Node or Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime environment that executes JavaScript code outside a web browser. Node.js lets developers use JavaScript to write command-line tools and server-side scripting to produce dynamic webpage content, before sending it to the user's browser. Therefore, it unifies web application development around a single programming language instead of having to use multiple programming languages. It was initially written by Ryan Dahl, 11 years ago and was released for Linux and Mac OS and has grown rapidly since then. Enormous number of corporate companies uses the Node.js software notably GoDaddy, Groupon, IBM, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Uber, and Walmart.
Node.js is easily accessible to the web development community as it is proficient with internet fundamentals such as HTTP, DNS, and TCP. It unifies the ease of a scripting language that is JavaScript with the power of UNIX network programming and is primarily used to build network programs such as web servers.
In web development, the final product is obtained by front-end and back-end development. In the front-end development, languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Angular are used, which is where Node.js comes in handy. In today's world, with everything being digitized for better customer experience and connectivity, there is a huge increase in demand for developers, especially proficient in Node.js programming language. This is indubitably a promising career prospect for developers who are either experienced or starting their career by gathering expertise in this programming language. According to Node source, there has been an increase in downloads by 49% in just one year, and since its stable release in 2010, the programming language has grown exponentially. India alone witnessed 3.8 million downloads in 2017.
Following are the types of apps which can be built using Node.js:
- Internet of Things – Internet of Things is a network of devices such as sensors and beacons and any other items with electronics that allows them to exchange data. Node.js can easily process multiple concurrent requests by millions of devices.
- Real-Time Chats - It is any communication tool that enables live transmission of text, video, or audio messages from a sender to a receiver. Node.js makes it easy to implement server-side events and push notifications, with low latency and faster data transfer.
- Complex Single Page Applications – An entire application fits into a single page to give the user an experience like a desktop.
- Real-Time Collaboration Tools – These offer a wide variety of software solutions for co-browsing, project management, and video conferencing. Some examples are Trello, Slack, and Google Docs.
- Streaming Apps – It is unlike remote server apps. Application streaming allows for downloading parts of the application on demand without overloading the server or the computer. Node is excellent for such apps since it has an inbuilt Stream API and the interface can be monitored very efficiently.
With such a variety of in-app and web development, getting Node.js training can advance one's career to a high degree. Following are the reasons to choose Node.js training to start or advance your career:
- Unyielding Demand – The demand for Node.js has been constantly and steadily rising, so much so that it has overtaken Java, the most famous programming language. It is the most used framework followed by Angular and React. According to research done by the Stack Overflow Developers Survey 2018, nearly half of all respondents mentioned Node.js as the most popular framework.
- More Number of Jobs – Node.js reduces the time taken to develop, the number of servers required, and has unparalleled scalability. These attributes are the reason various leading companies are adopting Node.js. The development time for LinkedIn has been significantly reduced, while the application's load time for Netflix has reduced by 70%. Node's non-blocking event loop property is a major reason for enabling the programming language to handle many requests easily and provides many advantages to developers and companies.
- Extensive Use of JavaScript – Probably the best part about Node is that it uses JavaScript. JavaScript is the simplest and most popular way of developing apps in the browser. To develop browser applications, JavaScript and an additional programming language such as PHP or Python are required, but with Node, one can simply use JavaScript to develop both browsers as well as server-side applications.
- Full Stack Developer in Less Time – To become a full-stack developer, one requires being familiar with front-end and back-end development. Before Node, one needed to know a server-side programming language along with JavaScript. However, with Node.js, JavaScript can be used as a server-side programming language and one only needs to learn how to use JavaScript.
- Lucrative Salary – Developers starting their careers in Node.js can earn between INR 5, 00,000, and INR 10, 00,000 per annum, depending on their experiences and profiles.
- Go to Technology for a Plethora of Applications – Node.js is great to develop a plethora of applications with the frequent shuffling of data from a client to a server, multiple concurrent requests, and heavy client-side rendering.
- Good Community Support – The website of Node.js has a complete manual to facilitate learning among the existing and new developers. Apart from this, a vast, supportive community exists to help fellow developers with any roadblocks. Node.js is an open-source programming language and developers throughout the world document and upload their mistakes and tutorials to guide fellow developers.
Node.js has now extended the area of JS application and can be used for front-end and back-end servers. More and more organizations have started using Node.js for web development and ended up with positive results. With tremendous advancement in technology and various companies from different sectors adopting Node.js, one can easily hope to have a bright and fulfilling career with a good salary package. The simplicity and efficiency in development through Node.js and an amazing community that supports all fellow developers has skyrocketed the demand of Node.js as a programming language. Also, getting training from an industry-recognised institute will not only help improve your knowledge but will also boost your pay. A Node.js certification will also help your resume stand out from the competitors.
