Why is Node.Js Still Popular in 2024?

With the tech advance, lots of popular programming languages fall into disuse, but it’s not the case of Node.js. After entering the IT arena back in 2009, its popularity was gradually growing. However, the most amazing leap it made in the last year. 

According to W3Techs investigation, Node.js was used by 1.5% of all websites worldwide in October 2021. As of 1 October 2022, this figure is already 2.1%. No other server usage can boast almost 40% growth in a recent year.

Thus, over 40 million sites across the web use Node.js, including LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, and GoDaddy.

So there is not the slightest doubt that the answer to the question “Is node.js still popular?” is positive. Let’s find out why.

How Does Node.js Work?

Node.js can be hardly called a library or a framework, it’s a runtime environment based on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine converting JavaScript code into machine code. It contains the libUV platform abstraction layer and a core JavaScript library. 

What is more, Node.js grounds on the HTML, CSS, and JS open web stack, and operates over the standard port 80. Unlike traditional web-serving techniques, Node operates on a single-thread event loop and supports thousands and thousands of concurrent connections

Node.js overstrode Flash and Java Applets that were just sandboxed environments because it makes it possible to create efficient in the face of intensive data web apps with real-time, two-way connections. The non-blocking, event-driven I/O paradigm allows it.

Thus, both the client and server can initiate communication and freely exchange data.

What is Node.js Used for?

The technology was crafted as a client/server model alternative, so let’s dive into Node.js and when to use it.

Real-time Applications

A typical Node.js application supports solutions that process a large number of short messages and for which minimal latency is critical. To mention a few, we would think of Yahoo, Uber, and LinkedIn.

Being a typical RTA (Real Time Application), chats or messaging applications are also multi-user solutions. Running on a variety of distributed devices, they are lightweight, resource-intensive, and high-traffic solutions, but Node.js maintains a smooth UX with minimal latency.

The Internet of Things

The IoT includes several devices and various digital machines that are connected to each other. They communicate with each other, and Node.js allows doing it without human intervention. Development companies often use pre-installed modules for efficient data exchange, with the help of Node.js it is possible to serve many requests at the same time.

Streaming Data 

Node.js is asynchronous in nature, which makes it suitable for real-time media and data streaming from various resources and applications that require multiple file downloads. The technology allows files to be processed while they are being downloaded or in parallel with another download process. Netflix stands here as the perfect example of what Node.js is good for. In addition, it is applied in social networks, interactive e-commerce platforms, and interactive real-time resources.

API Servers

Node.js can handle multiple concurrent connections, it easily converts JavaSript objects to JSON format. The latter contributes to the smooth operation of Node.js without impedance mismatch.

Proxy

Server-side proxy is another example of multiple applications of Node.js. It effectively copes with large amounts of simultaneous connections with varying response times, as well as with data collection from multifaceted sources to third-party clouds, like images or video content.

Utilized as a dedicated proxy server, Node.js allows building client-side applications for assets and proxying or stubbing API requests.

DevOps Projects

The environment is ideal for creating microservices quickly and easily. It provides developers with the ability to write, deploy, and maintain software solutions at the same time. In this way, Node.js supports and facilitates continuous development and continuous integration, which are the core of DevOps.

The Reasons for the Node.js Popularity 

If you still wonder why is Node.js so popular, let’s look at the reasons in more detail.

Caching

Node.js stores the data for future requests, caches it, and then restores the relevant data from the cache when needed. This feature helps to create high-speed applications.

Lightness

Written in C++, Google’s V8 JavaScript engine makes Node.js a very lightweight, efficient, and extremely speedy user framework.

Cross-Platform

Mobile and web applications developed with Node.js can run on multiple platforms, Android and iOS. This saves developers from having to create different versions of applications for different platforms.

Good Performance

Node.js is known to speed up server-side services, and it continues to evolve. It is equipped to handle many user requests at the same time. And it has a single-threaded framework, which makes it efficient and accurate in results for user queries.

AliExpress and eBay powered by Node.js are the most popular examples of seamless and effective performance.   

Scalability 

The ‘event loop’ system and microservices make Node.js scalable. So, the framework comes as an obvious choice for larger projects, which require scaling up on part of developers and they can realize it decreasing neither speed nor performance.   

Usage in Various Hosting Services

Grown in recent years, in 2022 in particular, Node.js has been modernized with the most up-to-date tech trends and became available for multiple providers of hosting services.

Modern Architecture

The microservices supported by Node.js are part of the modern architecture. They provide smoother development and improved scalability for apps and websites. Thus, the solution can consist of various parts that interact with each other through the microservices APIs and speed up its work.

Reduced Time to Market

The Node package manager contains over 800,000 pre-installed modules. This not only allows to significantly reduce development time by saving it on routine coding tasks, but also contributes to faster releases and updates. According to a survey conducted in 2018, 68% of developers and project managers identified Node.js as a factor in increasing developer efficiency.

Fast Playback

Node.js continuously streamlines the apps’ backend environment handling queries at light speed, increasing loading rapidity, and delivering results in near real-time. Thus, Node.js provides smooth UX with faster and unfailing playback.

Open Source Community

Node.js is an open-source environment, and it’s about global cooperation. Users and experts from all over the world have built a great community with multiple forums and knowledge groups that collaborate. Highly engaged and creative developers continuously build a product and enrich and share their knowledge to improve app performance and web development.

Trends 2024: Why to Use Node.js?

Evidently, Node.js is going to get ahead and prosper further on. More than 243K websites that have taken full advantage of the framework express their satisfaction with it and businesses are eager to use it more in the coming years.

Thus, the platform will continue fueling the digital transformation of businesses in many ways and motivating organizations to leverage the advantage of technological advances and online transition.

RTA

In 2024 and even beyond it, Node JS-based real-time solutions will skyrocket to solve time-critical challenges in healthcare, industry, and aviation. 

Eliminating Servers

Cloud computing has gained popularity and many businesses have gone totally serverless. Node.JS is a great option for such companies due to its microservices architecture. It allows the creation of reliable microservices and APIs for deployment on cloud servers without any restrictions on their performance but with enhanced response times. It also can result in a sensitive reduction of development costs.

GraphQL

The use of GraphQL databases with Node.js s going to increase in the coming years. On the one hand, the demand has grown, and on the other hand,  Node.js allows even faster input and output from the DB.

MEAN and MERN Stacks Increased Usage

The MEAN (MongoDB, Express, Angular, and NodeJS) and  MERN (MongoDB, Express, ReactJS, and Node.js.) stacks facilitate easier app development since JavaScript can be used on both the front and back end.

While MERN is good for single-paged solutions, MEAN is efficient for big enterprise-scale applications with routes and redirects.

The demand for both sacks is growing, meaning a positive trend for Node.js as well.

The IoT Development 

Node.js appears to be the only language capable of handling the complex management of IoT systems, as it has lightning-fast processing speeds and facilitates real-time data transfer. So Node.js is trending in this niche as well.

Conclusion

As of today, Node.js has proved to be the most reliable, efficient, and user-friendly tool dramatically going up stream. Many global brands are constantly introducing it and expanding its use. Thus, not only is it gaining popularity, but its ecosystem is also growing.

If your project is real-time data streaming related, requires an API server system building, or lies in the field of  IoT and DevOps, Node.js is the answer and the secret ingredient of creating a cutting-edge solution compatible with the up-to-the-minute technologies and user requirements.