A brief introduction to how Node.js works.
Tags: node, webdev, javascript
Published: 2020-04-28 16:52:45

When it comes to web applications, there are some crucial success parameters, such as performance, scalability, and latency. Node.js is the javascript runtime environment that achieves low latency with high processing by taking a "non-blocking" model approach. Many leading enterprises like Netflix, Paypal, eBay, IBM, Amazon, and others rely entirely on the flawless performance of Node.js.

The maturity of Node.js within companies is a piece of strong evidence of the platform's versatility. It is moving to surpass being merely a web application platform and beginning to be utilized for agile experimentation with business automation, data and IoT solutions.

__So what exactly is Node.js and how does it work?__

Node.js is an open-source, Javascript runtime environment on Chrome’s V8 that lets you effortlessly develop fast and scalable web applications. It utilizes an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight, efficient and excellent for data-intensive real-time applications that run across shared devices.

To understand what is so special about Node.js in 2020. We have covered the topic in detail: [What is Node.js? Where, when and how to use it with examples](https://www.simform.com/what-is-node-js/?utm_source=dev.to&utm_medium=inline_cta&utm_campaign=nodejs)

__How does Node.js work?__

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/zwsqqqvy1zapwh20x7ri.png)

Node.js is an epitome of an exceptionally customizable and scalable tech. The server engine utilizes an event-based, non-blocking I/O model. This makes the adaptation of Javascript easier to the machine language providing execution of the code super fast. Thanks to Javascript and Node.js, the code operates faster in server-to-client direction. This enhances the performance ability of the web applications to the next level. To be more precise, web application development in Node.js ensures a steady and secure non-blocking I/O model, simplifying the code beautifully.

Node.js runs over Google’s  V8 Javascript engine, where web applications are event-based in an asynchronous manner. Node.js platform uses a “single-threaded event loop.”

So, how exactly does Node.js handle concurrent requests along with a single-threaded model?  Well! “Multi-threaded request-response” architecture is an event loop that is much slower and unable to handle multiple concurrent threads at a time. 

![Alt Text](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/2euqwipkatw4w5ar6twx.png)

The platform does not follow a similar request/response multi-threaded stateless model; instead, it goes by a simplified single-threaded event loop model. As per Node.js developers, a specific library called “Libuv” provides this mechanism known as an event loop. This Node.js processing model is majorly based on Javascript event-based model along with the callback mechanism.

__Conclusion__

Node.js runs on a single-threaded event loop and is famous for its asynchronous non-blocking model. Due to its many advantages like scalability, speed, and high performance, it has become a standalone choice for developing modern-day web applications. To dive deeper into Node.js and understand Where, when and how to it, explore the entire blog

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