Pros and cons of using Node.js for Backend Development

Node.js is a runtime environment built on the V8 JavaScript engine. It is used for creating server-side and dynamic web applications. It performs both backend and frontend tasks but is mostly used for backend development. 

But does this mean you should rely on it as the ultimate backend technology? The quick answer is yes — if your project requirements match Node.js's features and advantages. 

For a more detailed answer, let's examine Node.js as a potential backend framework and analyze its pros and cons.

Node.js key features and benefits that make it attractive 

1. It has a huge professional community
   • Node.js's popularity among developers is its most evident advantage. With several million global users, Node.js keeps ranking high in supplying numerous job opportunities. 
2. Free from excessive rules and guidelines
   • Node.js, unlike other web frameworks, doesn't impose pre-set rules. It allows developers to build apps from scratch for various platforms. 
   • This flexibility simplifies the development process and helps avoid legacy issues.
3. Highly scalable
   • Node.js is highly scalable, streamlined and lightweight but can be expanded with additional packages as needed. 
   • Its event loop can handle multiple requests simultaneously, allowing your app to evolve and cater to growing user numbers.
4. Suitable for real-time and AI-powered applications
   • Node.js is ideal for real-time and AI-powered applications that handle numerous low-duty requests. 
   • It ensures minimal latency, smart resource allocation, code reusability and fast client-server data synchronization, making it efficient for apps like collaborative editing tools.
5. Supports microservice architecture
   • Node.js supports microservices-based architecture, allowing app features to be wrapped in separate, independent containers. 
   • This enables adding, disabling or removing containers without affecting others. 
6. Handles requests in parallel
   • Node.js excels in concurrent request processing, outperforming other backend technologies. 
   • Its non-blocking I/O and async support streamline request processing, ensuring fast application performance and a satisfying user experience.

When is it worth using Node.js for backend development? 

• Simple real-time apps without complex computations
  
  • While Node.js excels at fast parallel processing of real-time requests, it's only suitable for small applications with light requests due to size limitations.
    
  • Examples: instant messengers, collaboration tools, online conferencing apps and community-oriented apps.
    

“I found Node.js to be a real game-changer for backend development. My first time using Node.js was while working on a real-time chat app. The non-blocking, event-driven architecture of Node.js let me handle many concurrent connections easily, something that traditional server-side languages struggled with. The huge ecosystem of npm packages had pre-built solutions for many common tasks, speeding up development time a lot. 

Also, using JavaScript for both frontend and backend made the codebase simpler and improved teamwork with the frontend guys. The community support and regular updates ensured we always had the latest features and security patches. Node.js boosted our productivity and made the whole development process more enjoyable and efficient.”

Kamil Alekberov
Senior Software Engineer, EPAM

• Microservice-based apps for enterprises
  • Microservice architecture offers limitless scaling. 
  • It eliminates concerns about app crashes when new features are released. 
  • Engineers can implement and test features separately, containerize them and connect the new code block to the API. 
  • Examples: on-demand video streaming platforms, ride-sharing apps
• Web APIs and large-scale platforms
  • According to Yurii Bohomolov, Chief Software Engineer at EPAM, one of the great showcases for Node.js is the api.epam.com project. 
  • Node.js is the cornerstone of the API project. Its event-driven, non-blocking, asynchronous nature excels at handling the high volume of concurrent requests, making it an ideal choice for building a robust web API. For example, the initial design goal for this project was to achieve an average response time of under 200 milliseconds. 

“We often need to move fast and conduct various experiments, such as assisting our clients in building Proofs of Concept and Minimum Viable Products. The dynamic nature of Node.js and its rich ecosystem enables us to build and deliver new features rapidly. We utilize an Nx monorepo for our project, and the ease of sharing executable code and types across different libraries and microservices allows us to move swiftly and help our clients achieve their business objectives.

As an enthusiast of Type Theory, I appreciate Node.js's compatibility with TypeScript. TypeScript’s static typing and tooling support improved code maintainability, caught errors during development and facilitated better documentation and refactoring. This seamless integration with TypeScript ensured a more robust and scalable codebase, aligning perfectly with our project's long-term goals.”

Yurii Bohomolov
Chief Software Engineer, EPAM

When shouldn't you use Node.js for backend development? 

• When development speed is crucial
  
  • While Node.js encourages creativity due to fewer rules, it may extend development time. 
    
  • Features easily accessible in other backend frameworks, like Ruby on Rails, must be built from scratch in Node.js, making implementation longer.
• For heavy calculations
  • Node.js isn't ideal for processing heavy calculation requests. 
  • Its single-threaded processing can block the event loop, reduce performance or cause application crashes.
• For simple apps with HTML/CRUD features only
  • Apps limited by simple HTML protocol methods or CRUD operations differ from those requiring Node.js.
  • These apps don't need an API for server data. Using Node.js for such apps is overkill. 
  • The HTML client-server request-response protocol only has nine methods, including the four CRUD operations.

Node.js, initially created for backend engineering, is now a leading web development framework for lightweight I/O-oriented web apps. It offers quick operation, user satisfaction and SEO ranking due to advanced client-server interaction, asynchronous request processing, and non-blocking I/O. Its scalable framework supports microservice architecture for various web apps.  
 
If you want to join the EPAM team of Node.js developers, check our open vacancies at https://www.epam.com/careers.