Why Most of the Companies Use Node.js? Facts and Reasons!

JavaScript is the main language in the web development these days and has changed the development like never before. With the introduction of Node.js as a development platform for the server side, the ability of JavaScript has done marvels. Wondering why the companies these days are turning to Node.js when lots of other options are available??

Well then, you might be amazed by discovering the reasons of these questions. In this blog, we will sate your doubts about Node.js to our best, let’s move then-

What is Node.js?

Node.js is nothing but a JavaScript runtime environment. It is an open-source server environment, having the capability of cross-platform code execution. Node.js supports an event-driven, non-blocking input/output model which makes it a light-weight environment.

In other simple words, Node.js is a platform which aims at building server-side applications. Well, that’s enough for an overview.

Important Facts You Should Know About Node.js!

Some of the facts related to Node.js which might catch your attention are as follows.
1. Node.js is built on top of the V8 JavaScript engine of chrome.

2. Node.js is a server framework which is available for free.
3. Node.js has a huge impact on the business around the world.

4. Node.js has a native data format.
5. A rich ecosystem of npm libraries and modules. Over 350000 tools are available in the npm registry and about 10000 new are published every week.

6. Node.js has a huge development work span depending upon the type of the industrial usage.

7. Node.js is among the most loved, dreaded and wanted frameworks around the world.

Node.js has incredible strength and features which makes it a need of the hour. It has shown a very fast growth rate in the previous years and with that pace, it promises to become the first choice of the developers around the world. Already, it is a very huge universal platform for the web apps.

Reasons Why Companies Use Node.js?

Now that you have got to know the potential of Node.js, it’s time to let you take on a ground-level reality where you will discover the answer to your ‘Why’?

Below are the most specific points that why companies are opting to take this technology.

1. Javascript Framework

It is in itself a very big advantage as every developer knows at least a little bit of JavaScript. It is a front-end language and is used to handle things on the browser only. So, before Node.js there were server-side languages available such as PHP, ASP and many more.

All was fine, but the only obstacles were the configurational and environment support problems. If in those conditions all went well then the slow request-response architectural problems were there where the response consumed a lot of time.

Well, Node.js overcame all these problems and now supports the same environment throughout the application.

2. Fast Execution

Node.js is a JavaScript framework that operates over the V8 engine of the Google that is for use inside Chrome. The V8 engine compiles the code with extra smooth and fast speed. The fact that Node.js is fast is, entirely, due to the compilation of JavaScript into native machine code.

3. Elimination of Wait Time

Node.js simply eliminates the unwanted wait time from the request-response cycle. The client side sends the request and if anything is taking time in processing, well then, it doesn’t wait for the results and switches immediately to the next request. When the result to the previous request comes, it handles that concurrently.

4. No Need Of Maintaining Separate Threads – Single Threaded

When you use Node.js, the server has no need of maintaining separate threads for each open connection. It takes almost no system resources to handle the requests.

It is single-threaded and with this thing only, Node.js can do wonders. There are other server-side scripting languages such as PHP, ASP.NET, Java, Ruby etc. but they all follow the multi-threaded architecture.

Now, you as a reader must be tangling that how such a complex thing is maintainable in a single thread? In answer to this query, it is so because Node.js is a wonderful framework that operates asynchronously and acquires a unique method of Event Loop mechanism.

This is also advantageous in performing non-blocking input and output operations. Node.js has a pool of thread and performs the tasks by offloading operations to the system kernel whenever possible. This is how most of the operations inside NodeJS work.

5. Package Management – Node Package Manager (NPM)

Well, this is a huge fundamental support inside the node environment. This is one such thing that without which NodeJS is nothing these days.

Although many core developers or the JavaScript explorers can opt to write code with core Node.js only, but to make things easy, the developer’s community in the entire world use this tool. This is an important tool that comes by default in the NodeJS installation.

This concept is where the modules are kept pre-coded with all the functionalities and are made available to the public over a platform known as npm.

There are three modes of packages – Core, Local and Third-Party Modules. The developer needs to find the appropriate package module and run the commands to include into the project and that’s it. Now there is no extra pain to write long lines of code inside the files.

6. API Support with Handy Approaches – JSON In Database

As an explorer of the technology, when you decided to use JavaScript on the server and faced problems in a lot of data conversions.

Node.js is the solution, it is one such language which doesn’t require a developer to convert the data for any pre and post-processed data if using Object Database (such as MongoDB).

NodeJS can be used to expose the JSON objects with the REST API and with no extra pain, the data is accessible for reading and writing. Using Node.js allows any developer to use the same language on the client, on the server and in the database.

7. Good Fit For Real-Time Applications

Node.js has some great features that make it the first choice for any company. These days there is a huge demand for real-time applications such as chats, gaming apps and some event-based programs that need non-blocking operations. Some of the major companies such as Netflix, Walmart, Uber, LinkedIn, Trello, eBay, and PayPal have already adopted Node.js as their main developing environment.

8. Data Streaming

The web platforms treat HTTP request and response as independent and isolated events. This is one thing that is indeed a stream.

The Node.js has the capability to take the streams to some extra wonderful features such as utilizing this in Real-time audio and video chat applications and their encodings. This feature also helps in reducing the processing time to a much faster extent.

9. Excellent Corporate Background, Usage, and Support

Since its first appearance in the technical world, Node.js has come a long way and now it has a good supporting background, a vibrant community spread over the entire globe, and has a flourished corporate sponsorship in its name.

Many companies have already adopted it as a full developing environment (refer point 7). It is also the part of Linux Foundation that makes it a giant and ensures that NodeJS will stay in the race of languages to a very long extent.

10. Usage in PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service)

With an extreme increment in the usage of the Node.js, it’s hosting of applications on a platform is also expanding with many options available in the market. The PaaS service providers such as AWS (it is IaaS as well), Heroku, Modulus, and Linode are supporting Node.js deployments with the easy usability of commands.

Conclusion:

Node.js has a vast range of wonderful features that are yet to be explored and as an explorer, you may get a query at this point, that from where? Yes, you got it right in your head and you are on the right path.

You may consider going through more blogs related to Node, such as Hydra (A micro-service library for NodeJS) and more.

We hope that this article helped you in getting your answers for why companies use node.js?

Comment your thoughts in the comments section and feel free to raise any query.

Habilelabs is providing high-quality expert node.js development services for a long time, discuss with us if you have something amazing in mind to build.