As we step into 2025, the Node.js ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly. Among the many frameworks available, Sails.js and NestJS remain popular choices for building scalable, high-performance backend applications. But with advancements in both frameworks, which one should you pick for your next project?
In this post, we’ll dive into a comprehensive comparison of Sails.js and NestJS in 2025, exploring their architectures, performance, use cases, and key differences—helping you make an informed decision based on your enterprise or startup needs.
🏗️ Architectural Overview
⚙️ Sails.js
- MVC Framework inspired by Ruby on Rails.
- Convention over configuration makes it quick to scaffold projects.
- Built on top of Express.js.
- Comes with Waterline ORM, which abstracts database interaction, offering support for SQL and NoSQL databases.
- Real-time support via WebSockets out of the box.
2025 Update: Sails.js 2.x focuses on better TypeScript support, enhanced WebSocket scalability with Socket.io 5, and tighter integration with modern database connectors like Prisma.
⚙️ NestJS
- Modular architecture with a strong emphasis on Dependency Injection (DI).
- Completely written in TypeScript (supports pure JavaScript too).
- Inspired by Angular: decorators, modules, providers, and controllers.
- Easily integrates with microservices and GraphQL.
- Out-of-the-box support for gRPC, WebSockets, and REST APIs.
2025 Update: NestJS 11.x includes built-in support for Deno, enhanced ESM module compatibility, and official support for Bun runtime. It also now has a new plugin system and improved performance in microservices communication.
🚀 Performance & Scalability
| Criteria | Sails.js (v2.x) | NestJS (v11.x) |
|---|---|---|
| Startup Time | Fast | Moderate (due to DI container init) |
| Request Throughput | Moderate (Express-based) | High (optimized HTTP adapters with Fastify) |
| Real-time Apps | Excellent (WebSockets baked in) | Good (WebSocket Gateway support) |
| Microservices | Limited (possible but not native) | Excellent (built-in microservice framework) |
- Sails.js is ideal for rapid prototyping and apps with real-time requirements.
- NestJS excels in enterprise-grade and distributed systems, with better support for asynchronous messaging queues (Kafka, RabbitMQ), GraphQL, and gRPC.
🛠️ Development Experience
Sails.js
✅ Pros:
- Quick scaffolding and REST API generation.
- Lower learning curve for JavaScript developers.
- Built-in policies for access control.
❌ Cons:
- Waterline ORM has limited TypeScript typings and advanced query support (though Prisma integration improves this).
- Less modular compared to NestJS.
NestJS
✅ Pros:
- TypeScript-first, leading to better code safety and developer experience.
- Modular architecture scales well in complex applications.
- Rich ecosystem: CLI, microservices, GraphQL, and WebSockets.
❌ Cons:
- Steeper learning curve due to DI, decorators, and module system.
- Boilerplate-heavy in smaller apps.
🧰 Tooling & Ecosystem in 2025
Sails.js 2.x
- Prisma.js support for modern database access.
- Better TypeScript support, but not yet first-class.
- Community plugins are still relevant, but slower ecosystem growth.
NestJS 11.x
- First-party plugins for authentication (Passport.js), caching (Redis), CQRS, and event sourcing.
- Extended support for Deno and Bun runtimes.
- ESM support and improved DX in monorepo structures with Nx.
🕹️ Use Cases & Recommendations
| Use Case | Recommended Framework |
|---|---|
| Real-time dashboards | Sails.js |
| Rapid RESTful API development | Sails.js |
| Enterprise microservices | NestJS |
| Event-driven architecture (EDA) | NestJS |
| Scalable GraphQL APIs | NestJS |
| Serverless applications | NestJS (with AWS Lambda, Azure Functions) |
⚖️ Verdict: Sails.js vs NestJS in 2025
| Category | Sails.js | NestJS |
|---|---|---|
| Learning Curve | Lower (faster to prototype) | Moderate to High (requires TypeScript/DI) |
| TypeScript Support | Improved but partial | First-class TypeScript |
| Performance | Good for small-to-medium apps | Excellent for enterprise/microservices |
| Community & Ecosystem | Mature but slower growth | Vibrant and growing rapidly |
| Scalability | Moderate | Enterprise-grade, excellent scaling |
📝 Final Thoughts
- If you need a real-time application with minimal setup and fast development cycles, Sails.js still holds its ground in 2025.
- If you’re building a complex, scalable backend with microservices, GraphQL APIs, and strong TypeScript support, NestJS is the clear winner.
The right choice depends on your project size, team expertise, and long-term scalability needs.
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