10 Hidden Node.js Features You Probably Aren’t Using (but Should)

Think you know Node.js inside out? These underrated features can improve your code quality, debugging experience, and app performance. Whether you're a backend pro or just diving into Node, these tips will come in handy.

Let’s dive in 👇

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1. 🔍 --inspect Debugging Built-In

No need for external tools!

You can debug directly in Chrome:

node --inspect yourApp.js

Then open chrome://inspect in Chrome.

Set breakpoints, step through code, inspect variables—all within the browser.

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2. 🔄 util.promisify()

Tired of callbacks?

Convert any callback-based function into a Promise-based one:

const { promisify } = require('util');
const readFile = promisify(fs.readFile);

Now you can use async/await with native Node APIs!

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3. ⚠️ --trace-warnings

Don’t ignore warnings—trace them!

node --trace-warnings app.js

You’ll see stack traces for runtime and deprecation warnings—super helpful for debugging and future-proofing your code.

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4. ⏱️ process.hrtime() for Precise Timing

Need microsecond timing for benchmarking?

const start = process.hrtime();
// do something
const diff = process.hrtime(start);
console.log(`Execution time: ${diff[0]}s ${diff[1] / 1e6}ms`);

More accurate than Date.now().

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5. 🧵 Built-in worker_threads for Multi-threading

Yes, Node can do multi-threading natively!

Use worker_threads for CPU-heavy tasks like image processing, compression, etc., without blocking the main thread.

const { Worker } = require('worker_threads');

Massively boosts performance when used wisely.

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6. 🌐 globalThis Standard Global Object

Forget global or window—use:

globalThis

It’s standard across all JavaScript environments: browser, Node, Deno.

Great for cross-platform or universal apps.

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7. ✋ AbortController in Node.js

Cancel async tasks with ease!

const controller = new AbortController();
setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 1000);
await fetch(url, { signal: controller.signal });

Available since Node 15+. Works with fetch, streams, etc.

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8. 🎯 Node’s Built-in events.once()

Only need to listen to an event once?

const { once } = require('events');
await once(emitter, 'data');

Cleaner and safer than manually managing listeners.

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9. 💬 readline.promises

Node 17+ introduced a Promise-based readline API:

const rl = readline.createInterface({ input, output });
const answer = await rl.question('What’s your name? ');

Much neater than callback hell.

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10. ⚙️ Environment-based NODE_OPTIONS

Tweak memory limits, enable flags, and more—without editing code:

NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096" node app.js

Useful for setting options in Docker containers, CI pipelines, etc.

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🔥 Wrapping Up

Node.js is full of powerful features that often go unnoticed. If you found this post helpful, feel free to:

• 🧵 Share it on Twitter
• 🔖 Bookmark it for later
• 💬 Comment with your favorite hidden Node gem!

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Happy coding! 💻

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