Java vs Node JS

Differences Between Java vs Node JS

Java is an Object-Oriented, general-purpose programming language and class-based. Developers can use the principal – “write once, run anywhere” with Java. It was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystem.

Node JS is a runtime library and environment which is cross-platform and used for creating running JavaScript applications outside the browser. It is a free and open source and utilized for creating server-side JS applications.

Much of Java’s syntax is derived from C++, which is also class-based and Object-Oriented. Java is being shipped in the form of JDK (Java Development Kit), which includes various components which are required to run a java program, however, not all the components of JDK are mandatory to run Java. The latest version is Java 10, released on March 2018.

Node JS allows developers to execute their code on the server side. It provides a faster way to write scripts which are scalable and light. Developers can write the real-time applications, and at the same time, it provides scope for mobile application development.

Java source program is converted to bytecode by the Java compiler, and then this compiled bytecode can be executed on any operating system having compatible JRE (Java Runtime Environment) installed on it. Thus, source code once written in Java can be run on any platform, which is one of the biggest benefits. It is just that appropriate JRE must be installed on a required operating system which can be downloaded from Java’s official website.

One can easily utilize Node JS for the front end as well as for back-end development as it allows the use of the same JavaScript. Server-side capabilities are provided extensively in Node JS, a developer can listen to and reply to HTTP request on the computer, listen to traffic network and at the same time can access the database from a computer directly. Node JS uses an event-based model to address scalability, and allow rich JavaScript libraries for JavaScript modules which helps in simplify the coding.

Java is portable, means program written for any platform must run similarly on a combination of hardware and operating system. A compiler would convert Java source code to bytecode, and JVM (Java Virtual Machine) which is created inside JRE (Java Runtime Environment) would convert bytecode to machine code. Java has extensive support for concurrency, networking, and GUI (Graphic User Interface).

There are plenty of frameworks based on Node JS such as Express JS, Partial JS etc. When it comes to building fast and scalable server-side application, Node JS is a clear-cut winner. Basically, Node JS gives JavaScript ability to interact with I/O (input/output) devices through its APIs, and connect with other external libraries written in various other languages.

There is a vast number of frameworks which are built using Java. In the current scenario, Spring is vastly used in the web development landscape whose foundation is laid upon Java.

Head to Head Comparison Between Java vs Node JS

Below is the Top 8 Comparisons Between Java vs Node JS

Key Differences Between Java vs Node JS

Some key Differences Between Java vs Node JS are explained below

1. Java is a great option for building complex web-based, highly concurrent application whereas Node JS is ideal for developing small size projects.
2. Java requires Java Development Kit which includes Java compiler and runtime environment to run Java on any machine whereas Node JS must be installed through installable archive file.
3. Source code written in Java is compiled into bytecode and then bytecode is converted to machine code, ready to run on any platform whereas, with Node JS, source code written in a source file is JavaScript, Node JS interpreter will be used to interpret and execute JavaScript code.
4. Java is strictly a server-side language which has nothing to do with the browser, whereas Node JS can be used on client and server side efficiently.
5. Java is heavily used for building complex web-based application with an already provided framework built using Java whereas Node JS is best suited for real-time collaborative drawing or editing applications like Google Docs.
6. Java is an Object-Oriented language needs to be compiled and run inside JRE (Java Runtime Environment) whereas Node JS is a cross-platform runtime system and environment for applications written in JavaScript.
7. Java uses the concept of multithreading with ease whereas Node JS does not use the concept of multi-threading like Java does.
8. For large scale projects that involved concurrency, Java is highly recommended whereas Node JS does not handle the thread as well as Java does, which is the weakest point of this framework.
9. CPU intensive task required huge computational power can be handled with Java whereas I/O bound operations like real-time chat, media streaming etc can be handled well with Node JS.
10. Java is de-facto enterprise standard, it is the most popular programming language in the world whereas Node JS is a framework revolves around JavaScript and can achieve parallelism efficiently which is different from concurrency.

Java vs Node JS Comparison Table

Following is the Comparison Table Between Java and Node JS

BASIS FOR COMPARISON	Java	Node JS
Creation	Class-based, Object-Oriented language derived from C++	Framework written in C, C++, JavaScript
Application	Complex web-based, highly concurrent application	Fast and scalable server-side application
Project	Suited for complex web-based concurrency project	Best suited for small size projects
Usage	Messaging, web application, highly concurrent application	Highly useful when scalable and faster application is required
Installation	Require JDK (Java Development Kit) to run Java	Need to install archive file on a system
Scope	Dominate server-side interaction	Developers can utilize it on client and server side
Frameworks	Spring, Struts, JSF, Tapestry etc.	Has many different frameworks like Express.js, Sails.js, and Partial.js
Application	Simplify application development with Object-Oriented approach	More suited for an application like real-time collaborative drawing/edit like Google Docs

Conclusion Java vs Node JS

Java is a programming language whereas Node JS is a framework written in C, C++, JavaScript. There are lots of stuff which can be done with Java efficiently, but not with Node JS and vice-versa. Java has a vast and rich set of libraries and frameworks which are dominating the web development landscape around the globe for years. Node JS is a framework which is highly suitable for JavaScript developers. It works efficiently for client and server-side part of an application.

Node JS is the preferred choice for I/O bound operations, which is based upon the event-driven model. JavaScript programmer would find more comfort in Node JS, since at the core lies the JavaScript. Java is one of the popular programming languages can achieve multiple objectives with its set of frameworks and libraries. JMS (Java Messaging System), JavaFX, Spring, JSF, Struts etc. are some of the tips of the iceberg offered by Java.

Finally, it depends on what applications one wants to build. Anything done with Node JS can be achieved efficiently with Java libraries and frameworks. Super-fast applications can be built with concurrency in Java, whereas event-driven I/O bound applications can be written efficiently with Node JS framework. At the end of the day, it depends on requirement and developer abilities to understand the technology.

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