Differences Between Ruby vs Node
Node.js is a cross-platform, fast and lean JavaScript runtime environment built on 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 will be useful for both servers and desktop applications. Ruby is an open-source programming language, object-oriented language with a focus on simplicity, portability, extensibility, and productivity. Due to its simple syntax, it makes it easy to read and write if we are familiar with other programming languages like python.
What is Node?
Node.js is written in c/c++, JavaScript and its package ecosystem NPM (node package manager), consists of a large number of 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. Node is well suitable to handle asynchronous JS code to perform many activities.
What is Ruby?
Ruby is an open-source programming language, object-oriented language. It was developed mostly on Linux and works across all platforms like UNIX, Windows, DOS, and Mac OS etc. Ruby was created by Yukihiro Matsumoto and first released in 1995. As it is open-source, we can free to modify, edit according to our needs and use. Ruby is similar to Small talk and Perl as it is object-oriented like Small talk and convenient as Perl which makes it programs to easier to maintain.
Head to Head Comparison Between Ruby and Node (Infographics)
Below is the top 7 comparisons between Ruby and Node:
Key differences between Ruby and Node
Below is the list of points that explains the key differences between Ruby and Node:
- Node.js will provide faster server-side solutions due to its event-based programming, non-blocking I/O usage of a single CPU compared to Ruby.
- Node.js has less learning curve than Ruby and it is easy to learn for those came from different programming background whereas Ruby has more learning resources, communities available online.
- Ruby needs to have a definite file/folder structure whereas Node.js is very flexible we can put entire code in a single file or in multiple files or directories.
- Node.js has no rules on filenames we can name files as we needed whereas Ruby has strict rules on filenames, if we change filename then the application will crash.
- Ruby supports multi-threading in its operations and it is better for CPU intensive applications whereas Node.js is single threaded, best suitable for heavy I/O applications and not suitable for CPU intensive applications.
- In Ruby, there are no callbacks i.e. all instructions are executed in a sequential manner whereas Node.js has callbacks and works in an asynchronous fashion.
- In Ruby, code maintenance is easy as it has rules while developing and easily transferable between developers whereas Node.js code maintenance is tricky or difficult as it doesn’t have any rules for developers.
- Node.js is inconsistent as API will change frequently and improves over time whereas Ruby is consistent as it will have fewer changes.
- Node.js can be used as a programming language for both front-end and back-end development whereas Ruby is for back-end development.
- Node.js package ecosystem NPM (node package manager) has a large collection of libraries whereas Ruby doesn’t have as much as Node.js
Ruby and Node Comparison Table
Following is the comparison table between Ruby and Node.js.
| Basis of comparison | Ruby | Node |
| Framework Type | Ruby is an opinionated framework and expects to do things in a certain way which is a disadvantage while debugging web applications | Node.js is a non-opinionated framework as it provides more control but there are no standard rules to follow while developing. In order to work in a team, we need to have certain rules to follow while coding which Node.js doesn’t have. |
| Development Time | Ruby has the ability to develop a complete CRUD application with the database connection, migration with few commands via command line. | Node.js it will take time as we need to write code, find modules that will be required and integrating with other modules. Though Node.js gives the flexibility of choosing different components and integrating them takes more time. |
| Performance | Ruby is very slow in the performance which is a bottleneck for it. Sometimes debugging Ruby application is time consuming and difficult process due to its abstract nature. | Node.js is faster than Ruby in many cases due to its JavaScript engine even though it has some issues. |
| Learning Curve | Ruby is easy to learn as it has numerous tutorials and courses are there for learning in online. It has the most active developer community by which we can learn easily if we stuck anywhere while learning. | Node.js learning curve is less compared to ruby but developers from different programming background such as C/C++ also can learn easily. It is easy for front-end developers to learn as we are writing in JavaScript. |
| CPU Intensive Tasks | Ruby is well suited for CPU intensive tasks such as image processing, data processing, and rapid application development. | Node.js will cause hung of web applications when handling CPU intensive tasks as it uses a single thread. It will a long time and prevent other tasks to run. |
| Scalability | Ruby is not as scalable as Node.js and so many companies migrated from Ruby to Node.js due to scalability such as the New York Times, LinkedIn, Uber, PayPal etc. | Node.js is more scalable compared to ruby as it has clusters with abstractions which can spawn processes based on workload of web application with minimum number of CPU’s. |
| Talent Finding | Ruby is known by very few people with knowledge of both Ruby and framework due to this they have huge demand and need to give high pay as they are hard to get | Node.js has more people with good knowledge about the framework and programming language. We can get both front-end and back-end developers from a single person and no need to pay as high as Ruby. |
Conclusion Ruby vs Node.js
Finally, Its an overview of comparison between Ruby vs Node.js. I hope after reading this Ruby vs Node.js article you will have a better understanding of these frameworks and programming languages. As both Ruby vs Node.js can achieve the same results but Ruby is suitable for cases where we need to develop CPU intensive applications or need to move quickly for CURD operations and Node.js is suitable for cases where we need to develop applications having heavy I/O operations from the application, single page applications, real-time applications etc.
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