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 and if you wonder why the hell companies these days are focusing on to work with Node.js when lots of more options are available?

If you are thinking. why companies use Node.js? Then you might be amazed by discovering the reasons for your questions in this blog. You will be getting all the answers why Node.js is of so much importance?

What is Node.js?

Node.js is nothing but a JavaScript runtime environment. It is a server environment that is open sourced and it has the capability of cross-platform code execution. Node.js supports event-driven, non-blocking input/output model which makes it a light-weight environment. In other simple words if this has to be understood then 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 V8 JavaScript engine of chrome.
Image Source: https://developers.google.com/v8/

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.
Fact Source: https://nodejs.org/en/user-survey-report/

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 being published every week.
Fact Source: http://blog.npmjs.org/post/143451680695/how-many-npm-users-are-there

6. Node.js has a huge development work span depending upon the type of the industrial usage.
Fact Source: https://blog.risingstack.com/what-is-node-js-used-for-2017-survey/

7. Node.js is amongst the most loved, dreaded and wanted frameworks around the world.
Fact Source: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2018/

Node.js has incredible strength and features which makes it a need of the hour. Node.js 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. It is already 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 the 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 was always said to be the language of frontend only and it 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 problems, environment support problems and if in those conditions all went well then slow request-response architectural problems were there where the response used to take a lot of time. Node.js overcame all these problems, it 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. V8 engine compiles the code with an extra smooth and fast speed. The fact that Node.js is fast is totally 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 request is sent from the client side and if anything is taking time in processing then it doesn’t wait for the result and immediately switches 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 is able to 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? To answer your query, it is simply because Node.js is made in a such a way that it 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 Node.js work.
Image Source: https://thinkmobiles.com/blog/why-use-nodejs/

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 Node.js 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 developers community in the entire world use this tool. This is an important tool that comes by default in Node.js installation.

Image Source: https://medium.com/@ehsanimran/installing-and-using-nvm-npm-and-react-js-712bf612af20

This is an entire concept where the modules are kept pre-coded with all the functionalities. They 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 is needed 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, you decided to use JavaScript on the server but faced problems in a lot of data conversions, so 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). Node.js 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 is built with 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, the 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 Node.js 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.

Fact Source: https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2018/

Conclusion:

Node.js has extremely good features that are still needed 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 our previous blogs relating to Node.js. Hope that this article helped you in getting your answers for why companies use node.js?

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

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