More and more developers consider that Node.Js is a better option as compared to Java. That is, when you want to create a powerful backend. But is the Node.Js framework suitable enough for a given task, or should you consider opting for Java instead? As you can imagine, there are a multitude of factors to consider. When you opt for Node Js development services, it’s a good idea to know what this framework really is and how can it help you.
What is Node.Js?
Basically, Node.Js is a JavaScript Run-time environment that was created to use JavaScript on the Web Servers. At the same time, it also allows you to manage the computing resources, web apps, and file systems. This is one of the fewer server-side solutions created with event-driven programming in mind.
As you can imagine, this makes it easier for you to create outstanding servers that are highly scalable without having to worry about threading. Another thing to note is that Node.Js offers complete support for multiple requests as well as operations.
Node.Js allows you to process a very high volume of IO-Bound requests. However, it won’t be very efficient if there’s a ton of CPU processing required to perform the requests. But for server-side processing, it’s maybe one of the best options out there.
How does Node.Js work?
The Node.Js process executes a single main thread. It uses a multitude of background threads for performing tasks too. The idea here is that it also integrates a queue system designed to help you communicate between the background and the main thread. The latter will then pick up the queued tasks and then the background operations will execute the callback function offered after execution.
The takeaway here is that in the case of Node.Js you don’t have to worry about locking or threading. There’s no worry about data consistency either. Instead, the main thread will be the only one that makes any data changes. Concurrency is simple here, but there are a few issues too.
The issue is that you have only a single thread executing all tasks. There’s no way to start a new thread here and run the tasks on it, at least a few of those tasks. You can, however, achieve parallelism in the node via processing. This can work thanks to IPC and the node cluster library.
What about JAVA?
In the case of JAVA, it runs a single process, and it does include multiple threads. Unlike Node.Js, here you have a multitude of threads, and that makes the entire process a lot better, more comprehensive and certainly a lot more convenient because of that. You can also perform some non-blocking IO if you want with help from these threads.
However, the threads are using shared memory, and due to that, you can deal with deadlocking. This problem can appear if the process is poorly designed, and in the end, this can be extremely problematic for you.
Pros and cons of Node.Js
Node.Js development is great because it delivers a fast server-side solution. You also have a single language for both the front-end and backend, which is something very rare and you don’t really see it that often. In addition to that, Node.Js also offers scalability.
But Node.Js is not that perfect. It also has problems when it comes to efficiency in the case of operations which are very CPU intensive. There’s also a poor quality or a lack of documentation for the NPM modules. This can be a problem for some people, which is exactly what you want to do to get the best results.
Pros and cons of JAVA
First, JAVA allows you to use multiple threads, so you don’t have to worry that much about not being able to handle any process. Also, it’s very well documented and easy to use once you get the hang of it. Normally, JAVA also delivers some great, fast development and it also brings in front a rich standard library and a really good development ecosystem.
But things like using shared memory and lacking support for communicating with various languages does make it problematic.
When can you use Node.Js or Java?
Node.Js is a very good choice for Website and data APIs. It’s also suitable for real-time apps and simple worker queue and crons. On the other hand, if you want to work on CPU heavy jobs or web services that have security concerns, JAVA is the right option.
As you can see, the Node Js framework is very helpful, but it also comes with its own set of limitations. This is why you have to be very patient while studying the project to see what works for it. With the right approach, you can easily use Node.Js development services to create some amazing projects. But don’t rush, and see if Node.Js is the best option in your particular situation!
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