React & Node.js: A Deadly Combination for Web App Development
Exploring how the integration of React & Node.js is one of the best combinations for web app development.
React builds user engaging interfaces whereas Node.js can develop flexible web apps having high functionality and minimal response time.
Developers have witnessed a trend where they integrate React with Node.js to create high-performing feature-packed applications.
According to w3techs, 3.6% of websites use React whose JavaScript library we know. This is 2.9% of all websites. Similarly, 85% of developers use Node.js for web app development, and it can increase the app’s performance by 50%.
The integration of both tools is one of the killer combinations to readily build modular and complex web apps.
It is worth noting that the combination of React and Node.js in web application development is showing impressive results.
In this blog, we will dive deeper into how combining both technologies can be a boon.
React is a popular choice among developers aspiring to build native, hybrid, and robust applications.
Let’s embrace the features of React and determine why it is one of the best pairings for Node.js
Features of React
For web app development, React offers a series of outstanding features that makes it the most favored library. Let us explore its features in depth.
- Comprises multiple components that are imported into a unique component. Each component is an element of UI design and possesses its logic and control. These components are reusable.
- Follows a one-way data binding approach. Hence, data flow unidirectionally and is transferred from top to bottom, i.e. from parent to child.
- Allow developers to write HTML and JavaScript together. Uses JavaScript Syntax Extension (JSX) extension.
- Has a virtual DOM for better app performance. With every variation in the application, the virtual DOM updates the comprehensive user interface.
- It has a declarative UI to enhance the code readability while simplifying debugging.
Advantages of React
- It is a one-stop solution to build SEO-friendly web applications.
- Code reusability allows developers to save valuable time, and effort in development and debugging.
- Data binding enables developers to monitor the changes made to any specific data segment.
- Follow a component-based approach. Using plain JavaScript simplifies grasping it. Combining HTML and JavaScript forms JSX syntax to simplify its functioning.
- Developers can use its application parts on both the client-side and server-side to speed up the development process.
- This library was designed to deliver high-performing apps. Virtual DOM and server-side rendering allow complex applications to function swiftly.
Node.js
Erstwhile, we have dug into the features and advantages of React.js, let us walk through the attributes and utility of Node.js.
Node.js is an open-source programming language developed in JavaScript. It can operate on multiple platforms, thereby minimizing the development time and process. Due to its scalability, it is emerging as an ideal choice for developers. Using Node.js developers can build advanced applications based on WebSockets and microservices.
Did you know that 2.0% of all websites use Node.js whose web server do we know? Didn’t that amazed you? Even tech giants like Twitter and Walmart use Node for their backend development.
Features of Node.js
- Compatible with various platforms like mobile, Linux, Unix, Windows, and Mac OS X.
- Its lightweight feature supports the quick development and deployment of apps. As it allows quick data processing, we can also use it in microservices development.
- It can execute and upload files at the same time. Consequently, it enhances the speed of data streaming.
- For both front-end and back-end development, you can use the uniform coding language. Hence, developers have to operate with minimal files while eliminating flip-flops between the languages.
- It possesses a cluster module to deal with load balance for all operational CPUs.
Advantages of Node.js
- Scalable in comparison to other servers. Allows scaling in both horizontal and vertical directions.
- Using Microservices, developers can divide their applications into minor components. Thus, they can specify tasks and distribute them among various teams for quick development, deployment, and maintenance.
- Follows a single-threaded architecture with an event-loop model. The event mechanism allows the server to respond in a non-blocking format and makes it scalable. Additionally, it can handle multiple requests concurrently.
- Enables quick code execution due to usage of V8 JavaScript Runtime motor. It splits JavaScript features into machine code, which simplifies the execution process.
- Its package manager, NPM (NODE PACKAGE MANAGER) possesses dynamic storage of modules and tools for app development.
Can We Use Node.js with React?
Certainly. Node.js is an acceptable platform to host and run web servers for React applications.
The reasons are:
- Node.js works with the NPM registry for package and update installation through NPM CLI.
- It clusters React applications into a unique file. It is performed using Node modules and a web pack to ease the compilation.
Besides, using Node.js to host and run web servers can help in several ways.
- Integration of the V8 engine helps to respond to bulk requests. These requests are managed using callback functions to oversee quality and quantity.
- Novice developers can run the React code in the Node.js environment.
- Components of React DOM are designed accordingly to function with Node.js to minimize code and ease server-side rendering.
E.g. Walmart integrated React with Node.js for their front-end development. It improved their website performance.
Top 5 Reasons to use React and Node.js
High server load: Their combination allows developers to handle requests and hold the server load balance.
Real-time Data: Developers can have a continued and stable server connection in case their app is real-time and data-intensive.
JSON APIs: Node.js allows the efficient building of JSON APIs for applications. The code reusability enables it to share with React.js.
MERN Stack: Can be integrated with MERN stack (MongoDB, React, Node.js, and Express).
Single-page Applications: Eases the development of single-page applications. Moreover, it forms a lightweight and vigorous back-end model for asynchronous loading through callback functions.
Now that you have learned the perks of both programming languages, let’s determine what spark the fusion of Node.js with React can trigger.
Boons of combining React and Node.js for Web App Development
Real-time Data: Node.js’ event-driven structure helps to develop real-time applications. React with the Node.js backend will improve your application’s credibility to manage traffic. If you intend to develop a data streaming application or your application deals with real-time data management, Node.js is a perfect solution to build the app.
Scalability: Node.js with React allows the development of dynamic, data-driven, responsive, and modular web applications. It leads to scalability for large-scale projects and improves website performance.
Quick Development: The deadly combination of React with Node.js can increase your ROI, and save you valuable time and money. The association is an excellent platform to build easy-to-maintain and swiftly functioning websites due to its code reusability and cross-platform compatibility.
Unique language for both server and client-side: It’s time to avoid using complex backend languages. React for the front end and Node.js for the back end eliminates switching between different frameworks and languages for web app development.
High-server load: This doublet possesses the capability to manage high-server loads and requests. As a result, it allows the developers to work readily during the development operations.
Better App Performance: Developers often experience quick response and page load time due to the in-built modular architecture of React and Node. PayPal experienced a decline of 35% on average page response time after the deployment of Node.js.
Key Takeaways
Despite having different functionalities, developers appreciate the combination of React and Node.js to build reusable UI modules. Whether you are building a fresh application or updating an existing app, React with Node.js backend integration is doing miracles in web development.
React with Node.js provides a platform to build robust web applications swiftly while leading to high-performance devices.
According to Statista, React.js has become the most used framework, and 40.14% of developers reported using React in 2021. Furthermore, globally, 30 million websites used Node.js for web app development.
Both these unicorns have a distinguished appearance in the world of programming languages. Full-stack development with React and Node.js can scale up your website’s performance and accelerate your business functioning. Thus, tech giants using this deadly combination have survived in the ever-growing competitive market.
FAQs
What are Node.js and React?
Node.js is an open-source platform used to develop server-side applications. Whereas React is an open-source front-end framework used to create web applications.
What is the best backend for React?
Node.js is the most preferred backend for React. It creates microservices and is suitable for real-time data-intensive applications.
Can Node.js work with React?
Yes, Node.js can work with React. Node.js is a convenient platform to host and run web servers for apps built on React.
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