Introduction to Node.js
What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server side. Traditionally, JavaScript was used only for client-side scripting in web browsers, but Node.js extended its capabilities to servers and other applications outside of the browser.
Key Features of Node.js
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Event-Driven and Asynchronous: Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, which allows it to handle multiple requests simultaneously. This makes it highly efficient and suitable for real-time applications, such as chat apps or online gaming.
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Built on V8 Engine: Node.js runs on Google's V8 JavaScript engine (the same engine that powers Google Chrome), which makes it fast and efficient.
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Single-Threaded with a Non-Blocking I/O Model: Despite being single-threaded, Node.js can handle concurrent operations using non-blocking I/O, allowing it to scale effectively for high-traffic applications.
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NPM (Node Package Manager): Node.js has a rich ecosystem with NPM, a package manager that provides a vast repository of open-source libraries, modules, and frameworks.
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Cross-Platform: Node.js works across different operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Use Cases of Node.js
- Web Servers and APIs: Many companies use Node.js to build scalable server applications, RESTful APIs, and microservices.
- Real-Time Applications: Node.js is popular for real-time applications, such as instant messaging, online gaming, and live-streaming services.
- Command-Line Tools: Many tools and utilities, including NPM itself, are built using Node.js.
- Data Streaming Applications: Due to its non-blocking I/O model, Node.js is well-suited for data-intensive applications like streaming data in real-time.
How Node.js Differs from JavaScript in the Browser
While both environments use JavaScript, Node.js offers features like file system access, server creation, and network requests that are not available in browser-based JavaScript.