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Node.JS Vs Python: Which Technology Should You Go With?

Node.js Vs Python

When you are planning to build any web project, it’s very crucial to choose the right technology. Because there are several choices, and regular advancements keep taking place in the web development space. 

Well, Node.js, Express.js, Python, Javascript, RubyRail, are some of the popular and commonly used programming languages. Each one has its own pros and cons and you must consider before settling down on one tech stack. Amongst these, Node.js and Python are the two famous choices among web developers for backend development. What’s more? If you’re using the Node.js for building the web application/website, it’s also vital to consider high-performance plans for hosting node.js web projects.

In this article, we will take you through the head-to-head differences, between Node.js and Python. We’ll get into the details of everything, right from the features, advantages, the architecture, and more!

This will help you to make a clear decision about whether to use Node.js or Python for your upcoming web project. 

So, let’s start with it!

The Basics: Node.js Vs Python

Python is a programming language, while Node.js is a javascript framework. So, here let’s understand the basic definition of these two:

What is Node.js?

Node.js is mainly an open-source, asynchronous Javascript runtime environment that runs on Google Chrome’s V8 engine. It’s written in C++, C, Javascript and uses the event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture that makes it ideal for developing real-time, server-side applications. 

The way Python is a programming language, Node.js is a run-time environment for running the Javascript framework outside the web browser. 

One important reason that adds a lot of popularity to Node.js is the speed, scalability and cross-platform compatibility. This means developers can easily create web applications that work well on Linux, Windows and MacOS. 

Notable Features of Node.js:

Some of the notable features of Node.js are:

  • Offers top-speed performance & efficiency for web projects. 
  • A go-to choice for web development beginners as it has an easy learning curve. 
  • It reduces the loading times of web applications by having the feature of quick caching. 
  • Has the ability to scale quickly and smoothly. 
  • The code of Node.js can be reused. 
  • It helps to build cross-platform applications 
  • Node.js is built on Chrome’s V8 engine which makes the execution faster. 

What is Python?  

Python was first released in 1991 by Guido van Rossum. Yes, and since then it’s one of the easiest programming languages to learn and code. Python is based on object-oriented programming concepts and is used to develop complex web projects. 

Also, If you have been familiar with the concept of machine learning (ML), and the buzzing world of data science, python is the most used there. What’s more is, that 

GitHub says it’s now the high-level backend and second most popular programming language in the technology stack. 

Notable Features of Python: 

Some of the notable features of Python are:

  • Python is a high-level language that’s super-easy to learn, write and code. 
  • You need to write short code to perform the task when you compare it with other programming languages. 
  • Python language is available for free along with its source code. 
  • Wide usage in gaming development, GUI programs, and web applications.

Node.js Vs Python: The Actual Comparison 

No doubt, Node.js and Python are the backend programming languages. But there’s a lot to explore about these two. We’ve made your job easy. In the below sections, we’ll know in brief about the two and compare them according to different parameters. 

#1 Node.js Vs Python: Architecture 

Architecture is something you shouldn’t drop off before choosing the development technology. The entire functioning of the web project depends on the architecture that has been used.  

There are mainly two types of architecture: 

  • Asynchronous architecture: It can run one single process at a time. 
  • Synchronous architecture: It can run more than one processor at a time. 

Node.js 

Node.js is based on an asynchronous, event-driven architecture that results in faster and quick results. As we mentioned above, Node.js can process various requests at the same time without 

Python 

Python has a synchronous architecture. And so, you’ll get a bit slower speed, due to the single flow. So, if you have a web project, something like a busy chatbot, then it’s better to not go with Python. However, there’s a library called Python Asyncio that lets you run parallel processes. 

Also Read: Node JS Vs JavaScript – Know The Differences Before Stepping Into Your Next Enterprise Project!

#2 Node js Vs Python: Community Support

Both Node.js and Python, being highly popular, have support backed by communities. We’ll know in brief about the same. 

Node.js Community 

Node.js has an active community of Node.js developers who contribute largely towards enhancing and making changes to this platform. On top of this, there are so many modules, video tutorials and that have been created by this community. 

Python Community

Being an older programming language, Python has a vast community with millions of developers. There are Python dedicated forums which are good places to post questions or queries. You can also find a Python developer easily. 

#3 Node.js Vs Python: Speed & Performance 

The result of any web project depends on how fast its speed and performance are. So, here’s comparing Node.js Vs Python in terms of performance. 

Node.js 

Node.js is remarkable in terms of speed, as it has an event-driven non-blocking architecture. It can handle numerous requests at one time and speed up the execution of code. 

Python 

Python on the other hand uses one single flow of code. Thus, it processes the requests a bit slowly. If you require boosted performance for your web application, this might not serve you with great performance.

#4 Nodejs Vs Python: The Error Handling 

Errors are what make the program get stuck for hours and hours. Thus, it’s critical to fix these errors. Mainly, languages that have the best error handling feature are perfect choices among developers. Here’s the error handling process in Node.js and Python. 

Node.js 

Node.js has a feature called Parallel processing that makes the process of finding out errors quite lengthy. 

Python

Python is great when it comes to error handling. It takes very less time to troubleshoot the errors and bugs in comparison to Node.js. It doesn’t matter whether you choose Node.js and Python, you won’t have to suffer from error management.

#5 Nodejs Vs Python: Libraries & Packages 

Both these programming languages, Node.js and Python, have a vast set of libraries to improve their functionalities. If you have good library support it even helps to improve the overall speed of web apps. 

Node.js 

Node.js has millions of packages inbuilt to enhance the functionality and support development. All these packages and libraries are managed by NPM. And they are called Node Package Manager.  

NPM is the world’s largest ecosystem of open-source libraries. It’s completely free to use, and consists of thousands of Node.js developers contributing to its enhancement daily. 

Some of the very famous NPM packages are: 

  • Lodash 
  • Passport 
  • Moment 
  • Express 

Python 

Even Python has many libraries and packages that are managed by pip. It basically stands for “Pip Installs Python”. This is one of the package installers for Python. The features of pip are being reliable, fast and the one that promotes a very fast and efficient development.

Some of the very famous NPM packages are: 

  • Pandas 
  • Numpy 
  • Scikit-learn

And more. 

Comparison FactorsNode.jsPython
DefinitionNode.js is a run-time environment used to build server side scalable applicationsPython is a easy to use programming, high-level and dynamic programming language
All About CodingIt’s based on Javascript and easy to learnNeed to write short codes and the syntax is quite easy
Use CasesEcommerce stores, game development, chatbotsData analytics, Machine learning, devops & testing automation
ScalabilityNode.js is scalableThe thing is, Python is not scalable for big web projects
PerformanceNode.js is a bit faster due to the Google Chrome’s powerful V8 enginePython is comparatively slow due to the one single workflow. It first converts the code to bytecode, and after this interpreter converts it into the machine code
Best Suited ForNode.js works ideally for running small web projectsPython is best suited for heavy web projects
Opted byGiant names in the market like LinkedIn, Netflix, PayPalGiant names in the market like Google, Facebook
Interpreters (Executes the instructions written in the high level language into machine code directly)Node.js makes use of Javascript interpretersPython makes use of CPython as an interpreter

Wrapping Up Node.js Vs Python 

What is ideal for your web project depends on your project-specific requirements and what technologies you need to implement. 

Say, for example, if you want to develop a real-time application, or be it an eCommerce store, or CMS, then going for Node.js would be great. But on the other hand, if you are looking to develop a business application, a data science application that needs consistency, and stability, then you should go for Python. 

Lastly, we hope this write-up has helped you to clear the concepts between Node.js and Python. Good luck on your web development journey! Happy programming!

The Author

Nehal is an ardent content writer. She's passionate about crafting content that's simple but adds value. Her insatiable interest in writing has allowed her to explore her skills. She is adept and can write for different types of content formats.

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