Let’s go back to just two decades from now when Amazon began selling books online. It looked something like when it began in the mid-90s:
Then came the late-90s, somewhere around 1997 when Amazon’s book-only eCommerce store looked as shown in this image below:
Today, amazon.com looks like this-
The whole purpose of taking you through this journey from 1994 to 2020 is establishing some important facts:
- Time changes
- Demands change
- User behaviors change
Most of all, the technologies change to keep up with the shifting time, demands, and customer behaviors. We have come a long way from the early days of computing to modern web technologies. From procedural languages to object-oriented programming with C++, Java, C#, PHP, and Python, we have seen websites evolving with time.
The most notable leap was the introduction of JavaScript, which began as a UI scripting tool but later became popular among developers for further purposes such as server-side programming and database management, too. That’s where we witnessed the rise of full-stack development via JavaScript-based technologies like Node.Js.
Today, Node.Js eCommerce development has become an industry standard as major eCommerce players such as Amazon, eBay, and Walmart are using it. Node.Js and big eCommerce ventures have become synonymous with each other. If you want to develop a multi-vendor software, which usually is a much bulkier project than inventory-based eCommerce stores, Node.Js is the go-to technology.
Table of Contents
What is Node.Js?
Node.js is a server-side platform built on Google Chrome’s JavaScript Engine. It builds faster and scalable network applications. Introduced as a front-end scripting tool, later developers found its unique properties capable of applying in multiple scenarios such as –
- Open-source server environment
- Open-source runtime environment
- Both server-side and front-end scripting
- Performing Database and file operations
- Collecting data from different web forms
Competition of Node.js
The closest competition for Node.js is from PHP, which is in fact, is more popular. The reason behind the success of PHP over Node.js is the accomplishment of eCommerce platforms like WordPress, Magento, Drupal, and OpenCart.
PHP community was able to transform the core language into easier development frameworks like Magento. For example, the ability to have a ready-made eCommerce website by simply installing the Magento source code on a web server is always preferable choice by the entrepreneurs. That’s why entrepreneurs with less technical skills, limited turnaround time, lesser requirements, and small-scale objectives choose popular PHP-based eCommerce platforms for better results.
On the other hand, Node.JS is comparatively new and its community is not as big as Magento or WordPress. We don’t see many popular names in the Node.JS community like in the PHP circles. Except for all the giant success stories like Amazon, eBay, and PayPal boast of Node.JS as their core technology. In short, Node.Js eCommerce development is more popular among large-scale implementations than MSMEs.
However, for the past few years, we have been looking at some good solutions coming out from the Node.Js community. Many developers have come up with ready-made eCommerce platforms based on MEAN and MERN stacks. We have been seeing Node.Js based multi-vendor marketplace software solutions in the market with ready-made implementations similar to Magento and WordPress.
Node.Js an underrated eCommerce technology among entrepreneurs
Node.Js might not be as popular as PHP among the entrepreneurs, but ask any skilled developer and he/she will tell you how it is the most suitable choice for developing eCommerce applications. You mustn’t misunderstand the popularity for efficiency, as Node.js is not at all less efficient than any of the eCommerce development technologies we see in the market:
1. Node.Js has a relatively modern codebase
As Node.JS is relatively newer in the market, it’s codebase is more modern and according to the complex requirements of the current standards. Its major stack –MEAN uses the frameworks and technologies that no other competitor in the market can compare:
- M: MongoDB is a schema-less NoSQL database system.
- E: Express is a lightweight framework for web applications in Node.
- A: AngularJS is a JavaScript framework developed by Google.
- N: Node.js is a server-side JavaScript execution environment
Besides, Node.JS also supports other web application frameworks in the stack- MERN, and MEVN.
- R: React is a library created by Facebook that can be used for creating views rendered in HTML
- V: Vue.JS is an advanced JavaScript framework used for building user interfaces
The support for three different visual frameworks by Node.JS gives developers more ways to experiment with their application designs. While Google maintains Angular.JS, Facebook React.JS, the Node.JS community maintains Vue.JS. We don’t see such flexibilities in the legacy stacks like LAMP.
2. The flexibility of Database Management like no other stack
Not just the front-end frameworks, Node.JS is also flexible to support different databases without any issue. You can work on-
- NoSQL databases like MongoDB and CouchDB, which are faster than traditional RDBMS like MySQL
- Graph-based databases like Neo4j
Node.Js also supports JSON, which allows it to manage certain operations without SQL. That means you need not switch the syntax back-and-forth to manage front-end and back-end queries separately.
No waiting with Non-blocking I/O Asynchronous Compilation
Node.Js web applications can produce faster outputs than other stacks because they use a NoSQL database along with asynchronous compilation. Here is how different properties of Node.JS applications make them faster at different stages:
- The NoSQL database is faster than SQL databases in certain cases.
- Asynchronous compilation prevents a program from going into waiting-state
- Non-blocking I/O architecture executes a line irrespective of execution of the line above it
This is how PHP and other languages handle a server-side request:
- Sends the request to the server
- Goes into Wait state, as the server opens and parses the request
- Returns the output to the client-side
- Goes into Ready State to handle the next request
Here is how Node.js handles a server-side request:
- Sends the request to the server
- Goes into Ready State to handle the next request
- When the server has opened and read the request, it returns the output to the client-side.
Node.js eliminates the need for waiting-state by simply continuing to be in the ready state for the next request. This single-threaded, non-blocking, the architecture enables asynchronous programming through Node.Js, which makes the entire solution memory efficient.
Create solutions that are resourceful yet lightweight
Let’s take an unusual example. When you purchase a mobile phone, you expect it to accommodate a larger battery to give you a better screen time. However, you also don’t want it to go bulky.
Well, current technologies can hardly guarantee you a bigger battery capacity without compromising on the weight of your phone, but Node.js can do a similar thing with your eCommerce websites.
Node.JS uses NPM, which is a repository of different resources that developers need while building eCommerce applications. Node.Js developers can have instant access to NPM from where they can fetch resources directly from the CLI. This enables the developers to have one-stop solutions for all their package installation, version control, dependency control, and update management needs without putting any extra burden on their native applications.
Your application stays as lightweight as possible while it can re-use codes from the repository to add any resource into their project without writing a single line of extra code.
To conclude
An eCommerce entrepreneur hardly cares about the tech stacks. All he or she needs is a robust platform that meets all the requirements. I don’t say that other web technologies are any less efficient than Node.Js, but modern requirements need modern solutions. Sticking to a legacy has never been a trait among eCommerce developers. We must keep our eyes open and stay up to date with new technologies as well as legacy options. You would never it’s time to move on if you can’t let go of your comfort zone.
Author Byline:
Jessica Bruce is a professional blogger, guest writer, Influencer & an eCommerce expert. Currently associated with ShopyGen as a content marketing strategist. She also report on the latest happenings and trends associated with the eCommerce industry.
Follow me on Twitter @Jessicabruc (https://twitter.com/Jessicabruc)
