What is Node.js?

Node.js is an open-source and cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment. It is a popular tool for almost any kind of project!

Node.js runs the V8 JavaScript engine, the core of Google Chrome, outside of the browser. This allows Node.js to be very performant.

A Node.js app runs in a single process, without creating a new thread for every request. Node.js provides a set of asynchronous I/O primitives in its standard library that prevent JavaScript code from blocking and generally, libraries in Node.js are written using non-blocking paradigms, making blocking behavior the exception rather than the norm.

When Node.js performs an I/O operation, like reading from the network, accessing a database or the filesystem, instead of blocking the thread and wasting CPU cycles waiting, Node.js will resume the operations when the response comes back.

This allows Node.js to handle thousands of concurrent connections with a single server without introducing the burden of managing thread concurrency, which could be a significant source of bugs.

Node.js has a unique advantage because millions of frontend developers that write JavaScript for the browser are now able to write the server-side code in addition to the client-side code without the need to learn a completely different language.

In Node.js the new ECMAScript standards can be used without problems, as you don't have to wait for all your users to update their browsers - you are in charge of deciding which ECMAScript version to use by changing the Node.js version, and you can also enable specific experimental features by running Node.js with flags.

GitHub: https://github.com/nodejs/node

Why Node.js?

1. Asynchronous and Event-Driven: Node.js uses non-blocking, event-driven architecture, making it particularly suitable for I/O-heavy operations. This means it can handle multiple operations simultaneously without waiting for any to complete, which is ideal for applications that require heavy I/O operations like web APIs, file servers, and real-time data services.

2. Single Programming Language: Node.js allows developers to use JavaScript on both the frontend and backend, simplifying development by allowing the same language across the entire stack. This can reduce context switching and streamline the development process.

3. Vibrant Community and Rich Ecosystem: Node.js benefits from a vibrant community and a vast ecosystem of open-source libraries available through npm (Node Package Manager). This vast resource pool facilitates quicker development cycles and offers numerous ready-to-use tools and modules that can solve almost any problem you might encounter.

4. Scalability: Node.js is designed with scalability in mind. Its event-driven architecture makes it an excellent choice for microservices and distributed systems, which are easy to scale and maintain.

5. Performance: Node.js uses the Google V8 JavaScript engine, which compiles JavaScript directly to native machine code. This, coupled with its non-blocking architecture, allows Node.js to achieve high performance, particularly in handling high numbers of simultaneous connections.

6. Real-Time Applications: Node.js is an excellent choice for developing real-time applications such as online gaming, chat applications, and live updates. Its event-driven nature allows for efficient processing of real-time data without bottlenecks.

7. Cross-Platform Development: Node.js supports cross-platform development, enabling developers to build and deploy applications on various operating systems including Windows, MacOS, and Linux using the same code base.

8. Corporate Support: Major companies like LinkedIn, Netflix, Walmart, and PayPal use Node.js for various parts of their applications. This widespread adoption speaks to its reliability and robustness.

9. Fullstack Development Capabilities: With frameworks like Meteor, developers can build and manage the frontend, backend, and database with JavaScript and Node.js. This unified development stack can simplify and accelerate development workflows.

10. Ease of Learning and Use: Since JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages, many developers are already familiar with it. Node.js leverages this familiarity, making it easier for new developers to pick up and start using it effectively.