A reliable and developer-friendly framework can reduce website development time and ensure a smooth transition from the development phase to the production phase. Although both Node.js and Laravel are the most demanding framework yet, there are some significant differences.
NodeJS and Laravel are the most prevalent and demanding backend frameworks today. But when it comes to the creation of web applications, the proper selection of a backend framework is crucial and important. Web frameworks are essential for a website because they simplify the development process.
By understanding the differences between the both, developers can make informed decisions about which framework is best suited for their specific needs. Therefore, to resolve your problem, we will provide you with an in-depth comparison between Node.js and Laravel.
What is Nodejs?
Nodejs is an open-source, server-side JavaScript computing program to build web applications. It is a high-performance, single-threaded, dynamic framework for web loading and async programming. Node.js uses the V8 JavaScript engine.
The market survey of Nodejs as a backend technology
- According to W3 Techs, the market position of Node.js is the highest among the most popular web server in 2023 to date.
- Node.js is the second most programming framework among programmers, according to the 2022 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.
- 85% of developers use Nodejs for web app development.
- According to StackOverflow Trends, Nodejs has increased in the discussion over the last decade.
History of Node.js
Ryan Dahl first created Node.js in 2009, after the first server-side JavaScript environment, Netscape’s LiveWire Pro Web. The first release had licenses for Linux and Mac OS X.
The Key features of Nodej.s
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment built on Chrome V8. Let’s learn some of its key features of nodejs which helps to build apps:
- Asynchronous programming
- Scalability
- Easy to learn
- Good for real-time applications
- Package management
- Lightweight and fast
Popular apps using Nodejs as backend technology
Node.js is a popular backend technology for developing web applications. Here are the best Node.js Application Examples that can be used as a backend technology:
Netflix:
Using Node.js, Netflix has lowered its startup time and increased performance. They transferred their data to Node.js, which changed the startup timing from 40 minutes to 60 seconds.
Trello:
Trello implemented instant propagation of updates. They wanted a tool that instantly reflected the updates without reloading the page.
NASA:
NASA used Node.js to develop a single database for any issue, and they lowered the ratio of access time by 300%.
What is Laravel?
Laravel is a free, server-side, open-source PHP web application framework for developing web applications. Because Laravel is server-side, you can create a pre-defined architecture, apps with customizable logic, templates, and full-stack applications.
The market survey of Laravel as a backend technology
- Laravel holds 0.27% of the market share in the category of all the web frameworks that exist today.
- According to BuiltWith, Laravel is the future, as MVC architecture is inside the heart of Laravel.
- Laravel provides several modules to aid in developing sophisticated and massive applications.
- Currently ranks as one of the most popular frameworks for building web applications.
History of Laravel
Taylor Otwell created it in 2011, and it was distributed under an MIT license and hosted on GitHub.
The Key features of Larvel
- MVC architecture
- Artisan command-line interface
- Routing
- Middleware
- Blade templating engine
- Eloquent ORM
Popular applications using Laravel as backend technology
Laravel is a popular backend technology for developing web applications. Here are some examples of popular apps that use Laravel as their backend technology:
Laravel Forge:
Laravel Forge is a web-based server management platform. It makes it easy to deploy and manage PHP applications using Laravel and allows developers to deploy and manage their applications on cloud-based servers.
Laravel Spark:
Laravel Spark is a web application framework that provides developers with pre-built features and tools for building web applications.
Laravel Nova:
Laravel Nova is a web-based administration panel for Laravel applications. It allows developers to manage application data and settings.
Node.js & Laravel – The Key differences
Node.js and Laravel are both famous and widely-used frameworks for building web applications. Here are seven fundamental differences between Node.js and Laravel.
Market leader:
Node.js holds the dominant market position, while the Laravel framework becomes the optimal choice for full-stack web development.
Programming languages:
Node.js is built on JavaScript, while Laravel is on PHP. JavaScript is a popular language used for frontend and backend development, while PHP is for backend development.
Performance:
Node.js is known for its high performance and speed, especially for building real-time applications. Laravel is fast but may not be the best choice for building high-performance applications as it requires intensive processing and manages large amounts of data.
Architecture:
Node.js is a lightweight and scalable framework. It can control a large number of connections and requests simultaneously. Laravel is more focused on traditional MVC architecture.
Complexity:
Node.js is more complex, as it requires more coding. On the other hand, PHP is more beginner-friendly, but it can still offer similar levels of complexity and functionality to Node.js.
Libraries and packages:
Node.js has a vast ecosystem of libraries and packages, many of which are open-source and free. Whereas, Laravel has a strong community and many packages available.
Learning curve:
Node.js and Laravel have a learning curve, but Node.js may be more challenging to learn with JavaScript. Laravel is on top of PHP and is a more precise language to learn.
Community support:
Both Node.js and Laravel have large and active communities. But Node.js may have a slight edge in terms of support and resources.
When to choose Node.js?
Node.js is an excellent choice for building web applications when:
- Real-time features are needed: Node.js is for building real-time applications that require continuous data exchange between the client and the server.
- Scalability is necessary because: Node.js has a non-blocking I/O model that allows handling concurrent connections without blocking the event loop. It makes it a good choice for applications that need to scale horizontally.
- Speed is crucial: Node.js is known for its high speed and performance. It is particularly well-suited for building applications that need to handle a large volume of data and process it quickly.
When to choose Laravel?
Laravel is a good choice for building web applications when:
- Rapid application development is essential: Laravel is easy to use and developer-friendly, making it a superior choice for building applications quickly.
- MVC architecture is selected: Laravel follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. It makes it easier to maintain and scale applications over time.
- Laravel is a robust framework capable of handling large, complex applications.
Conclusion
By now, you are familiar with the fundamental differences between Node.js and Laravel. Node.js may be better suited for real-time and high-performance applications, while Laravel may be a better choice for building traditional web applications.
To sum up, choose the correct backend technology that can make an impact and meet your project goals.