Updated March 4, 2023
Difference Between Node.js vs Go
Node.js is a cross-platform, fast and lean JavaScript runtime environment built on a JavaScript engine. Node.js will be useful for both servers and desktop applications. Go is an open-source programming language. Node is well suitable to handle asynchronous JS code to perform many activities. Go is simple, strong, static, structural, and easy to read with an effective way of handling concurrent programming with huge performance improvement over other programming languages.
What is Go?
Go is an open-source programming language developed at Google by developers, first released in 2009. Go was created by combining the advantages of existing programming languages to achieve better performance. Go structure is a combination of basic principles of C and Python programming languages. Go will be used as a primary choice for developing concurrent applications as technology majors Google, Dropbox, and Docker are already started using Go. Go is also called Golang. It has very limited tutorials that are being developed as its popularity is increasing year by year. Though Go has a good standard library, garbage collection handling, and dynamic interfaces, it is not the best choice for web development but a great choice for real-time application development, cloud infrastructure, microservices, and networking development.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a cross-platform, fast and lean JavaScript runtime environment built on a JavaScript engine. Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O by which we can achieve low latency and high throughput and makes it lightweight and efficient. Node.js is written in c/c++, JavaScript, and its package ecosystem, npm (node package manager), consisting of many open source libraries in the package. Node.js was introduced in 2009 by Ryan Dahl for Linux and MacOS. Node has many built-in modules in which we can use the command line.
Head To Head Comparison Between Node.js vs Go (Infographics)
Below is the top 7 difference between Node.js vs Go Performance
Key differences between Node.js vs Go
Both Performances are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major Difference Between Node.js vs Go:
- Building blockchain applications with Node.js is possible but with Go is much easier to build blockchain applications.
- Go has a better raw performance for CPU and memory-based tasks, whereas Node.js has less performance comparatively, but in real-time, both Go vs Node.js will give satisfactory results.
- Go has excellent scalability and concurrency ability as it uses goroutines by which threads will be managed, and they handle communication in parallel very effectively, whereas node.js is a single-threaded and event call-back mechanism for communication that has scalability is less elegant, but Node.js promises to do the job.
- Node.js has better error handling as it uses a “throw/catch” mechanism to catch errors immediately after the occurrence, whereas Go needs an explicit error mechanism as it gives errors after program flow completes, which is a difficult process but finally gives reliable applications which will be consistent.
- Node.js has a better learning curve as it is a popular language; it has a lot of resources and forums for learning and assistance, whereas Go language is a new language available with few learning sources and difficult for self-learning, clear doubts as we have minimal resources.
- Node.js has good developer availability as it is a popular language; obviously, a lot of developers will possess Node.js skills, whereas finding Go developers is a difficult task as it is a new programming language, few developers only available, and they will be in high demand.
Node.js vs Go Comparison Table
The primary comparison is discussed below:
| The basis of comparison |
Node.Js |
Go |
| Performance | As Node.js is based on JavsScript, which is interpreted, language is generally slower than compiled languages. But in real life, Go and Node.js provide satisfactory results as overall performance will be affected by so many factors. | Go gives a good raw performance for CPU and memory-bounded tasks as it is based on C language, which is good at performance. So Go is the real winner in terms of performance. |
| Concurrency | Node.js is single-threaded and uses an event-callback mechanism. So we can’t achieve concurrency using it. | Go language uses goroutines and lightweight thread communication mechanism to achieve concurrency as it is elegant and seamless due to channels. |
| Scalability | Node.js is weaker in terms of achieving the parallel process for large projects as it uses an event callback mechanism though it will get done a job for smaller projects. | Whereas Go has “goroutines”, which is a big advantage as they handle parallel threads very effectively. In general parallel tasks will be complex, but with Go, we can do it simply. |
| Tools for Developers | Node.js has so many tools available for developers to develop every possible application as we have platforms, examples, and libraries. | As Go is a new language, it has good libraries and packages to use, but comparatively, with node.js, it has fewer tools as a developer will do more programming work. |
| Error Handling | Node.js uses a “catch/throw” mechanism for error handling as errors will catch immediately after the occurrence and familiar among developers. But in last final application will be sub-optimal | Go language uses explicit error handling as error codes return after program flow completes – which is a difficult process but gives reliable application with consistency. |
| Learning Curve | Node.js has a lot of resources available both online and offline as it is the most popular programming language with huge developer communities by which we can provide assistance while learning. | Whereas Go has very few resources for learning as it is a new language, we need to follow specific rules, concepts to learn and clear doubts. As Go is a backend language, we need to use JavaScript for the frontend. |
| Developers availability | Node.js has a lot of developers as it is a popular language for web development. We can easily form a team with a different level of Node.js knowledge people. | Whereas Go, we have very fewer developers as it is a new programming language. Still, many are learning as resources also minimal. Forming a team with Go developers is a difficult task. |
Conclusion
Finally, it’s an overview of the Node.js vs Go language. I hope you will better understand these Node.js vs Go programming languages after reading this article. As we compared both Node.js vs Go in several aspects, and each has advantages and disadvantages, so it will be difficult to say one is better than the other. From the performance aspect, Golang is better than Node.js, but you need to decide based on the project, its size, and structure, develop a plan based on your business requirements. Node.js is popular and widely used for backend development, whereas Golang is highly consistent and performance used for backend development.
Recommended Article
This has been a guide to the top differences between Node.js vs Go. Here we also discuss the key differences with infographics and comparison tables. You may also have a look at the following Node.js vs Go articles to learn more –
