Why Node.js Can Help Improve Your Web Services

Node.js is a coding platform built by Google Chrome for its JavaScript programming language. No longer is JavaScript a simple programming language that runs in an internet browser. Developed in 2009 by Ryan Dahl, Node.js was optimized for the user’s creation of high-quality and fast network applications.

Node.js uses a non-blocking I/O model of coding. I/O simply refers to the type of controls over a programs flow, that is, within network input and output. The non-blocking technique, also called “asynchronous” or “non-sequential,” is a type of processing that allows other multiple processes to occur at once instead of each operation having to be completed before starting a different one, according to the traditional model of sequential programming, which sounds logical and precise but in reality ends up eating up your time and risks overwhelming your machine.

To combat this Node.js was developed to be a highly efficient programming framework that can handle large amounts of data and allow your application to run efficiently across many different devices at a time.

Aside from its non-blocking I/O model, Node.js is packed with several other helpful features that make it the first choice for web developers from startup entrepreneurs to big names such as Uber, GoDaddy, Microsoft, Paypal, Yahoo, and more. Built from Google Chrome’s highly-acclaimed V8 JavaScript engine, Node.js is ultra fast in executing codes and never lags or buffers data, simply spitting out data output. Node.js utilizes a single-threaded, event-looping model. This makes the program highly scalable, that is, able to keep building new programs simultaneously instead of handling a limited amount of requests at a time. Its single-threaded program enables Node.js to service multiple requests at once, saving you time and energy.

Another intrinsic feature of Node.js is a tool called the Node Package Manager, which installs along with the Node.js program by default. The Node Package Manager is a set of reusable and easy-to-use components that you can download (or you can design and publish your own!). These modules contain different varieties of server frameworks that allow you to personalize the needs of your web services. One of its most popular web frameworks included in the Node Package Manager is called Express.js, a minimalist program that is optimized for building a variety of mobile applications and web application programming interfaces (APIs for short). Express.js is renowned for its template engines, database integration, and simplified multiple routing techniques. Another popular framework in the Node Package Manager is called a Meteor. This framework supports Linux, Windows, and Macs (OS X to be specific). Meteor is open-source model-view controller, which divides an application into three connected parts: the internal information itself, the way the information is presented to the user, and the way different information is accepted from the user. Meteor is best used for websites and web applications.

With all of its different features that are tailored for different projects, Node.js may be just what you need to kick-start the development of your own web services. It’s true that many kinds of online marketing don’t require the web owner to know or do much in terms of behind-the-scenes programming. For instance, text-based blogs and websites with simple images or embedded videos are all pretty similar and easy to work with, allowing you to post content without having to fiddle with any HTML, CSS, or unfamiliar codes. Social media channels and accounts are also easy to use and more popular than ever. While these accounts might require some skills in Photoshop, video editing, and, of course, communication, there’s no coding that users have to do.

So of course the utility of Node.js for your company depends on what you’re trying to offer your audience. Node.js is a great way to maximize the accuracy and efficiency of your own programs. If you’re an amateur analytics developer working with algorithms for the advantage of your audience – for instance, something that tracks the progress of stocks, real estate, sales, even sports team – there’s no question that Node.js will be the best program for you. No other program is able to handle multiple input channels without slowing down its efficiency levels.

Not sure what kinds of programs Node.js is best for? Have no fear! Understand that Node.js is not optimized for CPU-intensive computations, but rather, quick and lightweight programs only. With that in mind, Node.js is perfect for programs like chatrooms, data streaming such as real-time video and audio encoding, and server-side proxies. As a proxy, Node.js can manage different services that have unique response times, such as third-party resources or cloud-type storage platforms. This goes back to that Node Package Manager we mentioned earlier: you’re offered a comprehensive variety of different subprograms that are ready to handle whatever you give them and make your data-intensive programming easy.

The performance and scalability of Node.js are sure to be unmatched as your website handles a growing influx of viewers. Node.js also offers a feature called RESTful API, which, succinctly stated, is a web service that takes some input parameters and passes data back through it. This type of data manipulation is highly useful for the efficiency of your web programs but computationally inexpensive, another hallmark of the remarkable multitasking skills unique to Node.js compared to other coding platforms that would simply collapse. Additionally, the coding language of JavaScript is rapidly becoming one of the more popular computer science languages, so working with Node.js is likely to save you and your team the trouble of learning a whole new data exchange code.

Node.js is a relatively young program, developed less than ten years ago and constantly under the watchful eyes of its developers to single out ways that it can be improved. That said, it’s not for no reason that some of the aforementioned big-name businesses have quickly picked up Node.js for their own purposes. If you’re working on the next big web service, it would be wise to follow in their footsteps. It might be new, but the potency and strength of Node.js cannot be questioned, that’s for sure. Give Node.js a try today, and your own budding web services are sure to thank you tomorrow!