Express vs Nest
Tags: javascript, programming, typescript, node
Published: 2024-05-22 21:14:01

**This post was maded to show the difference between the principal node frameworks, pros and cons**

About ExpressJs
Express is one of the oldest and most widely used open-source frameworks for Node.js. Primarily utilized for building REST APIs, it offers a plethora of features for web application development.
**Key Features: Minimalistic and Lightweight, Middleware-based, Large ecosystem, Manual Configuration, Unopinionated Structure**

**Pros**
1. **Simplicity and Minimalism**

- **Lightweight:** Express is minimalistic, offering straightforward way to create web applications without a lot of overhead.

- **Flexibility:** you have more control and flexibility to structure your aplpcation as you see fit, without being constrained by a framework's architecture.

1. **Performance** 

- Efficiency: its has a smaller footprint and can be more efficient for applications that don't need a lot of build-in functionality.

- Fast: its minimalist nature can lead to faster performance for certain tasks compared to more feature-rich frameworks.

1. **Large Community and Ecosystem**

- **Mature Ecosystem:** Being one of the oldest Node.js frameworks, Express has a vast ecosystem of middleware and third-party libraries.

- **Extensive Documentation:** There is a wealth of documentation, tutorials and community support available.

**Cons**

1. **Lack of Structure**

- **Manual Configuration:** I guess its obvious, but Express needed to be seted up many aspects of your application manually, which can lead to inconsistencies and more boilerplate code.

- **Scalability Issues:** As the application grows, managing the structure and dependencies can become cumbersome.

2. **Limited Features:**

- **Basic Functionality:** Express provices a basic set of features out of the box. Advanced features like dependency injection, modules, or middleware require additional setup and configuration.

About Nest
It's one of the most popular open-source framework which is extensively used in web app development services. Designed on Typescrip, utilizes progressive JavaScript, main components of the NestJs include controllers, modules and provides.

**Key Features**: **Built-in features, Typescript support, Modular Architecture, Dependency Injection, Opinionated project structure, Swagger ntegration.**

**Pros**

1. **Modular Architecture:**

- **Organized Structure:** NestJs promotes a modular architecture, making it easier to manage and scale large applications.

- **Built-in Dependency Injection:** This helps in managing dependencies efficiently and facilitates testing and maintenance.

2. **Comprehensive Features:**

- **Out-of-the-Box Functionality:** NestJs comes with many built-in features such as authentication, validation, and WebSockets, reducing the need for third-party libraries. 

- **Typescript Support:** Designed to work seamlessly with Typescript, providing type safety and better tooling support.

3. **Consistency and Convention:**

- **Standardized Practices:** It enforces a consistent coding style and best practices, which can improve code quality and maintainability.

- **Extensive Documentation:** Detailed documentation and a supportive community help developers get up to speed quickly.

**Cons**

1. **Learning Curve:**

- **Complexity:** It has a steeper learning curve compared to Express due to its more complex architecture and the use of Typescript.

- **Overhead:** The additional features and structure can fell like overkill for small or simple applications.

2. **Performance Overhead:**

- **Heavier Framework:** NestJs extensive feature set and abstractions can introduce some performance overhead compared to the leaner Express framework.

**Conclusion**
As any good developer knows, there is no silver bullet or definitive choice between the two. The decision depends on the project's specifications and its dependencies. Generally, Express is ideal for smaller, lightweight, and flexible projects, while NestJS is better suited for scalable and complex projects.

Project maded with NestJs: https://github.com/Mlodovico/petshop-backend-nest

Project maded with Node + Express:
https://github.com/Mlodovico/go-barber/tree/main/GoBarber-back-end