As the software development world is evolving at a fast pace, different frameworks for building applications are coming into the picture.
Node.js is one such framework that is widely used nowadays and is established as a front-runner. You must be wondering how Node.js has maintained its winning streak.
Node.js is used for both front-end and back-end development. It’s a cross-platform framework and is well-known for the fastest execution. Around 30 million websites currently use the Node.js framework. Therefore, applications are developed on it and get containerized through Kubernetes. However, there is always a debate between which one is better in Jenkins vs Kubernetes for containerization.
And to host Node.js based websites and applications, you need reliable Node js server hosting. MilesWeb offers Node.js hosting services at the best prices. With this, you get all the top features like, Express RESTful API ReactJS, instant account setup, SSL protection, SSD NVMe’s and more.
This was in short, about MilesWeb’s Node.js hosting service. Now in the below article, we will understand the best practices for Node.js app development.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is an open-source runtime environment for Chrome, that makes it easy to create scalable web apps. This environment is built on Javascript Engine V8 in Google Chrome.
Node.js has an event-driven, non-blocking I/O approach making it lightweight, efficient and ideal for data-intensive applications.
The Best Practises for Node.js App Development
Here are the best practices for Node.js app development:
Using the NPM Init
NPM is the most vital tool after Node.js. NMP fetches any packages required when developing, testing, or deploying an application.
Test Your Program
Before you are ready to release your application to the public, it is vital to start testing the application, regardless of where it is in the development process.
Use Docker
With the help of a docker, your applications will run in isolation and make your deployments secure. Docker images are lightweight, and they allow absolute deployments with the Node.js docker. Apart from this, you can even use the docker container for higher performance.
Error Handling
Neglecting error handling in the code makes debugging more difficult than it needs to be. Even a single bug in the application can cost you billions. Thus, exception management is crucial for an application.
Error handling does not eliminate the errors in the code, but it enables your code enough to deal with things that unexpectedly go wrong.
Use Gzip Compression
The server can compress the response before sending it to a web browser with the help of Gzip compression. Thus it helps to reduce the time lag and latency.
Client-Side Rendering
Client-side rendering will reduce the latency and save bandwidth in your Node.js project. You can use better client-side tools, from Javascript testing to packaging managers. Share rendering code server/client to reduce the replication and improve page loading speed.
Avoid the Synchronous Functions
Synchronous functions block the codes until they have finished the execution.
To make sure no synchronous function is a part of the code, you can turn on the trace-sync-io flag, and it will display a warning on encountering the asynchronous API.
Keep Your Application Stateless
If you have stored the data like the sessions, user data, and cache in the application itself then, it will be scoped with that particular process. You need to store it on the external data stores.
By keeping your application stateless you can enable the application to survive system failures without damaging its service and performance.
Use a Style Guide
Choose an existing set of guidelines for coding in Node.js and then maintain the code readability across the project chain.
If your style differs from the developers who work on the Node.js projects then you can exchange the spaces with tabs or reformat the position of braces. This will take a good amount of time and make the task boring for you.
Make Sure Your Application Has Auto Reload
You can set your Node.js application to reload automatically after any change you make to the code while it’s in development. Save time and effort by eliminating the need to often move between your code and terminal.
Use Messages for Background Processes
If you employ HTTP to send messages, then each time the receipt party is down, then the messages are gone. Thus, choose a transport layer like a message train to direct messages so you don’t run into any of the issues.
Final Words
In this article, we have discussed the top 10 practices for Node.js development. It will surely help you to structure your Node.js app development with all the testing, logging, and asynchronous code.
You can even build a Node.js app using these simple ways.
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