Why Node.js Is The Ultimate Game-Changer For Backend Development

5 min readApr 30

Why Node.js Is The Ultimate Game-changer For Backend Development

“Node.js is in danger!” This open-source environment’s days are numbered. “Any developer who can save themselves ought to move to another backend environment as soon as possible!” say JavaScript haters.

Don’t pay attention to them.

Node.js is here to stay and will change backend web development.

Spoiler: Because of its scalability and efficiency, it will become quicker than Flash and stronger than Man of Steel.
Even the most complicated API-demanding web application will not be able to stop its redlining V8 engine.
Microservice architecture and progressive web apps will be small twists on this backend technology’s path.

Enough with the spoiler. Let us see what the future gives.

What made Node.js such a popular kid for backend development?

PHP was the main tool for building web projects in the good old days of backend development.

But it progressively grew into web development’s weird, edgy uncle, and no one knows why it exists anymore.

Then, like the cool latte-drinking hipster dependent, Ruby (coasting on Rails) came with all its fancy disruptive technologies.

We all have that kind of relative but don’t want to be around them.

Don’t even get me started on Java, a dead bird of backend programming that only Nokia players Why Node.js Is The Ultimate Game-Changer For Backend Development

remember?

Then, a few years ago, something new, not so hipstery, and incredibly efficient entered the world of backend development: Node.js.

Biodata: Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment that changed the world in 2017, the year of its widespread use.

The history of Node.js was created before destroying the 40,000-star mark on GitHub.

It was just one of those little JavaScript environments that ran code outside your web browser.

But, as it turned out, Node.js was exactly what the backend development world had been looking for all those years: an unstoppable glamorous environment capable of handling massive amounts of traffic.

The following features maintain it famous as the poster child for backend web development:

Its small footprint makes it an excellent development tool for cloud-based apps.
It’s practically as quick as the light, thanks to its V8 JavaScript engine.
Application development is very scalable and responsive.
It has almost 100,000 active developers in its community.
It has an endless supply of APIs and a limitless ecosystem that allows you to create everything from basic 1–2–3 apps to rocket-science-level microservice structures.

What is the secret component?

Here’s a thought for you: How can one backend development environment manage so many queries while being robust and responsive?

What is the secret ingredient that flows through its veins?

Node.js, in addition to using the same engine as Google Chrome, operates on an event-driven, non-blocking I/O approach.

It is what drives real-time apps such as Netflix (streaming services), Discord bots (chatbots), and 8 Ball Pool (online games).

Imagine the event-driven, non-blocking I/O model as a superhero you named Node-Man.

His unique ability is to handle multiple tasks and save people without breaking a sweat.

His ability comes from the I/O model, which handles multiple requests without waiting for one to complete before going on to the next.

That is how the Node Man surpasses the Flash and beats the Man of Steel.

5 Misunderstood Node.js Truths To Know In The Future

Every poster child is followed by a cloud of misconceptions, and Node.js is no exception.

Here are five frequently heard misunderstandings about Node.js:

Node.js isn’t the best choice for large business apps since it lacks scalability. Last we looked, every organization was trying to grow its apps to new performance heights, which Node.js will offer.
PayPal, Walmart, Trello, and LinkedIn, in addition to Netflix, claim that it only works for small apps. They are some of the most complex applications that use Node.js to handle requests and run with little to no downtime.
It’s just for web development — Node.js is great for desktop apps, IoT devices, and command-line tools. Slack and Visual Studio Code are both products of the Electron-Node.js power duo. Gatsby and Yarn are command-line tools for creating fast and secure websites that operate on Node.js on the backend.
CPU-intensive tasks destroy Node.js — Sure, it’s a single-threaded environment where performance suffers depending on the number of requests. However, you can work around this limitation by creating task queues or spawning async child processes specific to the task.
Node.js lets input validation and sanitization while operating on the most trustworthy libraries, thus it’s not a good security alternative. Node.js has support for TLS/SSL communication. It is what encrypts the communication and protects it from vulnerabilities and attacks.

The Node.js trends that are affecting the future of backend development

Aside from scalability and lightning-fast efficiency, Node.js’s biggest advantage is its simple learning curve.

It’s like playing the game of connecting the nodes after you’ve mastered it.

Web development concepts such as GraphQL, serverless computing, microservice architecture, and progressive web apps (PWA) are becoming more popular as a result of these features.

The age of tiny, self-contained services, each unique to a business capability, interacting via APIs, and running from a single shared codebase is coming.

The era of modular and scalable web application development is about to start.

Where will Node.js be in a year?

Since its launch in 2009, Node.js has gone a long way, but the most exciting trip for this JavaScript cross-platform is yet to come.

Node.js will eventually spread its sails and escape the backend development waters.

It will track new developments in machine learning, AI, and robotics.

Node.js will eventually spread its wings and escape the backend development waters.

It will track uncharted waters in machine learning, artificial intelligence, IoT devices, and desktop apps.

It would be foolish to believe these areas are safe from other languages and libraries.

Backend framework/language sharks such as GO, Deno, ASP.net, and Flask pose a threat to Node.js’s adoption and survival.

even with the risks, the future is bright and thriving, just like the Node.js API library.

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