When it comes to NodeJS frameworks, there are dozens upon dozens available for backend developers to use. With so many options at your disposal, it can be difficult to know which ones are worth your time and which ones you should stay away from. But NodeJS isn’t just another language; it’s also got an entire framework that you can use to make building applications easier and faster. For these reasons, NodeJS frameworks have grown in popularity with developers over the years, and they will likely continue to grow as well.
In order to help you make an informed decision about the NodeJS frameworks that you should learn in 2022, this list of the top 5 NodeJS frameworks will provide valuable insight into what each framework offers and how it compares to other similar frameworks that may interest you.
What is Nodejs?
Node.js is a runtime environment that executes JavaScript code on the server and speeds up web pages in an asynchronous manner. It has become very popular among backend developers because it’s based on JavaScript- the world’s most used scripting language.
Some of its primary benefits include simplified development processes for complex applications and higher network throughput than non-JavaScript environments such as PHP or Ruby on Rails. On top of all that, it has an active community behind it and continues to expand its capabilities with each new version.
Features of NodeJS
- A JavaScript runtime environment allows developers to use JavaScript on the server-side.
- Node.js is open-source and cross-platform, which means it can run on any hardware and OS.
- It means that it’s completely free and welcomes contributions from well-meaning developers.
- It is highly flexible in nature and one can create REST APIs, powerful backends, and even command-line programs using it.
- Node’s package manager (npm) contains over half a million packages for general use and specific purposes such as web development or scientific computing.
- NodeJS uses an event loop to manage incoming requests in an asynchronous fashion. This means that it can handle more incoming requests when scaled to use all the available CPUs on a system.
Nodejs Frameworks
Frameworks designed for Nodejs assist software developers and architects to create applications with certain guidelines. Here are the top Nodejs backend platforms:
Express.js
One of JavaScript’s most well-known frameworks, Express.js is a framework for building web applications as well as REST APIs in Node.js. It was first released in 2010 by TJ Holowaychuk, who is currently employed by Uber.
As an open-source framework, it has been downloaded more than one million times and is used by companies like Netflix, Dropbox, Twitch, and Upwork. Versions of Express have been developed over time to keep up with demand and are now divided into Express 4 (the current stable version), 5 (the next generation), and 6 (in development).
Features
- Faster server-side development.
- It is a great performer – it gives the user a thin layer of robust application development capabilities
- A variety of applications can be built with Express.js.
- It supports many templating engines for rendering dynamic HTML pages.
- It allows middleware to be set up to handle HTTP requests.
- Very high coverage of tests.
- Efficient routing.
- Content negotiation.
Koa
This framework is a great alternative to Express. Koa is super minimal and was built on top of Express with performance in mind, offering better support for generators. To prevent issues like memory leaks, Koa embraces single-threaded and asynchronous programming patterns. When you use generators, it’s easy to manage and handle request flow while improving overall code readability. Furthermore, Koa easily integrates third-party middleware through its adapter system which requires less effort than traditional frameworks.
Features:
- The framework stands out due to the fact that it was the first framework to make use of async functions that allow developers to eliminate callbacks.
- Koa makes use of a variety of tools and techniques to make the process of creating web-based applications as well as APIs fun and easy. Koa does not include any middleware by default.
- It is comparable to other middleware technology that is popular, however, it is unique because it provides various methods to encourage interoperability, reliability as well as the simplicity of writing middleware.
- The features that Koa can offer developers help create web applications and APIs quicker while achieving higher efficiency.
Sails.js
Sails.js can be described as an MVC web framework designed for node.js that functions similarly to other MVC frameworks such as Ruby on Rails. It can be used to create customized, enterprise-grade Node.js applications. Sails.js utilizes Express to manage the HTTP operations and also provides WebSocket support through socket.io. It’s advertised as the “real-time” framework for NodeJS.
Features
- It has real-time support through WebSockets, without the extra plumbing.
- It’s built upon Express.js, hence very familiar for developers coming from Express.
- It follows the “convention over configuration”. This means it already has industry-leading conventions, thus making it more comfortable for regular development needs.
- It’s database-independent thanks to its incredible Waterline ORM/ODM: Developers can use both MongoDB and PostgreSQL from the same code, without worrying about the complexities involved.
- Blueprints: A powerful code generation, a template-based technique that allows the creation of REST APIs quickly without writing much code.
- It supports multiple data stores within one project: Uses different databases for different needs in the same application.
Nest.js
Nest.js is a framework that helps developers to build server-side applications that are efficient and scalable. This Nodejs framework has been downloaded around 800K times per week, is present in over 1K stacks, and is used by over 200 organizations.
Built on JavaScript, Nest.js is a powerful framework that makes it easier to build apps than other frameworks. It comes with built-in features like a simple module system and access to multithreading capabilities—something many frameworks leave up to developers. Perhaps most impressive is its extensive plugin library, which includes database integration plugins, translation modules, analytics plugins, test case management tools, and more. With such a huge number of specialized functions available at your fingertips, it’s hard not to be impressed by Nest.js’s feature-set. The base code takes care of everything from database interactions to file uploads; you can use only what you need without writing anything extra.
Features
- Nest solves architecture issues – even though there are many libraries, aids, tools, and helpers to use with Nodejs, the point of server-side architecture hasn’t been resolved. NestJS provides an architecture for applications that facilitates the creation of scalable, testable, maintainable applications.
- Nest.js is simple to use and is not just a modern framework; it’s also easy to master and understand. The framework’s design is comparable to the architecture is similar to that of Angular, Java, and .Net. Therefore, the learning curve isn’t long, and users can learn and utilize this framework.
- It uses TypeScript, which means you can catch most of the run-time errors during the development and building of the application
- Nest makes unit-testing applications straightforward.
- It supports a variety of Nest-specific components. These modules make it simple to connect with other frameworks like TypeORM, Mongoose, and others.
Fastify.js
It’s hard to know what will happen in two years. Today we already have a good idea that frameworks like Express and Koa won’t be on top in 2022. Fastify was launched less than two years ago but already it has become one of the fastest-growing frameworks out there. It is fast, lightweight, simple, and is built on Express core (so it can be easily deployed as an Express app).
Features
- Excellent performance – it’s the fastest Nodejs framework that can process up to 30,000 queries per second. Fastify is focused on enhancing speed and responsiveness, and all for less.
- Highly extensible – There are decorators, hooks, and plugins that allow Fastify to be completely adaptable.
- Framework for developers that is first-class – It is designed with coders in mind. It’s extremely expressive and has everything developers require to create scalable apps faster without sacrificing quality, performance, and security. If you’re looking for an efficient and developer-friendly framework, Fastify checks off all the requirements.
BONUS: Strapi
Stapi
Strapi is a Node.js headless CMS that is a framework in itself. It’s one of the world’s most modern Node.js Content Management Framework that can save developers days of effort.
The best part is- it’s open-source and can be used freely. A more advanced version of Strapi is also available at an additional cost. Strapi comes with its own Admin panel as well. It’s completely customizable and is built with React.
Features
- It has an easy-to-use Admin panel, which provides simple yet powerful content management.
- Each project will come with inbuilt options like authentication, authorization management, and API generation.
- It’s highly customizable and allows developers to develop their own plugins as well as custom APIs.
- It is possible to use it as a microservice, providing endless possibilities for stitching multiple reusable applications together.
Conclusion
Over the past several years, Node.js has proven itself to be one of – if not the only– the essential frameworks in web development. Because of its popularity, multiple frameworks and libraries have been created for working with it.
NodeJS is quickly growing, and if you want to stay competitive in your field as a developer or business owner, it’s time to go for NodeJS. If you need help building or maintaining your enterprise application based on the NodeJS framework; CitrusLeaf is here for you. We offer tons of benefits, make sure you’re availing of our top-notch services for enhancing the productivity of your business. Contact us today at hello@citrusleaf.in
If you’re looking for a workplace where you can enhance your NodeJS skills and boost your career, CitrusLeaf is here to help you with it. We help professionals to build a strong career base by working on challenging and creative software that adds value to their knowledge base. Send your resume to hr@citrusleaf.in