node.js have made claims that Node has some problems in environments which need to scale massively. Perhaps Node can overcome these massive scaling issues in time.

Ease of Development

Golang :- Golang is young and not so popular yet. So be prepared for a lot of research and manual configuration.

Node.js :- Node.js has hundreds of libraries, thousands of tutorials, dozens of platforms. The huge JavaScript community has been contributing for years to create a reliable environment for all kinds of development tasks.

Error Handling

Go :- Golang requires explicit error checking with the program flowing in a regular way and error codes returned afterward. This approach may seem difficult; however, it ensures better consistency and a more reliable application in the end.

Node.js :- Node.js uses the throw/catch mechanism with errors “caught” immediately upon occurrence. This is a more traditional error handling technique which many developers are quite familiar with. At the same time, the application consistency may be somewhat sub-optimal.

The 2017 Developer Survey by StackOverflow confirms that Golang among five top paying technologies in world wide.

Golang versus Node.js by benchmark task performance

Golang :- go version go1.10 linux/amd64

Node js :- v9.4.0

Having compared Golang vs Node.js from different points of view, we can hardly say that one is definitely better than the other, as both have their strong points and drawbacks. From the performance aspect, Golang performance seems more reliable than Node.js performance, but you should start with considering the size of the project, its structure, and type of the development process that matches your business goals best.

Thank you for reading this far. If you enjoyed this post, please share, comment, and press that 👏 a few times (up to 50 times). . . Maybe it will help someone.

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Sabesan Sathananthan
Codezillas

Software Engineer 👨‍💻 @SyscoLABSSL | Postgard🧑‍🎓 in CSE at UOM | Technical Writer ✍️ | sabesansathananthan.now.sh | Still makes silly mistakes daily.