NodeJs vs Golang - Let's Finally Settle this Debate

Do you know? As per Statista’s recent reports, Node.js has overtaken React to become one of the most popular web frameworks among software developers worldwide. The survey claims that 42.62 percent of respondents were using React.js, whereas 47.12 percent were using Node.js. The stats look fascinating, though! Isn’t it? Let us find out more reasons behind the popularity of both platforms with the help of this article. In this blog post, we will have a detailed look at everything related to Node.js and GoLang, thereby settling the debate between both. Let's begin! 

Introduction to NodeJS

Node.js is a free, open-sourced, cross-platform framework that is designed to build scalable applications. It was developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009. It runs on the V8 JavaScript Engine and executes JavaScript code directly from the browser. The framework is best suited for lightweight and real-time applications. The best thing about Node.js is that it lets developers use JavaScript to write command-line tools and for server-side scripting. 

Some of the leading companies that use Node.js are Netflix, NASA, PayPal, Trello, LinkedIn, eBay, Uber, and so on. 

Pros of Node.js

Cons of Node.js

Popular Node.js Frameworks in 2022-2023

Let us explore some of the popular Node.js frameworks and understand the convenience behind using them. 

Express.js 

Express.js is the most flexible and robust Node.js framework used for building web and mobile applications. Express acts as a top-level component on Node.js that helps manage routes and servers. It not only reduces your coding time by half but also reduces the constant effort required to build web apps with various features. Some of the well-known companies that use Express.js are PayPal, Accenture, Stack, etc. 

Meteor.js 

Meteor, or Meteor.js, is an open-source framework written using Node.js. This framework seamlessly allows for rapid prototyping and cross-platform coding. Meteor.js applications can handle real-time interaction via the Distributed Data Protocol (DDP). Meteor.js is considered the best option as it can be easily integrated with hundreds of other useful solutions. 

Nest.js 

Nest.js is yet another popular Node.js framework used for building server-side applications and offers flexibility with its extensive libraries. You can also use this framework to build multi-layered enterprise applications, as it is a perfect example of a backend development productivity booster. Also, this framework offers a seamless interface with fellow frameworks like Express and Fastify. 

Koa.js 

Koa.js is a flexible, minimal, and open-source framework developed by the creators of Express.js. This framework is meant to set a robust foundation for building web applications and APIs. Building APIs using this framework seems a lot easier and more fun because of its unique ability to handle HTTP middleware with a stack-like strategy. It is considered lightweight as compared to other Node.js frameworks. You can easily handle error handling in Koa.js by making use of components. 

And the list is never-ending. Although there are numerous other Node.js frameworks available on the market, such as Sail.js, Hapi.js, and others, the ones mentioned above provide excellent functionality and value in your app or web development journey. 

Introduction to GoLang

GoLang or Go is an open-source programming language designed by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson at Google in 2009. The language is built to be simple and is a statistically typed programming language with syntax similar to C. It is known for its native concurrency, garbage collection, safety, and speed. Google, YouTube, BBC, DropBox, Meta, and other major companies use GoLang. 

Pros of GoLang

Cons of GoLang

Popular GoLang Frameworks

Below are popular frameworks for GoLang: 

Gin 

Gin is one of the most well-known Golang frameworks due to its immense popularity. The framework has a similar syntax to that of a Python-based CMS named Django. This makes it easy for developers who have Python knowledge to make a smooth transition into Golang development. Its biggest con is that it is suitable for small-scale applications and not large or enterprise-based applications. 

Beego 

Beego is mainly focused on building enterprise-based applications at a faster rate. This framework does not require any third-party installations. It has some Go-specific features involving interfaces and struct embedding. Also, it is a complete MVC (module view controller) framework with its own extensive libraries and built-in tools. If you are just starting out with GoLang development as a beginner, then Beego is not the right choice for you. 

Echo 

Echo is yet another high-performance and lightweight framework used for building web applications in Go. This framework helps build robust and scalable REST APIs. It can be either used as a standalone framework or combined with other libraries like Gin. Also, it supports data binding for HTTP request payloads including JSON, XML, and form data. 

There are numerous other frameworks for GoLang, such as Kit, Fasthttp, Buffalo, etc., that contain different sets of features and can be used based on your requirements. 

GoLang Vs Nodejs:

Performance

Node.js is the go-to option for developers when it comes to performance due to the asynchronous and nonblocking nature of JavaScript. It is extensively used for building high-speed and robust applications. 

On the other hand, Golang's performance has been compared to that of C and C++ which is good and makes it an ideal choice for developers. It has no virtual machine and helps in the quick execution of the machine code in less time. 

Scalability

Because Node.js employs a single-threaded architecture, the CPU consumes more time, resulting in a slower app. 

On the other hand, Go makes use of goroutines, which enable simple thread execution that can be performed concurrently and in a seamless manner. That is why Go is considered an optimally scalable programming language. 

Cost

In Node.js, the cost totally varies from project to project. 

On the other hand, the cost of the project depends on the type of project and requirements. 

Security 

Node.js is intended to be 100% secure. 

Golang is becoming the next big choice for developers when it comes to security.  

Learning curve

Node.js is easier to learn as it uses JavaScript which happens to be popular among developers of all kinds and is used globally. Also, mastering Node.js can be difficult if a developer is not familiar with JavaScript.  

GoLang has a relatively steep learning curve as compared to Node.js.       

Community 

Node.js has large developer and community support, whereas the Golang community is relatively small. 

Which is Better: NodeJs Vs GoLang

With everything discussed above, demand for Node.js and GoLang is increasing rapidly. Having considered the differences between Node.js and Golang, it is extremely difficult to predict the winner, as both have their own set of pros and cons. Both are ideal options when it comes to backend development, but it entirely depends on the nature of your project. Also, it is necessary to make informed decisions while choosing the tech stack based on technical as well as business requirements.