What is Node.js and Why You Should Use It

Node.js has become a popular tool used in web development. But what is it? What are the benefits to using it? Should you use it? This blog post will answer these questions. Let's begin!

What is Node.js?

Node.js is a runtime environment that executes JavaScript code on the server-side. (A runtime environment is the infrastructure that supports building and running software applications.) Node.js is built on top of Google’s Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, which is one of the fastest JavaScript engines. To understand the relevance of Node.js and why you should use it, let’s take a look at its history.

Why was Node.js Created?

Before Node.js was created, JavaScript was designed to run in the browser. However, with the creation of Node.js in 2009, JavaScript could now be run outside of the browser on a server of your choosing, including your local server. With the ability to run JavaScript outside of the browser, Node.js expanded what programmers can do with JavaScript on the server-side. You can interact with the file system by interacting with the files and folders on the server. You can also interact with the database and query data from it. Lastly, you can create a web server for your application, which is mainly what Node.js is currently used for.

What are the benefits to using Node.js?

Node.js is simple to implement and use if you already know JavaScript, since Node.js is built in JavaScript. This means you’ll be able to build both the frontend and backend of your application. Hello to being a full stack developer!

You’ll also have access to a bunch of JavaScript packages and libraries when you install Node.js. This is because when you install Node.js, you have the option to download npm, a package manager for Node.js and JavaScript.

It’s also an open-source, cross-platform tool; it can be run across multiple operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and MacOS.

Finally, if you’re planning on building a real-time, data-driven application or a dynamic single page application (SPA) that requires high scalability, Node.js is for you!

If you’re still not convinced or have any questions, feel free to comment below!