What Is Node.js?

Date First Published: 24th September 2022

Topic: Web Design & Development

Subtopic: Web Development

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 8/10

Learn more about what node.js is in this article.

Node.js is an open-source runtime environment used to run JavaScript code outside of a web browser. By using Node.js, developers can run JavaScript on both the client side and server side. Node.js is often used to build backend services, also known as APIs and it is ideal for building highly scalable, data-intensive, dynamic and realtime apps. Node.js is based on Google Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine and is not a programming language, library, or framework. It is also written in C++, not JavaScript, but it is used for running JavaScript, as suggested in the '.js' at the end of the name.

Node.js makes use of an event-driven, non-blocking input/output model, meaning that node programs can make input/output requests and continue without waiting for the response. This method is essential for web applications since it allows users to access a website, page, or application whilst background input/output is taking place and eliminates the waiting process. This type of application is called asynchronous because they allow for separate operations to progress from the main program flow. Also, Node.js allows JavaScript to be used for writing command line tools. Node.js can be used to perform functions, such as adding, deleting, and modifying data in a database, collecting form data, creating, opening reading, writing, deleting, and closing files on the server, generating dynamic content, and more.

Note:

Even though '.js' is the standard file extension for a JavaScript file, Node.js does not refer to a specific file and is the name of the product.

History

Node.js was introduced by Ryan Dahl in 2009, a web developer after frustration of the blocking nature of most web server software.