Express.js, Feather.js, Meteor.js, Derby.js, Mocha, etc. are some popular Node.js frameworks. Node.js is a popular cross-platform, open-source, JS runtime environment that enables developers to build server-side and networking applications using JavaScript. The platform has seen steady growth in popularity over the years, thanks to its ability to handle large amounts of data, its scalability, and its support for a wide range of tools and top node.js frameworks.
In this article, we will take a look at 8 of the top Node.js frameworks that are currently being used by developers to build robust and efficient applications. These frameworks provide a wide range of features, including powerful routing, middleware, and database connectivity, making it easy for developers to create fast, scalable, and feature-rich applications.
Let’s begin then!
Table of Contents
What Are Node.js Frameworks?
Node.js frameworks are collections of pre-built modules and libraries that provide a structure for building server-side applications. These frameworks abstract away much of the low-level details of building an application and provide a set of common patterns and best practices for developers to follow.
This can help to improve the development process by making it faster, more efficient, and more consistent. Node.js frameworks also provide a range of features such as routing, middleware, database connectivity, and more, that can be used to build feature-rich and scalable applications. Some of the most popular Node.js frameworks include Express, Koa, Hapi, Meteor, NestJS, and Sails.js
Why Should You Choose A Node.js Framework?
There are several reasons why developers might choose to use a Node.js framework when building a server-side application:
- Productivity: Node.js frameworks provide a set of pre-built modules and libraries that can be used to quickly and easily add functionality to an application. This can help to improve developer productivity and reduce the amount of time it takes to build an application.
- Scalability: Node.js frameworks are designed to handle large amounts of data and support horizontal scaling, which makes them well-suited for building high-performance and scalable applications.
- Community Support: Many Node.js frameworks have a large and active community of developers who contribute to the development of the framework, provide support, and share their knowledge and experience, and many more factors.
Now, let’s discuss the best node.js frameworks that we will discuss in this article.
Best Node.js Frameworks
Here’s the list of top node.js frameworks that we will discuss in detail one by one.
Feather.js
Feathers.js is a lightweight and flexible Node.js framework that can be used to build real-time applications, RESTful APIs, and web applications. It is built on top of Express and provides a set of features and tools for building scalable and maintainable applications.
Pros of using Feathers.js:
- Feathers.js is easy to learn and use, even for developers who are new to Node.js.
- It provides a consistent and simple API for building real-time and RESTful applications, making it easy to create scalable and maintainable code.
- It has a powerful service architecture that allows for easy separation of concerns and code reuse.
Cons of using Feathers.js:
- Feathers.js is a relatively new framework, it has fewer resources and tutorials compared to more established frameworks.
- It may not be suitable for large and complex applications that require a high level of customization.
- It has limited support for some databases, which may limit its use in some projects.
- The framework is relatively unopinionated, which can make it challenging for developers to make architectural decisions.
Sails.js
Sails.js is a web framework for Node.js that is designed for building real-time, data-driven applications. It is based on the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern and provides a set of features for building scalable and maintainable applications. Sails.js is built on top of Express and Socket.io, and it is designed to work with a wide variety of databases, including MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and more.
Pros of using Sails.js:
- Sails.js provides a powerful and flexible MVC architecture that makes it easy to build scalable and maintainable applications.
- It has built-in support for real-time communication using WebSockets, making it easy to build real-time applications.
- Sails.js provides a set of generators that can be used to quickly scaffold new applications, which can help to improve developer productivity.
Cons of using Sails.js:
- Sails.js is a relatively new framework, it has fewer resources and tutorials compared to more established frameworks.
- It can be quite heavy and resource-intensive, which may not be suitable for small or simple applications.
- The framework is relatively unopinionated, which can make it challenging for developers to make architectural decisions.
MEAN.JS
MEAN.js is a full-stack JavaScript framework for building web applications. It stands for MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js, and it provides a set of tools for building scalable and maintainable applications using these technologies. MEAN.js is designed to work with a MongoDB database, and it uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern for the server side of the application, and the AngularJS framework for the client side.
Pros of using MEAN.js:
- MEAN.js provides a full-stack solution for building web applications.
- It provides a powerful and flexible MVC architecture that makes it easy to build scalable and maintainable applications.
- MEAN.js uses popular and well-documented technologies, such as MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js
- It has a large and active community
- MEAN.js provides a set of generators that can be used to quickly scaffold new applications
Cons of using MEAN.js:
- MEAN.js is a relatively new framework, it has fewer resources and tutorials compared to more established frameworks.
- It can be quite heavy and resource-intensive
- Some developers may find the learning curve to be steep, especially if they are new to web development or the MVC pattern.
Meteor.js
Meteor.js is a full-stack JavaScript framework for building web and mobile applications. It is designed to make it easy to build real-time, data-driven applications by providing a set of tools for building both the client and server sides of an application. Meteor.js uses MongoDB as its default database and supports both client-side and server-side rendering.
Pros of using Meteor.js:
- Full-stack solution for building web and mobile applications
- It provides a powerful and flexible architecture
- Meteor.js provides built-in support for real-time communication
- It has a large and active community that provides support and shares knowledge and experience.
- Meteor.js provides a set of tools and libraries for building both the client and server sides of an application
Cons of using Meteor.js:
- It can be quite heavy and resource-intensive, which may not be suitable for small or simple applications.
- Some developers may find the learning curve to be steep, especially if they are new to web development or the Meteor.js framework.
- Meteor.js can be challenging to customize, as it has a lot of conventions and assumptions built in.
Fastify
Fastify is a web framework for Node.js that is designed to be lightweight, highly extensible, and easily maintainable. It is focused on providing a great developer experience and offers a range of features to make developing web applications faster and easier.
Pros:
- Fast and efficient
- Highly extensible
- Maintainable
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Limited documentation
- Not as popular
- Limited support
Derby.js
Derby.js is an open-source JavaScript framework for real-time applications. It enables developers to build powerful single-page applications with client-side rendering, reactive data binding, and isomorphic rendering. It is built upon Node.js, Express, and MongoDB and includes features such as an extensible model layer and an event-based synchronization layer, allowing for the development of highly interactive applications that can be easily scaled and deployed.
Mocha.js
Mocha.js is an open-source testing framework for JavaScript. It is used to write and run tests for web applications and Node.js applications. It is built on Node.js and is asynchronous in nature, which means tests can run concurrently. It makes use of assertion libraries to create test cases and allows for flexible and accurate reporting. It is a popular choice among developers because it is easy to use and provides good debugging capabilities. It is also compatible with a wide range of libraries, making it an ideal choice for complex projects.
Concluding Words
These top node.js frameworks make Node.js development easy while working on different projects. Here at Smarsh Infotech, you can hire Node.js developers who are skilled in developing professional solutions for your business. Let’s connect soon!