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The Big doubt of choosing the ideal framework for entrepreneurs like you always prevails. There are several options to choose from, but the top of the list is still the trickiest problem. As I was skimming through Quora, I realized that both enthusiastic web application developers and entrepreneurs are frowning over choosing between the newest sensation Node.js and the classic ASP .NET Core framework for their upcoming app development.
After spending over an hour of question-answer reading, I finalized that I’ll come up with a coherent blog post that will serve as the “Must-read Manual” before completing the tech-stack for your future application.
So here I am with this post on Top 03 Considerations When electing between Node js Vs. .NET Core. For beginners and startup boosters, I will start from scratch.
What is Node js?
Node is a javascript runtime environment that is open-source, which developers use for server-side scripting. It has the potential of building a web application both client-side and server-side with this one programming language. The first release of Node.js was out in May 2009.
Node.js supports the functioning of various operating systems, including Windows, Mac, Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Smart OS, and to z/OS and IBM AIX.
What is .NET Core?
The famous successor of the ASP .NET framework is .NET Core, a software framework for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is open-source and free. It supports C#, F#, and VB for web app development and building libraries.
Read a brief on .Net Core.
Both these frameworks are open-source and have their strengths and limitations. However, to help you ease out your dilemma, I’ve compiled three points of considerations before you make a decision.
Top 03 Considerations before choosing your Framework
1 a. Request Handling in Node.js
Node.js uses the single-threaded callback handler, whereas .NET now uses asynchronous programming for request handling. Earlier, the old ASP .NET version used a synchronous pattern, though.
When using Apache, it uses a separate thread to handle each of your requests. However, Node.js being single-threaded uses a single thread and answers your calls asynchronously, without blocking your requests. Thus, Node.js is an ideal choice for I/O bound apps.
You can cluster the single-threaded request handling using Nginx- load balancing, native Node js clustering, or Node.js process management PM2 using which you can utilize maximum server cores to startup as much your CPU can handle.
The downfall of the ‘single-threaded’ characteristic of Node.js also brings a “callback-hell,” which may introduce complexities in your code.
See how Node.js handles a database query asynchronously:
[Source: Medium]
1 b. Request Handling in .NET Core
Before the .NET version 4.5, it handles requests via the traditional Apache/PHP way, i.e., synchronously. So, each I/O process would require individual threads, and all the threads execute synchronously. This method has barriers and doesn’t stand against the Node.js request handling mechanism.
However, the async/ await pattern of request handling introduces since v4.5 manages requests without blocking your app execution. It is a task-based model that uses callback, and async/ await programming models or promise.
Let us see an alternative approach to Node.js as above, where ASP .NET core code using async method handles incoming requests without using boilerplate startup code:
[Source: Medium]
As you saw, comparing Node.js Vs. .NET Core for the matter of request handling, ASP.NET Core will handle more requests because it handles parallelly. However, in the case of context switching, when you use many thread-shared variables, Node.js is better because .NET can be costly.
2. Container Capabilities
You must consider both .NET Core and Node.js framework because both offer diverse capabilities if you are thinking of working on containers or containerizing your roadmaps.
While using Node.js containers, a Node.js developer can build their app faster and quickly reproduce build components. Node.js implements the microservices architecture, which enables it to deploy horizontal scaling for rapid development. In this way, developers can use containerized Node.js applications to ramp up or shrink down as per workload requirements.
Similarly, in .NET Core, developers can deploy and build desktop, mobile server, or web-based workloads. ASP.NET Core uses Microsoft Nano Server container handling which, you can yield a custom runtime environment in Windows or Linux distributions.
Nano Server is a remote administered server OS for private clouds or data centers. It is a small Windows server supporting 64-bit tools/ agents/ apps.
3. Community Support
Microsoft created ASP .NET in 2002, which is an open-source server-side framework. Developers can use .NET Core to build apps and dynamic web pages using the traditional C#, Visual Basic, and F# languages. This reason makes the .NET community strong, especially on Stackoverflow.
Ryan Dahl, an Engineer, created Node.j in 2009 after 7 years of .NET Core’s release. Using Node.js, developers can write back-end code with the help of front-end languages. With its ease and popularity, Node.js has gained excellent community support in a short time. It has a unique GitHub fan club.
Are You Feeling like a sloth? Fret Not! You Get What you Want. NOW
The Mystery Busted
You finally get the answer straightforward in this section. Here’s when to choose for .Net Core and when for Node.js. Get it.
.NET Core- Highly Suitable for Enterprise Applications
.NET Core has a favorable history and has earned trust amongst business corporations. It has been a reliable platform for many entrepreneurs over the years, owing to its immensely useful tools and library support.
Another reason is that javascript doesn’t support static types, which are essential for writing a million lines of code, and thus .NET Core has a larger share over the entrepreneurial market.
Top Enterprises Using .NET Core
⦿ GoDaddy
This platform helps small companies with all the tech-support needed. The Principal Software Architect of GoDaddy, Jeremiah Gowdy, assures that .NET Core enables faster development, higher performance, and scalability.
⦿ Stack Overflow
The Q/A platform for developers and tech-freaks uses .NET and praises the framework for the considerably faster development process and time.
⦿ HCL
HCL aids complex business problems by improving User experience, streamlining app development, and improved collaboration using cross-platform native app development. HCL uses Xamarin and .NET to create apps like Symphony, Engage, emPower, Merlin, and 4 LoB.
⦿ American Cancer Society
The social welfare department can not stay back but use .NET Core like the American Cancer Society used it to create their fundraising app that fights against breast cancer.
⦿ GE Aviation
At GE Aviation, the digital group reduces the risks of air traffic and air accidents/malfunctions by using Microsoft development tools like .NET Core.
Node js Preferable for Large Web Applications
Node.js is the right choice for building a fast and scalable hi-tech application, which is data-intensive and requires technical support like IoT, AI, and more. Node.js has a non-blocking architecture that enables it to create flawless media applications with its full-stack technology orientation.
Global Companies Using Node.js
⦿ Netflix
No definition required to justify the world’s biggest video streaming platform having over 104 million subscribers around the globe; Netflix uses Node.js. To overcome the scalability glitches and the conditional dependency on every push cycle, Netflix required a lightweight and speedy framework like Node.
⦿ Walmart
The retail chain king is now plunging in the online commerce space with considering Node.js as their reliable framework. To handle the vast number of incoming client requests, Node‘s asynchronous I/O mechanism, and single-threaded behavior has enabled Walmart to stand up to its reputation and client-expectation.
⦿ Trello
This popular project management app uses Node.js to build its single page application to support an event-driven and non-blocking server for constant and regular updates.
⦿ Uber
The excellent on-demand cab service Uber company keeps updating its tech-stack to serve to the utmost excellence. They have selected Node.js to scale up their resources and accommodate the rising demand of their customers.
⦿ PayPal
The credit for the back-end development of the world-renowned online payment platform PayPal goes to Node.js. The most significant advantage of Node.js leverages is that both browser-specific and server-level coding is written with one language- Javascript.
Take Away
It depends on the requirements of your project, which of Node.js or .Net Core framework is suitable for your upcoming app development. With the superiority of .Net Core in Enterprise apps and Node.js marking unfathomable heights in developing large web applications, there should not be a turmoil of thoughts anymore.
Yet collaborating with us, the Node.js development company, you will cease all your disrupting visions and succeed in attaining your aspirations. For your Enterprise app, you can leverage our .NET Core developers to collaborate and work better.
