Node.js vs Go: Which is Better for Backend Web Development in 2022

Backend development is the hero working in the shadows for a web application; it works behind the scenes. They do not have a UI but work to improve the user experience.

Today, there are a lot of backend development tools, many may be familiar with Node.js, but there are languages like Go that have established their place in the tech world.

Every developer has their own opinion on the best backend programming language. The debate with Node.js in the centre has always been there. Earlier, the discussion was on Node.js vs Python and then React.js vs Node.js, and now Golang has entered the ring.

So after careful analysis of Node.js vs Golang, we give you a detailed overview to help you choose the right programming language that suits your needs.

What is Node?

Since its introduction in 2009, Node.js has maintained its dominance in the web development software industry. It was developed to execute Javascript codes using Google Chrome’s javascript engine.

Node.js is an open-source Javascript framework that can run on different platforms. It has a rich set of libraries that help you simplify complex coding. Nowadays, the scalability and flexibility of Node.js performance have made it possible for us to create code for frontend, backend and server-side development of web apps.

See why you can choose Node.js for your next web app development project.

What is Go?

Golang was created by Rob Pike, Robert Griesemer and Ken Thomson as a statically typed language of Google. They made a language with a collective advantage over all the other languages while having a better performance.

The Core structure of Go is C for safety and Python for speed. It is an open-source programming language. Go language involves limited garbage collection, structural typing, and memory safety features, thus making writing codes easy and efficient.

Go is used for system programming, network programming and web app development. Nowadays, Go is used in machine learning and big data processing ( data sciences ).

Node vs Go

Go is getting popular each day due to its easiness, compilation but Node won’t give up the fight that easily.

Many underlying norms help us identify the better and suitable language for us. Let’s look at a few criteria to quantify the Node.js and Golang comparison.

1. Power

Go has a fair advantage over Node in terms of speed and memory management. The basis of Go structure is the minimalist yet powerful approach with superior memory management tools.

2. Simplicity

There are many ways you could learn the language from the internet. JavaScript is the most widely used language, and understanding the Node.js script is easy. This makes it easier for you to learn Node than Go.

Golang requires full-stack developers to know everything about full-stack, and you would probably need to hire people for the front end work. Considering the learning curve, Node.js will be preferred for web projects.

Read and understand the differences between full stack and specialist developers.

3. Scalability

Golang was initially introduced for its concurrency of program execution. That is, more than one programme can be implemented at a time with minimal memory utilisation. These functions give Go the chance to scale smoothly.

Whereas it’s a different story in the case of Node.js.

The call back functions used by JavaScript makes the concurrent execution ineffective. Node.js is not agile as it should be. Though there is a chance for scalability here, too, Go has the upper hand.

4. Error handling

Error handling is unique in both our subjects.

Go is like a perfectionist who corrects its code while being written. Even though this sometimes disrupts the concentration of the developer, it is an efficient way to solve errors.

More people would be accustomed to the error handling style of Node.js. The try-catch method, where you correct your code after executing your programme.

While Go acts like a “code nazi “, the Node waits till you finish hoping for the best, and when you run, the code block gives you the details all in one go.

5. Raw Performance

Go is better, period.

Performance is directly linked to customer satisfaction. The average response time must be decreased to create an optimal user experience. Go can work without the middle interpreter and is compiled directly into machine code. This gives Go the performance of low-level languages like C or Rust.

Both Golang and Node have an efficient garbage collection system that ensures proper memory allocation and safety. Even with a heavy load, Node and Go perform flawlessly. But in the end, the Go is superior in the case of raw performance.

6. Real-life Performance

The new and improved single thread Node.js boosted efficiency, and the V8 JavaScript ensures that the application is practical without an interpreter.

The database server interaction of Node.js and Golang in terms of performance is relatively equal.

Extra fact: For machine learning, Node.js and Golang are used nowadays, Golang web development efficiency has given Golang the advantage here.

7. Ecosystem

Node.js was created in 2009, there is over a decade worth of popularity for it, and there are many tools too to help it and many tutorials that help people understand it.

Whereas Golang is a toddler with less popularity compared to Node.js. Web development with Golang requires a lot of manual configuration as it supports a cross-platform runtime environment.

Please don’t take me wrong; Golang has its packages and libraries, but to reach the Node.js level of development would take time.

8. Availability of developers

As we discussed, Go is comparatively new to this ecosystem, and it has somewhat a reputation for being difficult with application frameworks. Even though it has a high chance of growth, the availability of Node.js developers is high.

Node.js programming language is much easier, and it is widely used. So building a team of efficient developers would be much easier if you look for Node.js developers.

This is the same scenario for developer tools. Go has a limited variety of tools in its arsenal compared to Node.js.

Find out how you can hire the best web developers depending on your product requirements.

Pros and Cons

To wrap this comparison up, let’s look at some of the pros and cons each has to offer.

Golang

Pros

• Easy to use: The syntax of the language is pretty understandable for a programmer.
• Secure: The advantage of a statically typed stack works well in creating a secure language.
• Documentation: Here Go goes the extra mile to remind the developers to document their work.

Cons

• More resources consumption: Go files seem to occupy more RAM space when compared to other languages.
• Less versatile: With the simplicity, it gives a price of keeping away high functionalities.
• Popularity: To reach the popularity of a widely accepted terminology, it will take a lot of time.

Node.js

Pros

• Scalability: There is a high scalability window for Node.js applications.
• Popularity: It’s been over a decade since it was created. It’s fair to say it has a huge fan base.

Cons

• Asynchronous programming: As Node.js supports this, you need experts who correctly understand asynchronous programming.
• Code errors: Dynamically typed programmes will have many code errors.

Takeaway

Have you decided which is better?

Node.js vs Golang is an intense neck and neck race. In the end, it’s not whether “which is the best?” The question you should look out for is “which is right?”

You have to choose the language that suits your resources and can help your software project reach the pinnacle of success.

With this blog, we hope to shed some light on your confused minds and help you see things from a brighter perspective.

Still need help?

Contact our tech experts and share your requirements to find out the right solution to develop your product.