Top 5 NodeJS Frameworks to Look Forward in 2024

Introduction

Node.js is currently the most widely used technology for application development. Its unique features, benefits, and high demand have captured the attention of both developers and businesses. As a result, many developers are turning to these frameworks to help them build powerful web applications. 

However, you may be wondering what makes these node.js frameworks so popular, how developers and businesses are using them, and what advantages they can offer for your own web applications. 

Well, this blog post will guide you through the popular node.js frameworks list, nodejs frameworks github popularity and provide you with insights to help you make an informed decision.

Keep reading to learn more about these frameworks and how they can benefit your web applications. You can also partner with a reliable Node.js development company to acquire excellence in your industry's digital landscape.

Types of NodeJS frameworks

Web app technology provides varied frameworks depending on development times, use cases, and other aspects. When it comes specifically to node js backend frameworks, developers often choose from three types. Let us check some details about them.

MVC Framework

The Model View Controller, or MVC, refers to an architectural anatomy. This framework is typically used to develop flexible frameworks that allow product owners to create separate application layers. 

The MVC framework offers a design pattern that divides the application's logic into three parts: Models, Views, and Controllers. 

The MVC frameworks fragment the data layer from the presentation layer and control logic. This framework contributes to developing more scalable applications effortlessly. 

Examples of MVC frameworks: Express.js, Koa.js

Full-stack MVC frameworks

A full-stack MVC framework is a versatile tool for developing real-time applications. This framework offers more extended libraries, structured efficiency, templating engines, and additional development features to handle both front-end and back-end development processes. It also provides varied tools for updating and developing applications. 

Examples of Full-stack MVC frameworks: Adois.js, Meteor.js

REST API frameworks

REST API, also known as Representation State Transfer frameworks, is often referred to as a top choice for quick development with excellent REST API experience. These frameworks ensure that the product owner does not have to worry about the network application's architectural style. These APIs are helpful in creating reliable and efficient server-client communication routes. This framework also provides tools for developing APIs to communicate, which enables web services to communicate over HTTP.

Examples of Rest API frameworks: Hapi.js, Nest JS

Top 5 Nodejs Frameworks to Use in 2024

Discover the top NodeJS frameworks for seamless app development. Explore their varied features and details to find the best fit for your needs.

Express JS

Express.js is one of the most popular Node.js frameworks. It's an open-source web app framework built upon Node.js. This framework is built to develop Restful APIs in Node.js. 

It's a unique framework offering an enormous range of features where speed and scalability are top priorities. With an incredible API, the Express.js framework assures the rendering of the best performance without fragmenting the difference between an ideal framework function and node.js.

GitHub Stars: 63.8 K ⭐

Key features of Express.js

Easy Database Integration

Express.js is a node.js application framework that allows you to integrate with any database of your choice without any dependencies. Its flexibility, modularity, and rich ecosystem of npm packages make integrating databases easy.

Efficient Routing

The framework offers a simple and clean method for managing varied HTTP requests and assigning them to specific tasks. The code snippet below is an example of efficient routing:

Templating

It supports the template engines in rendering HTML on the server side. This can further be sent as a response to the client's requests. 

Middleware Support

The framework provides middleware support to handle the HTTP requests. The below code snippet exemplifies the middleware creation for logging HTTP request details:

Pros of Express.js Framework

• Ideal for short app development cycles
• Flexible and scalable
• A lower learning curve is required
• Customizationable
• Simple and beginners friendly
• Higher performance with minimum system overhead

Cons of Express.js

• Reliance on middleware
• Less structured

Best for

Microservices

It's a lightweight framework best suited for developing small services that require fewer resources. 

Single Page Applications

ExpressJS easily servers static files and develops APIs that can be used in the SPA creation. 

API Development

Having middleware support and a robust routing mechanism, the framework is the best fit for developing RESTful APIs.

Rapid Prototyping

It can develop an MVC quickly as it doesnt require a lot of setup. 

When to use Express.js?

Express.js is ideal for browser-based and enterprise-grade applications. It enables faster development. It is even preferred for small- and large-scale web application development. Hire nodejs developers to acquire the advantage of faster development with excellence.

Nest JS

Nest JS is a progressive node.js framework popularly used to develop efficient and scalable server-side applications. It can write code in TypeScript. 

Developed with TypeScript, it enables developers to write code in JavaScript. It combines the elements of functional programming, OOPs, and functional reactive programming.  Therefore, it offers improved productivity and higher performance. 

GitHub Stars: 64.4 K ⭐

Key features of Nest JS

Scalable

NestJS frameworks offer application scalability. They break the apps into manageable modules by accommodating high traffic through asynchronous operations, microservices, and flexible component replacement. This ensures efficient, increased workload handling. 

Modularity

Nest JS allows the developer to break the code into small and manageable modules.  This makes code management more maintainable. 

For instance, let us check out the following code module, where we have created a payment module. 

This separate payment module can be exported into other modules, making it easy to manage.

Dependency Injection

The framework offers a dependency injection method to add an external dependency to an existing class rather than create it within the class. For instance, the following code snippet demonstrates how to add an external dependency injection to the class. 

TypeSafety

The framework excellently utilizes TypeScript to identify potential errors during development. This proficiently provides Type Safety and enhances overall code maintainability. 

Pros of Nest.js Framework

• Strong architecture
• Possess scalable technologies
• Have a vibrant ecosystem with various open-source libraries
• Have robust community support

Cons of Nest.js

• Larger overhead for small projects
• Less flexible

Best for

Enterprise level applications

NestJS framework is best suited for enterprise-level app development due to its structured approach. It is proficient at developing projects across larger teams and managing them effectively. 

Applications need a structured approach

if the requirement is to have an application with a structured approach to development. In simpler terms, if the requirement is to have a development setup with well-defined features and minimal uncertainties, NestJS is the feasible framework to choose from.

When to use Nest.js?

NestJS is an ideal choice if you need to build an efficient and scalable server-side app with TypeScript. NestJS proficiently manages the architecture pattern and keeps it modularized and clean. 

Hapi JS

HapiJS is the most reliable and stable node.js framework for building scalable and powerful applications with out-of-the-box functionalities and minimal overhead. 

Hapi was designed by a group to support distributed and large teams. The framework allows developers to work effectively on common code. 

It provides a complete set of excellent features, including authorization, authentication, and validation.

GitHub Stars: 14.5 K ⭐

Key features of Hapi.js

No middleware

One of the most exciting features of Hapi is that it doesn't use middleware. It provides a laser-focused and rich extensibility model that prioritizes security and predictability.

Input Validation

Here in the Hapi, under the Options object of a route, we can define the input that is required to be validated. The default validate object comprises of the below values:

If the key has a true value, no validation will be performed. The keys can either be a joi validation object or a validation function using the async function(value, options). The snippet below represents the query parameters example that enables you to see joi options for a specific schema. 

Secure defaults and regularly updated

Each Hapi component is equipped with the most secure features and is updated regularly. Hapi blocks error messages that may leak information to provide a more secure framework. 

Authorization and Authentication

Hapi has an integrated authorization and authentication architecture. This feature makes it the most comprehensive authentication and authorization API in the Node framework. 

Clean interface

Hapi is an easy-to-learn and clean interface that does not cover much of the space. 

Powerful plugin system 

Hapi has very simple yet powerful plugins. At the core of the framework, they are the objects with a registered property. It is a function with a signature async function (server, options). 

A simple plugin code looks like the code snippet below:

Pros of Hapi.JS

• Supports microservices
• Have robust libraries
• It has a functionally rich web server
• It's configuration-centric
• It has plug-in-based architecture

Cons of Hapi.JS

• Manual refactoring
• Manual testing and creation of endpoints

Best for

Hapi is best suited for building large, scalable, powerful, and complex web applications with minimal overhead.

When to use Hapi.js?

Hapi.js is an ideal option for projects that prefer scalable, secure, and real-time applications.

Recommended Read: Is Node.js App Development The Right Choice For Your Application In 2024?

Koa JS

KoaJS is a Node.js framework developed by the creators of Express JS. It's expressive, robust, and smaller. 

It allows the developers to create applications and build API. This framework uses several EW technologies like drop callbacks, async functions, and more that explicitly handle the error handling part. 

Unlike ExpressJS, Koa doesn’t have a middleware, but third-party developers can create a middleware for the KoaJS. By using the async functions, Koa excellently allows the developers to ditch callbacks and enhance error handling.

GitHub Stars: 34.9 K ⭐

Key features of KoaJS

Context Object

Koa.js jas a content object(ctx) functionality to capture the requests and response details. This ctx is passed to every middleware. For instance, in the below code snippet, we have logged the request and method from the tx object:

Error handling 

Koa framework proficiently supports various types of error handling. With the two prominent error handling methods - app.emit () and ctx.throw (), it excels at error handling. The code snippet below exemplifies both error-handling methods:

Middleware Composition

Koa's middleware flows exactly in a stack-like manner. This allows you to perform the actions downstream, filter them, and then manipulate the response stream. This can help personalize the user experience.

Pros of KoaJS

• Simplicity and minimalism 
• Enhanced error handling
• It's highly customizable
• It has a clean and more readable code
• It has a modern foundation
• Middleware cascade to tailor user experience

Cons of KoaJS

Smaller community and ecosystem

Best for

Custom web services

Koa is a lightweight framework that enables the developers to build custom web services. All you need to do is install the middleware that you require and achieve the desired customization without any unnecessary chaos. 

Modern web apps

Koa is well suited for creating a modern web application. To achieve this modernity, it leverages Javascript's await and async features. 

APIs that need advanced error handling

Koa framework is proficient at error handling. And this excellence makes it a strong platform to handle built-in errors. 

When to use KoaJS?

Kos.js is an appropriate choice when app development requires a strong foundation with higher customization. Also, when developers prefer using modern syntax and are more comfortable implementing async/ await features, this could be a feasible fit.

Socket.io

Socket.io is a popular Node.js framework that facilitates building real-time applications. It enables bidirectional, real-time, and event-based communication between web servers and clients. 

It is used to develop real-time applications like chat apps, online gaming, live notifications, and more. This framework is one of the developers' preferred choices as it ensures the resolution of complex issues. 

GitHub Stars: 60.2 K ⭐

Key features of Socket.io

Automatic reconnection

under some circumstances, the web socket connection between the client and server can be interrupted sometimes. That is where the Socket.io comes into the picture. Its heartbeat mechanism periodically checks the connection status. 

And fortunately, when the client gets disconnected, it automatically reconnects with an exponential back-off delay. 

Acknowledgments

The Socket.io framework provides a convenient way to send a specific event and receive a response. The code snippet below represents the sender event invite and response to the event.

Sender - 

Receiver - 

Broadcasting

Socket.io allows the broadcasting feature. This allows sending an event to all the connected clients and even to the client's subset.

Pros of Socket.io

• It's extremely fast
• It supports real-time data analytics
• Helps in multiplexing
• Personalized URL routing
• Have seamless and smooth socket authentication
• Helps JSON serializable objects

Cons of Socket.io

• Incapable of creating apps that require updates periodically
• The connection to the server stays open

Best for

Apps requiring real-time updates

Socket.io is most suitable when the application requires real-time updates. For instance, online games require constant real-time updates. 

Building real-time connections

If you require the establishment and maintenance of real-time communication between the client and the servers, socket.io could be a feasible choice. 

When to use Socket.io?

It is an ideal framework for applications that require instant updates without client requests, such as video calls or live chats. 

Recommended Read: Top 10 Advantages of NodeJS in 2024

Node.js Frameworks Comparison

Each framework has its own strengths and weaknesses. The table below presents comparative lists to give a clearer idea of each framework. 

Bottom Line

We hope that our blog has given you the necessary insights to understand the top Node.js frameworks and how they excel in the digital landscape. However, when talking about the Node.js frameworks, which one best suits your specific business requirements? 

Well, selecting a reliable Node.js framework largely depends on the nature of the application you want to develop. But don't worry—you don't have to figure this out alone. 

Connect with the experts at YTII and get answers about the best Node.js framework selection for your project.