NodeJS Backend – Top 5 Providers

Node.js plays a vital role in the technology stack of several high-end firms that rely on various benefits. But, before getting into the advantages and different providers of Node.js, find out what it is.

Node.js

According to Wikipedia, Node.js is a cross-platform, open-source JavaScript runtime environment built on the JavaScript Engine. It is used to execute JavaScript code outside a web browser. It allows developers to use JavaScript for writing command-line tools and running scripts server-side to produce dynamic web page content before sending it to the user’s web browser.

Therefore, Node.js represents a paradigm of “JavaScript everywhere,” bringing together web application development, surrounding one programming language instead of various languages for client-side and server-side scripts.

Want to know more about Node? Please watch this video from Programming with Mosh.

Advantages of Node.js

Easy to learn 

If you have mastered Object-Oriented Programming and JavaScript basics, Node.js coding will be easy to understand. All you have to do is perceive the client-server model clearly and be aware of the Node’s asynchronous flow.

Simple 

Before the product is launched, startups encounter several challenges. Therefore, when they step into Node.js, they like to share one language on the client and server sides, and there is no need to switch between front-end and back-end. As a result, Node.js’ apps require less code and fewer files compared to those with different languages for back- and front-end. You can even share and reuse the code between the back-end and front-end parts of your app, which expedites development.

Scalable

Scalability is embedded in Node.js. It is one of the basic advantages of Node for startups that are planning to improve with time. Startups based on apps choose Node.js for creating fast and lightweight systems with a strong real-time response that can be improved later. The systems can add modules to already existing ones. The apps on Node support horizontal and vertical scaling. Node.js is perfect for a microservices architecture, which is suitable for the projects that aim to scale and grow in the future.

Fast Time to market

For startups, time is crucial. During the initial months, they have to work hard to test, deploy, quickly iterate, and develop as fast as possible, while managing a minimum budget and lean teams. Node.js is mostly beneficent in shortening the time-to-market cycle.

With a lightweight technology, Node.js can hugely decrease app development time while helping to obtain the same functionality. The dead simple deployments assist you in getting instant feedback from the environment of production. 

MVP development

Stringent timeframes and meager budgets indicate that you should validate the marketability of the product’s idea quickly with minimal investments, efforts, and resources. Node.js allows you to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) at short notice. MVP is a software, having enough traits so that the product can reach the market and satisfy the earliest batch of customers.

Been in Use for Quite Some time 

You can stop worrying about Node.js’ newness as the past few years have seen an increase in the number of companies using Node.js for their products.

Community

Node’s package ecosystem is the world’s fastest-growing and the most prominent software registry. It offers multiple reusable templates and libraries that you can include in your code to invest less time and effort and get more value. In the ecosystem, you will come across a module for almost everything. The colossal community is also populated by product owners and developers who can answer most of your queries.

What is a Backend-as- a-Service?

MBaaS or mobile Backend-as-a-Service is a cloud computing architecture that offers mobile apps access to storage, servers, databases, and other resources that they require for running effortlessly and with high speed. With the advent of MBaaS, the conventional ‘Mobile Enterprise Application Platform’ for the modern-day businesses faces disruption because of more complete functionalities than traditional API management for creating a better user experience.

Core Features of a Backend as a Service

• Database
• APIs
• Cloud Code Functions
• Authentication
• Notifications
• Storage

Advantages of BaaS

The Development Price

Decreasing the time of development leads to lower costs of the application. Most BaaS frameworks are paid. However, the fees are lower than the potential prices of developing the custom backend. But, costs may rise in the long-term. 

Development Speed

Businesses running on a deadline prefer BaaS solutions. Backend-as-a-Service is a ready backend. The app can go live when you have connected it with your frontend. Such a service can save months of active development and assist in MVP development when you have to bring an app to the market quickly. 

Complicated Solution

Hosting and integrating with 3rd party services become less of worry while implementing Backend-as-a-Service. BaaS is a bundle with solutions, which includes support that can help your developers or you, especially if you are not equipped with server maintenance.

Top 5 Node.js Backend Providers

Back4app 

It is one of the best open-source BaaS providers, helping developers develop scalable and extensible web and mobile apps quickly. This solution is fully managed and automatically scales as well as provisions mobile and web applications. Interestingly, you can customize and optimize all of your apps in a different manner with its help.

Parse

Parse is the most frequently used open-source framework if you wish to develop app backends. It assists developers to speed up the development of apps and checks the total effort behind the app creation. It is another tool for quick and affordable app development.

AWS

AWS or Amazon Web Services is the most holistic and vastly adopted cloud platform globally, provisioning more than 175 fully-featured services from data centers all over the world. Millions of customers (the biggest enterprises, the fastest-growing startups, and top-rung government agencies) use AWS for bringing down costs, innovating faster, and becoming more agile.

Firebase

Built on Google’s infrastructure, it is a Backend-as-a-Service. The solution offers developers various services and tools to create high-quality apps, increase their base, and profit. Firebase is classified as a NoSQL database program that saves data in JSON-like documents.

DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean provides cloud hosting and cloud computing services to business ventures. It helps businesses scale themselves by deploying DigitalOcean applications running parallelly across several cloud servers and performing to perfection. No matter your business’s size, the products seamlessly work across all your sectors and are simple enough for all your employees to use them.

Conclusion

This article presented an overview of NodeJs, explained it’s advantages, and provided a list with the best backend services to host your application.

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