I have already talked about what NodeJS can do, its features, and its benefits in the following blog.

NodeJS Features & Benefits: How to Develop NodeJS Apps Faster?

Also, I have compared it with Python in the past to find out which one is better for server-side development in this blog.

NodeJs Vs Python: What Backend Development Tech Stack to Choose?

Today, I am going to talk about what are the top NodeJS-based frameworks that are worth checking out for web development.

NodeJS is one of the high-performing JavaScript-based platforms that can ease the work of developing scalable web applications. The biggest benefit of leveraging Node is developers don’t have to learn a new language or platform since it’s based on JS.

In 2009, Ryan Dahl developed the well-known JavaScript runtime environment known as Node.js. It features an event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture that makes it suitable for developing scalable, high-performance web applications. It is developed on top of the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine.

In recent years, Node.js has gained popularity, especially in the field of web development. Node.js's capacity to process numerous requests concurrently without the application slowing down is one of its main benefits for web development. This makes it ideal for creating real-time applications like social networking platforms, multiplayer games, and chat apps.

The large library of modules and packages available in Node.js for web development is another benefit. Developers can easily add functionality to their applications as a result of this without having to create the wheel. In addition, an increasing number of web frameworks, like Express.js, Koa.js, and Hapi.js, are developed on top of Node.js.

One of the top Node.js backend frameworks used to develop online apps is Express.js, which is well acclaimed. It offers an easy approach to developing web apps and is very flexible. Express.js makes it simple to add functionality to apps because of its simple API and compatibility with many other middleware modules.

Node.js will likely remain a popular option for web development. Building real-time applications, which are becoming more and more important in today's fast-paced digital environment, is made possible by its non-blocking I/O approach. Additionally, developers have a wide range of alternatives to select from when developing web apps due to the growing ecosystem of web frameworks built on top of Node.js.

Even if Node.js is certainly a well-liked alternative for web development, it is important to remember that there are other choices as well. For instance, Python includes a variety of well-known web frameworks, including Django, Flask, and Pyramid. Each of these frameworks has advantages and disadvantages of its own, and the choice ultimately comes down to the particular needs of your project.

Even front-end developers familiar with JavaScript language can use the node or frameworks based on it for server-side development. But do you know what the top NodeJS frameworks are?

That’s why I am here to let you know what Node frameworks are worth checking out for development. So, here we go:

Top NodeJS-Based Frameworks Worth Checking Out for Web Development

1. Hapi.Js

HapiJS is famous for its emphasis on code reuse, which enables programmers to create modular, maintainable code. As a result, production increases and development time is cut down.

Here are a few key features of HapiJS:

• Input validation
• Logging
• Error Handling
• Code Reusability
• No external dependencies
• Integrated architecture
• Implement cache
• Configuration-based functionality

Use Cases of HapiJS:

• API Development
• HTTP Proxy Applications
• Web App Development

2. Express.JS

One of the flexible and minimal NodeJS app development frameworks is not based on specific components. Hence, no opinion on what technologies can be integrated which allows developers to experiment. ExpressJS has a lightning-fast setup and pure JS experience, which makes it a top contender for rapid prototyping and agile development.

Features & Benefits of ExpressJS for Backend Development Projects

Here are a few key features of ExpressJS:

• Faster server-side development
• Supports NoSQL databases out-of-the-box
• Supports MVC Architecture with some work
• Developers can build RESTful APIs faster

Powerful APIs that Every Frontend Developer Should Know

Use Cases of ExpressJS:

• Single Page Application
• Multi-Page Application
• Hybrid Applications

3. Nest.JS

Another top Node framework for server-side development is NestJS. It helps developers improve their productivity and make their coding life easier. NestJS is used by developers for structuring their code in a better and much more organized way.

Key Features of NestJS:

• Easy extensibility and can be used with other libraries
• Allows developers to fully code using pure JavaScript
• Offers detailed and well-maintained documentation
• Combines the features of functional programming with object-oriented programming and functional reactive programming
• The framework API is exposed and helps developers use the various 3rd-party modules available to each platform

Use Cases of NestJS:

• Used for writing clean and reusable codes
• Used for writing code with high-level constructs like intercepts, filters, pipes, etc.
• Used for crafting scalable, testable, and loosely packed apps.

4. MeteorJS

It’s an open-source full-stack JavaScript framework where JS can run at different places for different purposes. Since JS runs inside a web browser, then JS runs on the Meteor server inside a NodeJS container to support HTML and other assets.

It also has capabilities for rapid prototyping and produces cross-platform code. Further, it’s one of the easy node frameworks to learn as it does not have any strict structural rules. Thus, beginner or intermediate developers can use the framework to create multi-platform apps.

Key Features of MeteorJS:

• Based purely on JavaScript
• Robust and clean synchronization
• Interoperability
• Smart Packages
• Hot Code Pushes

Use Cases for MeteorJS

• Full production of mobile apps
• Full production of web apps

5. KoaJS

Another open-source Node-based web development framework is also created by the team behind ExpressJS. Koa is created to be a more expressive and robust platform for web development and APIs. The framework offers a wide range of methods to quicken the process of server-side development.

Key Features of KoaJS

• Its modern and future-proof framework
• Smaller footprints compared to all NodeJS frameworks
• Offers built-in catchall for errors to prevent crashes
• Use context objects to hold request and response objects

Use Cases of KoaJS

• Frontend Development
• Backend Development
• Hybrid Development

6. Socket.IO

Socket.IO is also a great Node-based framework used for communicating in real-time bi-directional between the client-side and server side. It works only when the client has the Socket.IO in their browser and the server should also have this node framework package integrated.

Doing so allows data to be shared in millions of forms but the most preferred way remains JSON.

Key Features of Socket.IO

• Encoding of messages as named JSON
• Adds real-time capabilities for the web app
• Offers support for auto-reconnection
• Outstanding speed and reliability
• Instant messaging and chat

Use Cases for Socket.IO

• Developing server namespaces
• Event handling
• Error handling
• Broadcasting
• Chat Applications
• Logging and Debugging

7. Sails.JS

It’s also one of the top Node-based frameworks that support the real-time NodeJS MVC framework. Sails.JS is built on top of Express and its architecture resembles that of Ruby on Rails. However, it’s different from Ruby on Rails as it offers support for a modern, data-centric style of API and web app development.

Key Features of Sails.JS

• Has support for auto-generated Rest APIs
• Offers real-time functionality support
• Compatible with other popular frontend frameworks such as Angular, Android, React, and others
• Offers easy web socket integration

Use Cases of Sails.JS

• Used mostly for building enterprise-grade node apps
• Building frontend of the web applications too
• Developing server-side web app to handle HTTP requests

Is Node.js backend or frontend

Node.js is known for its event-driven architecture, which enables it to manage enormous volumes of data and several concurrent connections with little overhead. As a result, it is frequently employed for developing real-time applications like chat applications, gaming systems, and online collaboration tools.

Since Node.js was developed to run on the server side, front-end development rarely uses it. The server-side rendering of front-end frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue can be developed with it, too.

Express.js and Koa.js are two well-liked frameworks that offer a straightforward and adaptable API for developing RESTful services when it comes to establishing REST APIs with Node.js. Both of them have sizable developer communities and plugin environments that facilitate the development of scalable, efficient APIs.

There are several Python web frameworks, including Django, Flask, Pyramid, and Bottle, in addition to Node.js, on the market. These frameworks, which have become popular among Python developers, offer a wide range of tools and resources for developing online applications.

There are several well-known front-end frameworks on the market for front-end development, including React, Angular, and Vue. These frameworks offer a wide range of tools and resources that may be used for developing complex and live web applications.

Jest, a potent testing framework included with Node.js, is intended to make it simple and natural to test JavaScript applications. For unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing of Node.js applications, it is frequently used by developers.

Conclusion

So, these were the top NodeJS-based frameworks that are worth checking out for your web development project in 2023. Each framework offers unique features and uses cases to suit your development needs.

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