How to Use Node.js For Backend Development and is it worth it in 2023?

Simply speaking, backend development is the skill that powers the web. It is also called server-side development and it means the creation of everything that goes behind the scenes of a website. It is everything that the user cannot see. Backend development enables users to browse their favorite websites without even knowing about all the work put in by the developer team. Backend developers focus on how a website works. They write code that focuses on the functionality and logic powering the website they are working on.

Node.js was created when the original JavaScript code developers extended it from something you could only run in a browser to something that could run on your machine as a standalone application. Node.js is the JavaScript runtime environment based on Google’s V8 Engine. Going deeper, it’s a compilation of V8 Engine, the libuv platform abstraction layer, and a core library that is written in JavaScript. Node.js is single-threaded, based on event-driven architecture, and non-blocking based on the I/O model.

Node.js can be used for both web development process and multiple types of web applications. Usually, it is used for building:

• Real-time chats, also with push notifications and instant messaging.
• IoT.
• Data streaming software.
• Complex SPAs (Single-Page Applications).
• REST API-based apps.

Node.js can be used extensively in both backend and frontend web development. It is customizable and flexible and has a large library of packages to help developers build feature-rich full-stack web applications. It has a variety of front-end features like module bundlers, code linting, and styling HTML files. From the backend side, it easily integrates with databases and supports the REST architecture. Also, it facilitates OS-level virtualization processes.

Below, we’ve gathered the most popular Node.js frameworks to use in 2023:

NestJS is a progressive Node.js framework that allows developers to build dynamic and scalable applications. It is called a backend productivity booster as it is great for creating multi-layered enterprise level projects. The framework is built on the concepts of Modules, Providers, and Controllers.

Features of NestJS:

• CLI for a modular structure and features.
• Monoliths and Microservices.
• Easy-to-use and intuitive external libraries due to systematic code arrangement.
• Compatibility with Angular on the front end.
• Smooth learning curve.

Electron.js is a runtime framework that enables developers to create desktop-suite applications with HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. The framework combines the Chromium rendering engine and the Node.js runtime. Therefore, it is excellent for the development of desktop apps using JavaScript.

Features of Electron.js:

• It uses web technologies like HTML, JavaScript code, and CSS.
• It works on macOS X, Linux, and Windows.
• It uses the npm module that consists of a native menu for dialogs and notifications.

Deno is a TypeScript runtime built on Google’s V8 Engine. It was designed to improve upon the capabilities of Node.js. Deno strongly focuses on security – it by default executes the code in a sandbox which means that the runtime environment doesn’t have access to the file system, the network, the execution of other scripts, and the environment variables.

Features of Deno:

• It loads modules by URLs like browsers.
• It is based on web standards.
• It is secure by default.
• It has decentralized package management with Deno modules.

Let’s explain why Node.js is worth considering for your next desktop application development project.

Node.js has multiple advantages:

• It offers excellent performance for real-time apps. It speeds up developing software and supports multitasking. Also, speed and efficiency are increased thanks to Google’s V8 Engine.
• It reduces the development time-to-market of digital products.
• It is extremely scalable which is helpful while building modern applications. The framework has a viable solution for scalability.
• It supports cost optimization as it allows developers to write code on both the front end and back end.
• It has amazing community support.

And what about the framework’s disadvantages?

• Sometimes, it reduces performance when handling heavy-computing tasks.
• Asynchronous code -the framework’s asynchronous programming model makes it difficult to maintain code.

The following famous applications have been built with Node.js:

1. Uber – is an American multinational online transportation company. The application pairs riders with drivers who use their own cars. The app’s massive matching system has been built on Node.js.
2. LinkedIn – a business-oriented social networking platform that allows users to invite other users to become a connection. The platform uses Node.js to empower the server side of the LinkedIn mobile app.
3. Netflix – the world’s biggest video streaming platform with movies and TV series. The entire user interface of Netflix is built with Node.js.

If you want to build a feature-rich, highly-performing app, Scalo will help you make the most out of Node.js. We’ve been working with backend technologies, as well as JavaScript modules, and web JavaScript for many years now so we know how to create fully functional web apps and optimize development costs at the same time. JavaScript programming language and its frameworks, as well as JavaScript dependencies are something we know well! Scalo’s experienced team of professional developers will build a functional application your customers will love using!