14 Best Node.js Frameworks For The Year 2020

Node.js is an open-source, Javascript runtime environment. It was launched in 2009 by unlocking new possibilities of building backend for the applications. Before the launch, the app programmers had to think for another framework for developing server-side development.

There are numerous libraries, tools, helpers, and much online support that make the Node.js stand out from others.

The features of Node JS includes:

• Security Support
• Flexibility & Compatibility w/external libraries
• Asynchronous & Event-Driven
• Single-Threaded
• Quick Project Development
• Scalable

Apart from the features, you can go through the benefits and pitfalls of node.js for better understanding. And what makes it enticing is Node JS Frameworks. Let’s have a look at the quintessence of Node JS.

1. Express JS

Express JS is a lightweight, small and unique framework which is highly scalable & quick for web development. It can build mobile and desktop applications at a faster pace. Also, it focuses on prioritizing quality and speed while building apps.

Features of Express JS

• Follows Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture
• Seamless Routing
• Supports 14+ templates
• Fast App Development
• Bolsters Streaming & Monitoring

Advantages of Express JS

• Handling I/O requests
• Reducing Expense on Hiring Team
• Open-source & Wide Community Support
• Builds Apps Quickly
• Integration of third-party apps easily
• Part of MEAN Stack
• Simple to learn & understand

Disadvantages of Express JS

• Difficulty in Callback nature
• Complex code organization

Companies Using Express JS

• Twitter
• Accenture
• Myntra
• BlaBlaCar

2. Sails JS

Sails JS is one of the potential Node.JS Web Development Frameworks that is capable of building network applications. It is compatible as it can work along with Express for handling HTTP requests. Also, it can manage Websockets using socket.io.

Features of Sails JS

• Builds API bookstore
• Flexible and Compatible
• Supports all Database
• No need to write code for Backend
• Easily creates templates

Advantages of Sails JS

• Supports socket.io
• Generates API without any cost
• Splits Business logic from the user interface
• Storing data anywhere is possible
• Migration of apps is possible

Disadvantages of Sails JS

• Slow in building apps
• Not satisfactory in managing assets
• Time-consuming

3. Socket.io

Socket.io is an event-driven real-time Javascript library for building intuitive web applications. It consists of two folds: front-end library runs on the browser while the backend library is for Node.JS.

Moreover, it is compatible with numerous programming languages. It offers multiple advantages to its users. Let’s first see its features.

Features of Socket.io

• On-time analytics
• Binary streaming
• Detects Anomaly, auto-corrects, and many more things
• Easily manages socket
• Automatically creates identifiers for all socket

Advantages of Socket.io

• Compatible & Flexible
• Key focus on quality and speed
• Allows web sockets like score tickets, chatbots, dashboard APIs, etc
• Quick project development

Disadvantages of Socket.io

• Message Tracking is not possible
• Encoding is complex
• More than required binary overhead

Companies Using Socket.io

• Swat.io
• Trello
• Flitto
• PedidosYa
• Walls.io

4. Meteor JS

One of the easiest Node.JS Web Frameworks is Meteor JS that ensures the quality building of mobile and web applications. It can build apps across platforms. The construction of the application using the Meteor JS framework is a step-wise procedure.

Features of Meteor JS

• Quick & Easy Full-Stack Web-App Development
• Bolsters Sync catchphrase
• Similar Coding across devices
• Lightweight
• API sharing for front-end as well as backend development

Advantages of Meteor JS

• Supports from a large community
• Easy to learn & Simple to understand
• Cost-efficient

Disadvantages of Meteor JS

• Native server-side rendering
• Difficulty in organizing files
• Difficulty in building apps on tailor-made hosting
• No in-built Reactive joins

Companies Using Meteor JS

• ApplyBin
• Enteye
• Linkwork
• Streem

5. Koa.JS

Koa.js turns out to be one of the most expensive Node.js web frameworks. It is a smarter and powerful framework that crafts APIs and web applications.

Moreover, you can construct the application parts as per your preference. It is built by the professionals who built Express.JS.

Features of Koa.JS

• Use of ES2017 async capacities
• Allows only simple coding
• Improve error management
• Lightweight

Advantages of Koa.JS

• Numerous Customization options
• Rich codes
• 550 lines of code
• Build by Express JS Team

Disadvantages of Koa.JS

• Small community
• Not Compatible

6. Nest JS

Nest.JS is one of the finest Node.JS server-side Web Frameworks focusing on building highly-intuitive and scalable projects. It bolsters Typescript and is a perfect blend of OOP, FRP, and FP. App programmers can leverage Nest CLI for building apps with multiple features.

Features of Nest.JS

• Reliable & Trustworthy due to Typescript
• Allows to arrange code methodologically
• Easy to learn & simple to understand
• Includes features of Express.JS

Advantages of Nest.JS

• Brings in Dependency Injection
• Builds robust backend
• In-built Nest CLI
• Highly Scalable
• It has around 22K stars on GitHub

Disadvantages of Nest.JS

• Lack of Documentation
• Doesn’t look into issues related to documentation
• Doesn’t backup large enterprise
• Smaller community

Companies Using Nest JS

• Sanofi
• iFlix
• Adidas
• Capgemini
• Sitephen
• Gojob

7. Hapi JS

Hapi is used for building RestAPIs. It is one of the reliable and trustworthy Node JS Web Frameworks. It can make robust servers by utilizing onPreHandler. Many other tools outshine Hapi from other frameworks, i.e., caching, I/O validation, third-party plug-ins, and many more things.

What makes Hapi stand out from others is its no-dependency over external assistance. It offers complete control over every code line. Also, Hapi’s default secured component restricts even the request time-out error so that there will be no room left for data leakage.

Features of Hapi.JS

• Swift document generation
• Leverages Postgres, MySQL, and MongoDB for developing static websites
• Efficient in handling errors, which also one of the Features of Node.js 10
• Plugin-rich frameworks like boom, yar, tv, catbox.travelogue, and joi
• Complete control over the incoming request
• Simple authentication, validation, caching

Advantages of Hapi JS

• Scalable
• Easy to understand and simple to learn
• Smoothly creates documents
• Lightweight

Disadvantage of Hapi JS

• Difficulty in figuring out code structure
• Manual refactoring
• Manual testing
• Creation of manual endpoints

8. Diet JS

Diet.js is introduced to build apps and APIs for integrations. You can leverage the host controller for developing multiple hosts. Similarly, there is a router that can build APIs and clean URLs.

Middleware acts as a middleman that allows swift communication between two parties. It focuses on raising output or productivity. For this reason, it maximizes applications and APIs with lightweight modules that don’t hamper the performance as well as memory.

Features of Diet JS

• Limited to only ~550 sloc
• Middleware Support
• MVC architecture
• App.post and app.get possible with easy and semantic routing
• Signal.object ($)integrated with Response & Request
• Virtual hosting possible
• App.error routes manage nonparallel errors

Advantages of Diet JS

• Builds highly scalable apps & APIs
• Tiny & Robust Node.JS Web Framework
• Middleware support
• Open-source
• Builds apps with alluring features

Disadvantage of Diet JS

• Only used for startup-level projects

9. Flatiron JS

Flatiron comes with an inbuilt library that focuses on the application’s logging requirements. You can reuse elements for constructing mobile and desktop applications which is one of the prominent advantages of Node.JS Web Development Frameworks.

Moreover, there is internal support, i.e., independent tools that work in unison or independently. It can separate development areas for the betterment of code organization as well as sustainability.

Features of Flatiron JS

• In-built templating tool
• Lightweight app extensibility
• Feasible tool for incoming traffic
• Includes multi-transport async logging library for node.js
• Reusable elements
• In-built library
• Delivers tools operable independently & in group
• Code organization possible

10. Total JS

Total.JS is one of the young and modern Node JS web frameworks which bolsters MVC architecture. It is compatible and flexible. You can utilize it with Angular.JS, Polymer.JS, Backbone.JS, Bootstrap, for developing front-end efficiently.

The framework is new and growing, and that’s the reason it has wide community support and is evolving. The app programmers are continually brainstorming to solve the issues, queries and concerns. It indicates that the framework is going to be developers’ favorite as well as there will be add-ons in the features.

Read also: Node.js Development Trends For The Year 2020

Features of Total.JS

• In-built tools support for swift app development
• Quick prototyping
• Builds on-time apps
• Compatible & Scalable
• Quick response from the community

Advantages of Total JS

• Bolsters dynamic, classic, and regex routes
• Writes up your routes for file, dynamic content
• Availability of clean code
• Supports MVC architecture
• Asynchronous & extensible

Disadvantages of Total JS

• Small community
• Young framework in the market

11. Derby JS

An ideal and viable node js web framework used for building collective mobile and web apps is known to be Derby JS. It is an open-source, full-stack development tool. It uses automatic conflict resolution for syncing data between client & server.

Features of Derby.JS

• Tailor-made web development
• Develops both front-end and backend
• Numerous editing features

Advantages of Derby.JS

• On-time merging of data
• Server Rendering
• Data Binding technique enabled
• Modular
• Community Support

Disadvantages of Derby.JS

• Small community
• Less support

12. Adonis JS

Another Node.js web framework that is prominent, trustworthy and an ideal one for app development is Adonis.JS. It has well-written syntax and is simple to understand. In fact, it’s one of the Pros of Node.js that gets reflected over here.

Moreover, it is capable of building web-apps from scratch and can provide a proper ecosystem for the development of the backend of the application.

Features of Adonis.JS

• Laravel-like structure
• Easy to learn & modify
• SQLite & Postgres for handling effective data
• Time-saving

Advantages of Adonis.JS

• Migration of code is possible
• Peripheral improvement, plug-in, and further expansion
• Set of numerous solutions

Disadvantages of Adonis.JS

• It doesn’t prefer configuration
• Community-wise not so explorable

13. Loopback JS

Loopback.JS is one of the easiest node.js frameworks that requires no coding and only focuses on building APIs. Also, you can build models according to your schema preference.

You can leverage the compatibility features of Loopback.js as it can work with REST services. Along with the above services, it works well with MongoDB, MySQL, Oracle, Postgres, etc.

Features of Loopback.JS

• Compatible
• Run-on Cloud
• Well-structured code
• Quick development
• Proper Documentation
• Model-Relation-Support

Advantages of Loopback.JS

• Extensible Framework
• Builds both client-side & server-side development
• In-built ORM

Disadvantages of Loopback.JS

• Vast Community Support
• Generic ORM issues
• Expensive

Companies Using Loopback.JS

• UGroop
• Riley
• AN10
• Appeal Stack

14. Keystone.JS

It is built on top of MongoDB and Express JS. It can build web-apps, mobile apps, database-driven APIs. Besides, the node.js web frameworks bolster dynamic routes, form processing, and session handling.

Features of Keystone.JS

• Easy in handling tailor-made user interfaces
• Ensure swift development of applications and websites
• Enables integration with Mandrill, Cloudinary, Google Places

Advantages of Keystone.JS

• Lightweight & Flexible
• Full-Stack Development
• Assistance for Apps & Frameworks
• Efficiently manages project development

Disadvantages of Keystone.JS

• No ACL
• Not Extensive
• No i18n baked

Companies Using Keystone.JS

• BrianHub
• Expedition
• Cermati
• Blue Bean Software

Final Thoughts

The node.js frameworks mentioned-above is the list of top 14 potential app constructors which you can consider while developing an application or website. It would not be fair to comment on which framework is the best option for app development as it entirely depends on the project requirement.

If you are planning to build an application using node.js, then connect with the leading Node.JS Development Company, and unveil the opportunities of creating and maintaining applications.

You can also hire dedicated developers on a part-time, full-time, or hourly basis. The developers are well-experienced and well-versed with the technologies.