Why Use Node.js as Your Backend: A Comprehensive Guide for 2025

By Hrithik Das K, Software developer @ Webandcrafts. He is a skilled full-stack developer with expertise in both frontend and backend technologies.

Published in Blog on February 09, 2025
Last Updated on February 10, 2025
12 mins read

Table of contents

What is Node.js?
Is Node.js Frontend or Backend?
Key Features & Benefits
Best Node.js Frameworks in 2025
Reasons to Use Node.js
Reasons Not to Use Node.js
Node.js Use Cases
Conclusion

Table of Contents

What is Node.js?
Is Node.js Frontend or Backend?
Key Features & Benefits
Best Node.js Frameworks in 2025
Reasons to Use Node.js
Reasons Not to Use Node.js
Node.js Use Cases
Conclusion

If you wish to build your project, the first and foremost task would be to choose the relevant backend technology. Node.js is one of the most used backend frameworks by developers across the world when it comes to real-time applications or scalable solutions. From Netflix to Paypal to Linkedin, many reputable brands thrive with the support of Node.js backend.

Node.js is a significant technology choice for a wide range of websites, powering 3.0% of known web servers. Moreover, Node.js has become the most popular web development technology in the US, with over 6.3 million websites using it. The reason behind this popularity is its competitive edge in terms of speed, cross-platform functionalities, and real-time data processing abilities.
In this article, we’ll explore when to use Node.js and why it might be the perfect backend solution for your next application. Let’s dive in.

What is Node.js?

In 2009, when Ryan Dahl introduced Node.js, it was initially made available only for Linux and Mac OS X. The goal was to develop a fast and lightweight runtime environment for JavaScript. Developers welcomed Node.js with great enthusiasm as within a year the launch of NPM helped developers share and reuse the code. Its event-driven architecture and the ability to use JavaScript for backend development revolutionised the industry. Another breakthrough was in 2014 when Node.js v0.12 was released to introduce notable performance improvements.

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that helps build scalable applications and can handle multiple connections concurrently. The callback is triggered with every connection, but Node.js will go to sleep if no work has to be done. This makes Node.js backend a great choice for building fast and efficient apps. Therefore, the asynchronous event-driven JavaScript runtime Node.js backend aims to build scalable network applications.

Additionally, developers can run JavaScript code outside of a web browser with Node.js, a free and open-source tool that runs on any operating system. Instead of starting a new thread for each request, a Node.js application operates in a single process. Because Node.js libraries are typically designed using non-blocking paradigms, blocking behaviour is the exception rather than the rule. Additionally, Node.js’ standard library includes a set of asynchronous I/O primitives that prevent JavaScript code from blocking.

Is Node.js Frontend or Backend?

While JavaScript was developed as a frontend language, Node.js extends its focus to the backend, allowing the development of high-performance, scalable server-side applications. The dual purpose, in turn, has blurred the traditional dividing line between the frontend and backend technologies, thus lending to this question: Is Node.js frontend or backend?

Well, the answer very much lies in the design. Node.js backend capabilities are its focus, as it was built to handle server-side tasks like:

API development
Real-time applications
Managing databases

This is an asynchronous event-driven architecture specially made for backend operations. However, the ability to use JavaScript for both the frontend and backend sets it apart as revolutionary in the world of software development: it unifies workflows, especially between multiple teams that wish to have optimum collaboration from developers working on both ends of the application using one programming language.

To sum up, from a backend point of view, Node.js has a vast realm in letting JavaScript work on both frontend and backend development, which in turn simplifies the development workflow, allowing modern and efficient application development. Hence, your perfect choice from the standpoint of an API, real-time system, or microservices would be Node.js, which has become a front-runner among developers and business heads alike.

Key Features & Benefits

1. Asynchronous and Event-Driven

Node.js's ability to manage several requests at once makes it an excellent choice for developing backend apps. Its event-driven, non-blocking I/O approach makes this feasible by preventing snags and ensuring smooth operation. The Node.js development is primarily suitable for applications that demand real-time responses like chat apps, online games etc. Hence, Node.js is popular in industries that depend on efficiency and speed.

2. Lightweight and Fast

Node.js uses the same V8 JavaScript engine that Google Chrome does to process application requests on your machine/server, rather than on a browser. This allows fast processing of requests and also minimizes latency in response. This allows fast processing of requests and also minimizes latency in response.

3. Rich Ecosystem

The rich and robust ecosystem of Node.js helps in speeding up Node.js development. With NPM (Node Package Manager), programmers get access to more than a million tools and modules. This extensive collection helps developers swiftly create feature-rich applications without creating from scratch. As a result, businesses depend on Node.js to expedite their projects.

4. Cross-Platform Support

The cross-platform support enables developers to write and run single code across operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. It saves time and effort especially when developing versatile and complex applications. Statistics suggest that with the use of Node.js development services, the development costs can be reduced by 58%.

5. Strong Community Support

Node.js has a large, active, and supportive global community that offers a plethora of modules, tools, and resources. This simplifies the development process and helps developers find the solutions to queries quickly. Because of this strong backing, businesses often resort to reliable Node.js development services. The community’s contributions make Node.js a more reliable choice.

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Best Node.js Frameworks in 2025

Node.js comes with a set of frameworks each with different capabilities and functionalities making backend development very easy. Some of the best Node.js frameworks for 2025 are described below, which include their special features and some sample code examples to illustrate how to use them.

1. Express.js

Express.js is a Node.js web application framework that is recognized widely to be lightweight, straightforward and adaptable for professional application and API development. This is because Express.js development simply requires JavaScript. It provides a user-friendly API for middleware, routing, and HTTP tools, making it easier to create server-side applications. It offers every capability required for a web application without overpowering the capabilities of Node.js.

Key Features:
Middleware and Routing: To manage incoming HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE), clearly define pathways (routes) inside your application.
Flexibility and Customization: Express.js requires no rigid application architecture. Hence, developers can organize their code however they see fit.
Minimalistic Design: The design philosophy of Express.js is straightforward and uncomplicated. They can quickly set up a server, configure routes, and effectively handle HTTP requests because of this simplicity.

2. Nest.js

Nest.JS is a framework used to create scalable and effective server-side applications. It leverages the capabilities of JavaScript or TypeScript. With the use of asynchronous and event-driven features of Node.js, it offers a stable and dependable framework for creating effective web apps.

Key Features:
Modular architecture: Nest.js is designed with a modular architecture whereby code is broken into distinct re-usable modules giving structure to development as well as ease of maintenance and scaling.
TypeScript by Default: It comes with TypeScript by default which enables developers to use modern JavaScript features along with strong type-checking. Such consolidated error-and-bug-checking has cut down the time of debugging and hence helped develop stable codes.
Dependency Injection: Another key feature is dependency injection, which simplifies how different parts of the application interact. It ensures better code management, improves efficiency, and makes applications more scalable.

Example Code:

Example of Nest.jsTypeScript
1import { Controller, Get, Module } from '@nestjs/common';2import { NestFactory } from '@nestjs/core';3
4@Controller()5class AppController {6  @Get()7  getRoot(): string {8    return 'Welcome to Nest.js!';9  }10}11
12@Module({13  controllers: [AppController],14})15class AppModule {}16
17async function bootstrap() {18  const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);19  await app.listen(3000);20  console.log('Server is running on http://localhost:3000');21}22bootstrap();

3. Koa.js

Koa.js, a framework by the creators of Express.js, is a minimalist and flexible way to build web applications. It aims to serve as a more compact, expressive, and reliable platform for online apps and APIs. With Koa, developers can significantly improve error-handling and eliminate callbacks by utilizing async functions. Koa offers a sophisticated set of methods that make creating servers quick and pleasurable, and it doesn't include any middleware in its core. It is widely recognized for using JavaScript generators, which shorten and simplify code.

Key Features:
Contemporary and Future-Ready
Based on ES6 requirements, Koa.js provides sophisticated capabilities like classes and modules. This ensures that complicated applications are scalable and maintainable over time, making their development easier.
Flexible and lightweight
Koa.js has a smaller footprint than other Node.js frameworks. As a result, developers can produce middleware that is leaner and more effective. Additionally, its modular design makes it simple to expand by adding more plugins as needed.
Enhanced Error Management
Koa.js' middleware-driven methodology makes error handling more effective. A built-in error-catching mechanism in the framework keeps applications from crashing. By changing the default error settings or utilizing basic try/catch commands, developers may effortlessly handle issues.

Example Code:

Example of Koa.jsJavaScript
1const Koa = require('koa'); 2const app = new Koa();3
4// Middleware to handle requests 5app.use(async (ctx) => { 6 ctx.body = 'Welcome to Koa.js!'; 7});8
9// Start the server 10const PORT = 3000; 11app.listen(PORT, () => { 12 console.log(`Server is running on http://localhost:${PORT}`); 13});

4. Meteor.js

Meteor makes the process of developing a prototype and turning it into a complete application incredibly quick. It enables developers to create and launch JavaScript desktop, mobile, and responsive web applications. Developers are permitted to alter it as they see fit thanks to its MIT open-source license.

Many well-known companies like Dispatch, Honeywell, and IKEA, rely on Meteor for their applications.

Key Features:
Integrations of Meteors
Various frameworks are suitable with Meteor, such as React, Angular, Vue, Svelte, or Blaze. Although MongoDB is the best alternative, it supports a variety of databases through the means of Node.js drivers. Cross-platform development is made easier with Meteor's support for React Native, besides the use of Apache Cordova for building mobile apps.
Resources for Meteors
For learning and best practices, developers have access to the Meteor guide, an open-source GitHub repository, and tutorials. Support is provided by the community via Slack, forums, and Atmosphere, a location for Meteor packages.
Cloud Meteor
App management, monitoring, and hosting are made easier with Meteor Cloud. It offers free deployment, hosting tailored to Meteor, and a single dashboard that combines essential tools like Galaxy Hosting, Atmosphere, and Meteor APM.

Example Code:

Example of Meteor.jsJavaScript
1import { Meteor } from 'meteor/meteor'; 2import { Mongo } from 'meteor/mongo';3
4const Tasks = new Mongo.Collection('tasks');5
6Meteor.startup(() => { 7 if (Tasks.find().count() === 0) { 8   Tasks.insert({ name: 'Learn Meteor.js', completed: false }); 9 }10
11 Meteor.publish('tasks', () => { 12   return Tasks.find(); 13 }); 14});15
16Meteor.methods({ 17 'tasks.insert'(taskName) { 18   Tasks.insert({ name: taskName, completed: false }); 19 }, 20});

5. Sails.js

Sails.js is a contemporary, data-driven framework for Node.js, inspired by Ruby on Rails. It simplifies backend development by managing data-related tasks well.
Sails.js is exceptionally good for applications that require seamless user interactions with real-time features, such as live chat, which cannot be supported by Rails.

Key Features:
Full JavaScript Stack
Sails.js lets developers build everything in JavaScript, making development faster and more efficient as there is no need to switch between the languages.
Works with Any Database
The Waterline ORM makes integration easier with MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and more.
Auto-Generated REST APIs
With built-in blueprints, no extra coding is required to create fully functional APIs.

Example Code:

Example of Sails.jsJavaScript
1const sails = require('sails');2
3// Lift the Sails app 4sails.lift({ 5 port: 3000, 6 environment: 'development', 7}, (err) => { 8 if (err) { 9   console.error('Error starting Sails:', err); 10   return; 11 } 12 console.log('Sails is running on http://localhost:3000'); 13}); 

Reasons to Use Node.js

Owing to its special features and capabilities, Node.js is quickly taking the lead as the preferred technology for modern web and mobile development. Here are a few reasons why businesses should select Node.js for their projects:

Cross-Functional Teams

With Node.js developers use JavaScript on the client side and server side. This is because in the case of Node.js, team members possess the knowledge and skills to work with both the front-end and back-end of an application. This means that the different components of the App are developed by a single team. This is also one of the reasons why newbies wonder if Node.js is frontend or backend because it is managed cross-functionally.

2. Scalability & Performance

Node.js is built on an event-driven architecture that uses callbacks. This facilitates handling multiple requests at the same time through non-blocking I/O, resulting in remarkable scalability and performance. It takes advantage of Google’s V8 engine for fast execution. To further improve scalability, Node.js employs various strategies, including load balancing, data caching, increasing the number of instances, breaking applications into microservices, and using worker threads for tasks that require significant resources.

3. Rich Ecosystem

Its strong ecosystem includes libraries, frameworks, tools, and resources. These go-to resources save time and resources, making Node.js development services more efficient than their counterparts.

4. Efficiency

Because of its lightweight framework, flexibility and rich resources available for developers, Node.js is considered to be one of the most efficient technologies.

5. Cross-Platform Development

Node.js code is supported by all the platforms. Hence, it facilitates seamless deployment of applications across the web, mobile, and desktop platforms.

6. Code Reusability and Sharing

NPM facilitates code reusability, sharing and installation. This saves time and resources for every Node.js development company.

7. Simultaneous Request Handling

Node.js' event-driven, non-blocking architecture effectively manages several requests at once. Node.js starts tasks and keeps processing other requests rather than waiting for each job (such as reading a file or querying a database) to be completed before continuing.

8. NPM

NPM assists developers in managing scripts, third-party libraries, and project dependencies.

9. YARN

Yarn is a popular alternative to NPM due to its predictable and reliable package management. It is used to handle dependencies in Node.js projects, ensures consistency with a lockfile, and speeds up installation through caching and downloading files.

10. Microservice Architectures

Node.js is used to build microservices, which are small, independent parts of an application that work together. This approach improves scalability, makes debugging easier, and lets teams work on different modules at the same time. It’s a flexible and efficient way to create modern, scalable apps.

11. Ideal for RTA

The event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture, lets Node.js manage numerous requests at once without any lag. Because of this, it is ideal for applications such as live chats, gaming platforms, and collaboration tools where real-time communication is critical.

Reasons Not to Use Node.js

Although Node.js backend has become popular due to its benefits and ease, it may not be the right technology for every project.

1. Single-Threaded Nature:

The single-threaded nature of the Node.js backend creates significant challenges when it comes to handling CPU-intensive tasks.

2. Callback Hell:

This issue occurs when working with complex nested callbacks. Each callback relies on the outcome of the one before it, forming a pyramid-like structure that is difficult to read and maintain. Additionally, if one function encounters an error, it can impact all the others.

3. Limited Library Support for Certain Domains:

While Node.js has a rich ecosystem, there are incidences when specific, specialized areas lack adequate resources. This means that not every function will have an easily accessible Node.js package and developers may have to customize the code from scratch. This can be time-consuming and complex.

4. Learning Curve for Newcomers:

Understanding asynchronous programming and the event-driven model can be quite challenging for beginners which can slow down their learning curve.

5. Memory Management:

Memory leaks in Node.js happen when unused objects aren’t cleared, leading to increased memory usage over time. As a result, the garbage collector cannot reclaim that memory. This causes the application to gradually consume more memory, resulting in performance deterioration or even crashes.

6. Ecosystem Instability:

Its rich ecosystem can become a trap. This is because fast and uncontrolled library updates can sometimes cause compatibility issues.

7. Scalability Concerns for Stateful Applications:

Because stateful apps keep user data in memory, scaling them with Node.js can be challenging.

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Node.js Use Cases

Node.js is ideal for certain types of applications. Here are its top use cases:

Real-Time Apps: As mentioned earlier, Node.js handles multiple queries simultaneously without any lag and hence it works well for real-time applications like chats, online gaming etc.
API Development: Node.js is the preferred option for creating effective RESTful APIs because of its fast and lightweight architecture.
Single-Page Applications (SPAs): When creating Single-Page Applications (SPAs), Node.js is an excellent choice as it provides a smooth user experience and also facilitates communication between the frontend and backend.
Microservice Architectures: Large apps can be divided into smaller and more manageable components. This makes the development more effective.

Conclusion

The industry-wide acceptance of Node.js by popular brands is a mark of reliability and potential. Node.js has developed into a strong and adaptable backend technology, which makes it perfect for companies that want real-time, scalable, and quick applications.

At Webandcrafts (WAC) we provide customized Node.js development services to fit your business needs. Backed with our engineering capability, we create fast, scalable, and high-performing applications, setting you up for success.
Looking for a reliable Node.js development company? Get in touch with us today!

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