So what does node.js do in plain English?
So who is using Node.js and why should we take note?
Node is currently being used by some of the biggest brands in the world for various web based API's, websites and online applications. Companies such as Microsoft, eBay, Cloud9 IDE, Uber and localresponse to name just a few. Node allows you to get back down to basics and develop web based systems from a low level.
What about performance and redundancy? Surely Node cannot compete with the likes of Apache?
HTTP is a first class protocol in Node. Node's HTTP library has grown out of the author's experiences developing and working with web servers. For example, streaming data through most web frameworks is impossible. Node attempts to correct these problems in its HTTP parser and API. Coupled with Node's purely evented infrastructure, it makes a good foundation for web libraries or frameworks.
So what about multi processor servers .. How can node use these if it's not threaded?
Node is truly scalable on a machine level. You can start new processes via
these other processes will be scheduled in parallel. For load balancing incoming connections across multiple processes use the cluster module.
n-smith consultancy have experience in designing and developing node based applications and systems. Feel free to contact us for more information or to discuss your application / online system requirements in more detail.