What is Node.js And Why Should You Use it?

Node.js is an event-oriented JavaScript execution environment with non-blocking I / O, which makes it efficient and undemanding to resources. Compared with the initial browsers, it’s a broad functional programming language with multiple capabilities. In fact, industry experts have simply defined it by coining the phrase “A high-tech open-source engine featuring thousands of packages written by millions of Node.js programmers”

Why Choose Node.js?

Node.js is an advanced and extremely interesting platform for implementing web applications. Although a relatively young project in its infancy stages, it has made major strides since inception in 2009.  Subsequent years have seen the platform grow and being deployed in many commendable projects around the world. One of the most useful attributes of the platform, especially for beginners, lies in its simplicity and accessibility. To implement projects, the developer does not have to manually collect the libraries, packages, information about Node.js. Even better, installation takes a few minutes, after which the tool is ready to work. Structurally, the tool is a combination of the engine (V8), I / O and library set. In this case, the development of the components of the application or site is conducted in one programming language - JavaScript. This means that the development of the project does not require the study of additional resources or hiring multiple specialists to write in different languages. It is sufficient to have good programming skills on the JS or to hire a programmer who possesses this language. As a result, the server and the client are written in one language.

Where Can Node.js Be Used?

The platform is not only great for writing server applications and chats but also makes it possible to write desktop programs with NW.js or AppJS. That notwithstanding, it gives the developer the flexibility to integrate various APIs, which greatly speeds up the overall development time of programs. Because of its asynchrony, the platform is suitable for developing chat rooms and online games, which allow multiple users to access the system at a spontaneously. With that said, it is not suitable for implementation of computational tasks, since such tasks cannot cope with interactive systems. Another unique point about Node.js is the efficiency factor compared to its peers like Apache. This is because it remains dormant when the connections are off.  We stand to be corrected but those who have worked with Apache will attest that it requires quite a good number of idle servers for it to remain active in readiness for new connections. On the other hand, Node’s callbacks are only activated when they detect an incoming signal. One of the reasons why open-source projects fail at infant stages is the inherent risk of abandonment of sponsorships. However, the Node.js has done exceptionally well thanks to the Linux Foundation and other corporate sponsorships. Its indemnified by massive corporations like Microsoft, Paypal, Joyent, Walmart, and others. As an added bonus, it's part of the Linux Foundation so it will be enjoying a long lease of life. It is also used to develop server-side web applications. It's worth noting that it's better not to work with relational databases since there are not enough tool modules for this yet. But it is possible that in due time, it will fit comfortably in this niche.

Node.js Developer Salary

Salaries in the IT ecosystem send a cold spike down the spine of many hiring managers. This is because IT skills are some of the most sought after but equally rare. Considering the popularity of Node.js and the myriad possibilities of its application, it would be lackadaisical not to have an idea of what is the Node.js developer salary in different countries. We conducted a survey of the average Node.js developer salary and this is what we came up with.

Why is Node.js Popular?

Over the past few years, Node.js has become an incredibly popular platform for the development of various websites, which also led to the popularization and demand for the profession of a Node.js developer. The massive following is as a result of the ability to write in one language for local, server, and database task. As a result, the following projects have been created using Node.js functional programming:

• PayPal payment system.
• Yahoo search engine.
• Wall Street Journal online version.
• Spotify one of the best photo and videos collection.

Final Thoughts

Without a single doubt, Node.js is here to stay. This is because multiple agencies are fervently working to make the system better. Although the salary for a Node.js developer is significantly high, it significantly differs from country to country. With that said, it is always worth remembering that the possibilities of the technology combined with the competent approach of a programmer can bring about fruitful results.

About the Author

Anastasia Stefanuk is a passionate writer and a marketing manager at Mobilunity. The company provides professional staffing services, so she is always aware of technology news and wants to share her experience to help tech startups and companies to be up-to-date.