NodeJS or Laravel

Description:

In this article, we are going to compare two of the most advanced web frameworks, Larval and NodeJS, which helps in creating an essential web development environment.

When you have an excellent project idea and the road map of how each stage of development will take place. Now, all you need is to finalize which technologies you want. Therefore, this article will help you get out of one of the pickles. Let’s discover which one is more demanding back-end tech: NodeJS or Laravel. We will look into facets including benefits, disadvantages, fundamental differences, and some famous examples.

What is NodeJS?

NodeJS is an open-source, cross-platform, JavaScript runtime environment. It is frequently used by developers to create back-end services called APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). The credit for its success as highly scalable and performant tech goes to a single-threaded process for async programming and web loading. It is ideal to hire NodeJS developers to leverage its features that set it apart from other technologies including, quick code implementation and a single-threaded approach with event looping which can handle a high volume of requests.

Advantages of NodeJS

Exceptional performance

NodeJS uses Google’s V8 JavaScript engine to process JavaScript code. This engine compiles JavaScript code into machine code. As a result, putting the code into practice is much easier and faster. Thus you get a high-performing app.

High scalability

Around the globe, developers find it very easy to scale their apps as all they need to do is add nodes. To get high extensibility, this can be done in both vertical and horizontal ways.

JavaScript full-stack

NodeJS allows developers to create both front-end and back-end code in Javascript and can be used for both client-side and server-side applications. Since it doesn’t require separate developers for the back-end and front-end, you can deploy apps quickly. Ultimately, it saves you money and time.

Caching capability

NodeJS environment enables single modules caching in memory and reduces the need to rerun the code, resulting in a quicker response time and helping to speed up the application tremendously.

Extensive tool support

Developers can use multiple tools in a variety of ways, ranging from testing scripts to pinpointing sources of application incompatibilities.

Drawbacks of NodeJS

Hard to maintain code 

The nested callbacks in NodeJS make it difficult to maintain the code and its heavy dependence on asynchronous programming impedes understanding for many developers.

Decreased productivity

You may notice a drop in productivity as everything must be written from the ground up. Due to its unopinionated nature, beginners need more time to build apps as they may face complexities.

Applications with a back-end powered by NodeJS

• Twitter
• Trello
• Netflix

What is Laravel

Laravel is an open-source PHP web framework created by Taylor Otwell that provides reusable components/libraries. It is well-known for numerous reasons including server-side routing, HTML authentication, MVC architecture, etc. As a server-side framework, Laravel lets you create applications with predefined architectures, custom back-end logic, a web portal, templates, multi-platform apps, and manage SaaS products.

Advantages of Laravel

Testing automation

Incorporates PHPUnit to mimic user behavior by posing queries/requests to the application’s functions. As a result, testing is automated and time-saving.

Routing

By utilizing controllers effectively, Laravel enables quick routing execution. Adding code to a route is also possible. It is useful for programs with multiple controllers at different stages. Reverse routing is also an exclusive feature. It disseminates changes in routes automatically into relevant links. In essence, it generates Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) automatically.

Templating System

The Laravel framework uses a PHP templating engine called Blade. A powerful tool for formatting data and designing complex web applications that are easy to navigate. It is possible to add new modules and features without modifying the core.

Drawbacks of Laravel

Lightweight

The lightweight nature causes high back-end traffic (congestion) of database queries, resulting in sluggish performance with a rise in data congestion.

Libraries quality 

Although Laravel is open-source and backed by a large community, third-party libraries are built and published in large numbers. It becomes challenging to determine which library is both trustworthy and accredited. 

Some of the top sites built with Laravel

• Disney
• Warner Brothers
• The New York Times

Laravel Vs. NodeJS

Attributes	Laravel	NodeJS
Scalability	Popular apps have scaled their applications without any restrictions for years utilizing Laravel. Scalability in Laravel comes from PHP. The horizontal scaling of Laravel can be greatly increased by picking a reliable database and load balancer.	NodeJS lets you build incredibly scalable applications. Using it for non-blocking I/O and event-driven behavior, a vast number of tech titans can handle multiple concurrent requests. Moreover, NodeJS offers the maximum level of interoperability with microservices by breaking programmes down into smaller pieces. As a result, it is simpler to divide up tasks across many development teams and build apps more quickly.
Ease of testing	All the tools you’ll need to test the application environment at various levels are included with Laravel along with a wealth of testing documentation. This allows users to execute mock tests utilizing the codes and events of simulated applications.	NodeJS has adequate testing and debugging abilities given its broad ecosystem of third-party packages. For NodeJS projects, several automated testing tools and frameworks are available, including Mocha, Lab & Code, Jest, AVA, and Jasmine.
Architecture	Laravel follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural model. It enables a backend developer to concentrate on controller logic while a frontend developer focuses on views. Integrating APIs and reusing capabilities is simple with MVC design. As a result, the web application can support an intrinsic backend at any point in time.	NodeJS has a Single-threaded Event Loop implementation, so it can handle multiple requests concurrently with high performance. It allows you to use the MVC/ MVP architecture patterns, so issues can be isolated and fixed easily. Furthermore, it allows components to communicate asynchronously and produces multiple views of the same data.
Database Support	Currently, Laravel supports four databases:MySQLSQLSQLitePostgresThese databases are easy to interact with thanks to the fluent query builder, raw SQL, and Eloquent ORM. The process of setting up several database connections is much easier with Laravel.	NodeJS supports a wide range of databases, encompassing relational and NoSQL databases. MongoDB, for example, is preferable since it stores data in JSON objects, enabling Javascript-based backends like NodeJS to access.

Use Laravel when you need:

• SEO-friendly web app
• Interactive website layouts
• The quick development of customized web apps using object-oriented libraries
• A strong, well-documented framework that has ongoing support from a sizable community.

Use NodeJS when you want to build:

• Single page application
• Streaming Web apps
• Gaming software that is browser-based
• Server-side application

Takeaway

I believe this post has provided you with a good understanding of when to select Laravel and NodeJS for your upcoming web application. Choosing the right tech stack for your web application can be challenging, but you must take into consideration that chosen framework will depend on the needs of your project. As you have gone through all the technicalities, it will give you a clearer picture to bring a positive impact on your business.

Author bio:

Suvarna Parikh is a technical content writer at ultroNeous Technologies – a leading web and mobile application development company that crafts user-centric digital products for brands of every size. She is passionate about writing on tech and marketing and balances informative content with an engaging read. Aside from her writing, she is a bookworm interested in various fiction genres and loves sharing her perspectives on key technological and marketing aspects.