In an article published last year, the Node.js Foundation had asked developers how they use Node.js. The article published the result of the survey: Node JS was taking over the world of enterprise applications development by storm and is rapidly outperforming platforms such as Java, which has got to do with certain factors. Let us see why Node js for Enterprise applications development: 

JavaScript: 

Node.js is a JavaScript (JS) platform. JS is fairly simple to learn and opens up a new world of opportunities even for those who don’t have any formal IT education or background to become decent coders in a relatively short time frame. This can be the biggest takeaway of learning Node.js - the kind of flexibility it offers. 

API Mashups:

Human evolution is all about disruption and building innovative tools and platforms that help in the development of more complex platforms and tools. Think about how an enterprise application developer would have evolved.

In the bygone era, enterprise developers were using assembler programs to write financial systems. Over time, languages such as PL/I, COBOL, and FORTRAN went on to enhance developer productivity. As time went by, assembler languages gave way to Java, C#, C++, etc.

By now, enterprises developed API ecosystems that support critical business processes.  Tag on to the mix cloud APIs, and here we go...we can build new applications like API mashups. As it unfolds, Node.js and JavaScript make a fabulous API mashup platform.

Performance of Node.js:

Node.js does not outride Java at memory intensive and CPU tasks, and, maybe, it never will. However, that is not its forte. 

Where Node.js has Java back to the wall is in IO-intensive use cases. Hold on, in the case of applications driven by networked API this will be the talking point of Node.js as API mashup. 

Increased developer productivity:

Gone are the days when one has to built out a web server that is Java-based for getting an application server such as WebLogic, WebSphere or JBoss, considered to carry a high price tag.  If you are a Java developer, you’ll appreciate the idea of keeping out of JEE application servers entirely. In Java, that just isn’t trivial. 

In Node.js, however, if you need to set up an application server, you have to write handful lines of JS code. Try comparing a simple ‘hello world’ application server developed making use of Node.js and expression framework with that of the same thing built out of JBoss. That’s pain in the neck for sure, when all you need to do to get going is sprinkle a code or two.

The perfect combination:

We are seeing more new coders joining the Node.js bandwagon, courtesy the complex nature of JavaScript; the old schoolers coming out of Java and several other coding platforms have started to realize how Node.js stands out in terms of productivity. The combination of Java and Node.js can create magic, and why not? Enterprises have been quick to understand the might of Node.js and adopted it as the preferred platform for all latest applications.