Difference Between ExpressJS and NodeJS: Which Is A Better Option?

When it comes to web app development, developers and companies often are in a dilemma about using ExpressJS vs NodeJS. If you, too are looking for some solid reasons to pick an ideal programming language we have got you covered. Both options have their advantages and flaws. Furthermore, both Express and Node are similar in terms of use and syntax.

Let us explore more about them to know which one would be a better choice.

What is NodeJS – Quick Overview

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NodeJS is a popular app development platform that is open-source and runs on servers. It is a cross-platform Javascript code used by developers these days to develop scalable apps. these days. The platform leverages a model that is asynchronous and event-driven. It is specifically designed to develop robust network applications.

The platform is built on the V8 engine of Google, which makes it an efficient choice for the development of apps.

Popular Apps Using NodeJS

Several big companies are nowadays found using NodeJS to develop their applications. We list some of them below for you to have a better understanding. The companies using NodeJS for their applications belong to several industries like B2B, entertainment, payments, social networking, etc. Having said that, if giants are trusting NodeJS for the development of their flagship apps, it is indeed a great choice. You can hire a NodeJS web development company to get a website built for your business.

• PayPal

Undoubtedly, Paypal is one of the famous payment systems used across the globe. Paypal is developed using NodeJS. It was back in 2012 that Paypal started using NodeJS for their platform.

• LinkedIn

This social network-oriented professional platform has been leveraging NodeJS since 2011. They used NodeJS for the development of their mobile application.

• GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain registration companies that leverage Node extensively for its back-end services. Furthermore, its hosting system is also developed using Node, which manages millions of domains across the global network.

• Netflix

Netflix is another immensely popular internet television network and has millions of users across more than 190 countries. For its streaming services, it leverages NodeJS so that scalability and high performance are imparted each time.

What is ExpressJS – Quick Overview

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ExpressJS is a web application framework used for NodeJS. It is the major difference between the two options. ExpressJS has several extraordinary features that make web app development easy and fast. On the contrary, the latter takes more time to develop web apps when used alone.

Popular Apps Using ExpressJS

ExpressJS is a well-adapted and expressed platform by developers to build scalable web apps. They are used to develop all different kinds of apps.

• Accuweather

The Accuweather API is a popular web app among users that provides weather forecasts. Furthermore, it also provides information about current weather conditions, long-range forecasts, severe weather warnings, etc.

• Yummly

It is a famous recipe-sharing website used by numerous users to share their unique recipes with others. The mission of this website is to help people across the world explore, love and share the recipes from different cuisines that they love. It is one of the first websites using ExpressJS.

• MySpace

MySpace is another popular website that uses NodeJS. It offers a highly interactive, user-submitted network of friends, groups, personal profiles, music, blog, photos and videos. It is another great example of a website using the ExpressJS web framework.

• Accenture

Accenture is a popular multinational company offering professional services to other businesses. Their services are spread over consulting, strategy, operations, and digital technology. The website of Accenture leverages Express to render the server side of the application.

ExpressJS vs NodeJS – Pros and Cons

Let us now explore the advantages and disadvantages of using ExpressJS vs NodeJS for web development.

Pros & Cons of ExpressJS

Pros:

• Has some robust routing APIs.
• The platform is easy to use and offers a set of some powerful features.
• It can facilitate easy integration with databases like Redis, MongoDB, etc.
• Contains a customizable and extendable architecture.

Cons:

• Doesn’t have an ORM system integrated or any other option to easily interact with databases.
• Employs extensive middleware functions that can often lead to a codebase full of bases.

Pros & Cons of NodeJS

The advantages imparted by NodeJS are numerous and the platform is beneficial for the development of all different kinds of applications. Irrespective of whether you build a streaming app or a payment system, the development platform is advantageous.

Pros:

• The platform is highly scalable despite being single-threaded.
• Imparts unmatched speed because of its non-blocking architecture and the feature of the event loop.
• It contains a vast library of Javascript modules that helps simplify web app development to a great extent.
• Debugging is easy since it employs the Javascript engine of Google Chrome’s V8 for code execution.

Cons:

• Lacks support from a few databases like relational ones. The developers however solve this challenge with the help of ExpressJS.
• Leverages an asynchronous programming model and is therefore confusing for entry-level developers.
• Though, when a developer masters this application it helps enhance the performance of an app and its responsiveness as well.

ExpressJS vs NodeJS

• Performance

ExpressJS is a flexible and minimal NodeJS framework that offers a powerful set of features for developing web applications like sessions, routing, caching, etc. Comparing NodeJS with ExpressJS, the latter helps manage all the clutter with server setup.

On the other hand, NodeJS leverages a non-blocking, event-driven I/O model, making this option an efficient and lightweight option for the server environment. This environment has to handle numerous concurrent connections with low latency. Developing such an application is easy with NodeJS since it imparts speed and high performance. Build websites with NodeJS to obtain the benefits offered by the platform.

• Scalability

Primarily, Express is a middleware and routing framework that helps develop APIs, web apps, and mobile apps. NPM can help install Express as a dependency since it then becomes easy to use with NodeJS. Additionally, it also extends the capabilities of base Node to develop a service or an application. Node and Express make a deadly combination when working together.

The asynchronous operations of NodeJS enable it to provide high throughput and scalability to the application. Multiple threads are not made by NodeJS instead, all connections are easily managed within a single thread. They are pushed into the event loop queue. All the events are then handled one after another by the thread from that queue.

• Testing

The major advantage of using ExpressJS is the platform’s ease of testing. It offers all the required tools that help make the testing process easy. Having said that, you can test the functionality of your application in the best possible way. Any testing suite can be used, such as Chai, Mocha, Jasmine, etc.

When using NodeJS, the platform makes some bigger assumptions regarding the structure of your application. That said, you will not have to worry about setting the directory structure for your app. This helps make writing tests of your app easy, but it also means that you may find several potential issues with your code structure.

When to Choose NodeJS?

Hire a NodeJS development company when you have to get a highly scalable and productive web app built. The best part about using this framework is that you can use the same set of code for both the server-side and client-side of your application. Furthermore, NodeJS has an interactive interface, enabling easy integration with other third-party libraries and tools such as Angular, MongoDB, React, etc.

If you are a company looking for a cost-effective development solution, NodeJS is ideal for optimizing expenses. This is only possible because of the open-source nature of the platform.

Also read our related post on: Reason to Choose Node.JS For Your Next Project Development

When to Choose ExpressJS?

ExpressJS has a minimalistic approach since it allows the addition of some specific functionalities through middleware. Hence, it is the perfect choice to build a lightweight application or MVP for startups looking to fit into the market. Furthermore, ExpressJS is a great choice for web app development.

You can develop the app the way you like, and there is nothing wrong or right with it.

Conclusion

When it comes to using ExpressJS vs NodeJS, you can easily use one option along with the other to achieve a fully-functional web or app. NodeJS is used for almost all applications and is a broader option. On the contrary, ExpressJS is a suitable option for CEOs, product owners, and CTOs looking to build an MVP or a test product to fit market requirements. If you want to build a website with NodeJS, hire a professional development company to achieve your goals.

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