Web development startups have a whole range of issues and problems to solve, and a key one is finding out what development frameworks are not only popular now, but will be useful for the foreseeable future. There are many angles to consider with programming languages, and Node.js has becoming popular for several reasons.

  1. It’s very mobile. One of the key features of Node.js is that it allows developers to use JavaScript to write server-side scripting. This allows it to build dynamic web content on the server before sending it to the user; while this has an overall tendency to reduce user-side load and performance requirements, it helps particularly with mobile platforms, where performance, particularly with legacy devices, can be at a premium. As well as taking a load of the browser’s capabilities, it also reduces continuous bandwidth strain to a certain extent, allowing applications to be front-loaded.
  2. It’s very fast. Node.js uses a V8 engine, to run JavaScript extremely quickly. V8 uses JavaScript as a native machine code, cutting out the middleman and running applications directly. It shares this code on the front-end and back-end, reducing the overall amount of code needing to be written, and also reducing the amount of language expertise in development. It also has an event loop, allowing it to perform all operations when they’re needed, instead of queuing them up. This hugely reduces delays in operation, particularly with reading and writing from the server.
  3. It’s all about community. Because it’s popular and easy to learn, there’s already a big community of Node.js developers and users out there. From open-source forums to big commercial developers working for global clients, there’s a diverse and expert range of knowledge sources out there. This gives a big advantage when it comes to development time, bug testing, and importantly, future-proofing. With so many developers already invested in its success, Node.js will be kept up to speed with the ever-changing development landscape.
  4. It scales easily. One of the most important considerations for startups is how to handle large and sudden increases in demand. There’s no point having the best service in the world if it falls apart when it has too many users! From small companies to larger ones like LinkedIn, Groupon and eBay, the ease of scalability with Node.js has seen them build entire software stacks with the system. Knowing that your software is robust enough to handle any number of services means less down-time in the future, and less developing time overall, as you won’t have to find other resources to handle your services.
  5. It’s great in real-time. One of the main developments in mobile and browser-based technologies in recent years has been the increase in real-time applications. These can range from chat-bots and messaging services to games, banking apps, and many others. Because Node.js handles multiple I/O operations asynchronously very well, it has a great capability to run real-time apps without any lag or delay. The heavy processing is easily handled by server-side operations, and a constant stream of data to a relatively lightweight user-end takes a great load off platform performance. Basically, if your server can handle the processing, Node.js will be a great option for quickly transferring the data to your users. It’s a trend that’s only going to increase; from personal assistant software to real-time transport information, this sort of fast data transfer is becoming widely used in many software environments.

Node.js has proven to be the most popular way to run JavaScript applications with developers today, and it’s easy to see why. From its ease of use and scalability, to the vast number of potential applications, it’s worth serious consideration for any web development startup.

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