This is historically the battle between Java,.NET and PHP. These are all old technologies that were released around 20 years ago and then later extended for web application development. In the context of high-load web apps, people use frameworks that were specifically designed for this purpose, such as Java EE or Jakarta EE. NodeJS was created 10 years ago as a web-based technology. It has remained a dominant choice for SaaS products for both internal and external use, and it continues to gain market share in the public and enterprise markets.
There are many technology comparisons on the Web, but why should we compare? It is tempting to compare programming languages, mobile app development platforms and frameworks with tools and APIs. But why?
It is easy to see why: the first choice in technology can make a big difference. The performance and growth potential of a product is determined by its technology. The technology used by development teams determines the ease with which product support can be provided and how seamless it is to migrate to other platforms. The decision to learn a technology is a key moment in a developer's career.
We will be discussing the Java vs. NodeJS differences today in relation to their suitability for large-scale application development.
Java vs NodeJS - Overview
It may appear that we are comparing incomparable - a programming language and a runtime. If we look closer, however, we'll see that Java has become a complete ecosystem, with its own libraries and plugins as well as a virtual machine and runtime environment. The comparison is valid.
Java is a programming language that dates back more than twenty years. Sun Microsystems was the first to create Java. Then, Oracle acquired it. Oracle still owns and continues to develop Java. It is a server-side programming language that has been dominant in the world of Java mobile application development. Java is an object-oriented, compiled language that derives its syntax from C++.
NodeJS does not allow you to execute JavaScript on the server-side. JavaScript, which is nearly as old as Java, was an interpreted language that has been used on clients for a long time before NodeJS was invented. With its "JavaScript everywhere" concept, NodeJS made it possible for JavaScript to be used on the backend.
NodeJS, which was released for the first time in 2009, is now an open-source community project under the NodeJS Foundation.
Let's see if Java and NodeJS are comparable in terms of performance for backend development.
Advantages of Java Development
There are many benefits to Java as a backend language for programming.
Platform Independence
Java's "Write once, run anywhere" approach is well-known and beloved. This means that Java code can run on any platform regardless of its origin. This platform independence is possible because of the Java Virtual Machine, the environment in which Java code is executed.
JVM was the first operating system-specific software and made it possible to run the software on any operating system or hardware that has the JVM installed. It makes Java source code accessible to any platform, without the need for special compilers. Java is therefore different from other languages that need compilers.
NodeJS, on the other hand, has modules that can be tied to an operating system. You will need to rebuild the modules if you want the software to work on another platform.
Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
NodeJS has its IDEs as well as Java, but Java's IDEs are superior. Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA and NetBeans are the preferred tools for Java developers. They include integrated debuggers, servers and decompiles.
Each Java IDE provides a complete ecosystem for all stages of backend software creation. Each IDE allows you to easily create, edit, debug, build, and test your code. NodeJS developers use plain text editors and command line to create their code. Visual Studio Code is preferred by some because it supports JavaScript and NodeJS. There are many NodeJS IDEs that work well, including WebStorm, which offers smart coding assistance, error checking, and Eclipse Che, which provides teamwork support and a NodeJS stack with a fully configured debugger. Most developers agree that Java IDEs can be more elegant and streamlined than NodeJS.
Libraries
Java has built a vast library of libraries that contain reusable code components over the past two decades. Libraries can be a time-saving tool and provide access to the vast knowledge of the Java community.
Many Java libraries can be downloaded open-source. They are also maintained and updated by Java developers who have experience. There are many Java libraries that cover all aspects of programming - such as Apache Commons and XML parsing library JAXB. Unit testing libraries such as JUnit are also available.
NodeJS has modules that can be compared to JavaScript libraries. Some modules are already included, such as the URL module to parse URL strings and the crypto module that provides cryptographic functionality. Other modules can be purchased as third-party components. NodeJS' modular structure is a strength. It allows users to save time, make modifications quickly, and scale easily. However, Java libraries are still considered superior.
Multi-threaded Processing
Java uses a multithreaded web server, which processes each request in its own thread. Multi-threading is a way to perform multiple tasks at once without waiting for events.
Java's multi-threaded processing makes it a powerful tool for CPU-intensive apps such as image editing and video streaming. Java integrates multi-threading, while other languages require additional procedures to allow multi-threaded request processing.
NodeJS uses a single-threaded architecture, which means that all requests are processed within a single thread. Each event is placed in a queue and processed one at a time. This single-threaded approach can slow down the performance of NodeJS applications, making it a poor choice for large, CPU-intensive products.
We should also note that NodeJS is currently working to implement the multi-threaded mode. The solution known as "worker threads", however, does not create a multi-threaded process. The single thread can still be used to exchange messages and memory, but there are new threads that can also share it.
Read Also: C# or Java: What Should You Choose for Your Web Development Project?
NodeJS Web Development Advantages
NodeJS has many other advantages for web app development that have won the admiration of JavaScript developers all over the world.
JavaScript Anywhere
This is NodeJS' main advantage and the reason it was so revolutionary. NodeJS was first to allow JavaScript to be used on the backend. NodeJS allows JavaScript to be used on both the frontend and backend. This creates a more seamless infrastructure.
As JavaScript is used on both the client-side and server-side, it is easier to migrate code when needed. The same language is used so that the original logic created for the browser can be run on the server without any modifications.
Java is, at its core, a backend language that requires something different for frontend development. Swing and JavaFX are frontend-tools that are Java-specific. However, they do not offer the same code uniformity as NodeJS.
Rapider Development
NodeJS is much more straightforward than Java and so it's easier to get started. Knowledge sharing within the team is easier when everyone knows JavaScript.
Although we believe that Java libraries and reusable parts are better than NodeJS', there is still a lot community-developed code that can also be used in NodeJS applications. It is easy to see that NodeJS requires 33% less code than Java.
Scalability
NodeJS as well Java can execute requests asynchronously. This makes apps that use both tools extremely scalable. You can execute the requests in parallel without waiting for them to finish.
NodeJS has better horizontal scaling when you add more hardware. However, vertical scaling that NodeJS achieves by increasing processing power is less than NodeJS because the thread only uses one core. You need the cluster module to create child processes that can use all cores for multi-core systems. However, a cluster can be very memory-intensive.
Java, on the other hand, is not scalable horizontally or outwardly well. Although it performs well with certain servers, adding servers doesn't give the expected performance boost.
NodeJS VS Java - Enterprise Web Applications Performance Development
It might seem difficult to choose between NodeJS app development and Java depending on your perspective. This question can be addressed with practical advice. It is a good idea to define the requirements and expectations according the technical and business needs of the enterprise website application development. It is important to choose the most up-to-date technology.
It is necessary to review the capabilities of technology in order to understand their technical side. There are enough details to make a valid comparison. Let's not forget the key points that will help us understand the Java vs NodeJS Backend Comparison.
- Both technologies offer an efficient solution and have been successfully used in many projects.
- They also offer many tools and libraries.
- It is easier to learn NodeJS and have high productivity.
- NodeJS is the clear winner in terms of Java Microservices versus NodeJS. It first structures the app using Microservices, whereas Java EE mainly focuses upon the delivery of a monolithic website application.
- Java applications can scale vertically and horizontally, in contrast to NodeJS' horizontal scalability.
- Java just introduced a Java REST API option that NodeJS developers can use to get simple, secure REST APIS.
- Due to differences in the processing of IO requests, execution speeds can vary. NodeJS is known for its fast performance.
- Security is last but not the least. Java experts follow the security features built into NodeJS when NodeJS can offer customized solutions.
It is important to think about the business aspect, such as market share, community support, frequency and availability of updates, developer's availability, etc.
First, there is the difference in how these technologies are presented and maintained. Java EE was founded with the goal of improving enterprise functionality by extending the standard edition. It was initially maintained by Oracle. In 2017, it was submitted to Eclipse Foundation. NodeJS, the open-source JavaScript runtime that is supported by the NodeJS Foundation as well as the developers' community, was also in development. The popularity of NodeJS for enterprise web development has been on the rise over the past few years. This is due to the ease of development, constant support, and frequent updates. Last releases: NodeJS was updated on March 4, 2020, while Java EE 8 was published on August 31, 2017.
The availability and proficiency level of Java developers is another important factor in NodeJS vs Java selection. Although Java developers are much more plentiful than NodeJS, the demand for NodeJS experts is higher. The survey found that NodeJS usage is likely to rise by 77%, while Java usage will only increase by 30%. Employees stated that they have the greatest need to hire specialists who are skilled in the most recent technologies, such as AngularJS and React. This trend also shows in the average annual salary - NodeJS developer makes $104,964 while Java specialist earns $101,142 in America.
We hope that now you are more familiar with these technologies you will be able make an informed decision about NodeJS or Java. Make sure you are able to meet your needs using the technology stack that is best for you.
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The Key Takeaway
The number of benefits each technology offers for your project is often the deciding factor. Enterprise web application must be secure, scalable, performant, efficient, and provide maintenance services. Both developers and businesses are searching for the best way to implement their ideas and improve the services they provide. It'll be difficult to decide if you don't combine market needs and project requirements. There is always one option in NodeJS vs Java.
