Top NodeJS Frameworks for Web Development in 2024

Table of Contents

Introduction

The IT sector is under immense pressure to appease the needs of unusually varied businesses with emerging technologies. All enterprises now want to create their custom digital web presence to stay ahead of the competition or promote their services.

With the introduction of Node.js in 2009, a companionship was introduced that completed JavaScript client-side scripting. Node js framework enabled developers in server-side scripting using JavaScript language. Since then, Node.js has become the most popular and viable runtime environment for developing custom web applications. A recent survey from StackOverflow shows that Node.js is the most common web technology developers use these days 47.12% of responses.

When choosing the best Node js framework for your Nodejs development, many frameworks are available, and selecting one is not easy. In this blog post on the top Node frameworks of 2024, we will classify the top Node.js libraries, the most popular Nodejs framework for Microservices, Node js api frameworks, Node js framework for AWS lambda, the best unit testing framework for Node.js, best Node js MVC framework. We will also discuss each Node js framework’s core features, pros, and cons.

Salient Features of Node.js

Well! We learned about the popularity of Node.js, but before we jump to our actual topic of best nodejs frameworks 2024, let us look at the features that make Node.js a center of attraction for product owners.

• Lightweight, scalable, and fast with less development time
• Event-driven model
• Enhanced Productivity, Robust Community, and a wide variety of libraries
• Reusable code and real-time apps
• Secure frontend and backend development
• Effective client app request handling
• No buffering, easy to learn, and Consistent source code

Types of Nodejs Frameworks

Web application technology offers various frameworks diverse based on their use cases, development times, and other aspects. Similarly, when it comes to Nodejs web framework, there are three types of Nodejs frameworks.

MVC Framework

The MVC or Model View Controller is architectural anatomy. It is used as the base for making flexible frameworks that permit product owners to create app layers separately. It offers a design pattern that splits app logic into three core parts that can be understood by the names of Models, Views, and Controllers. Express.js is based on the MVC framework.

Full-stack MVC frameworks

A full-stack MVC framework is convenient for building real-time apps. It offers structural efficiency, libraries, templates, and other additional developmental features. Another significant part is that, as the name suggests, full-stack so that it can manage both frontend and backend development processes. It also provides various tools for developing and updating apps.

REST API frameworks

Rest API or Representational State Transfer. It is an impressive factor for Node.js frameworks as they are a classic choice for faster development processes with outstanding Rest API experience, which means the product owners are free from the hassle of worrying about the architectural style of network apps. REST API frameworks are also helpful in developing reliable server-client communication routes.

Which One is the Best Nodejs Framework?

If you are wondering which is the best Node js framework of 2024 amongst the most popular Nodejs frameworks, let me get you through each Node js framework in detail.

Node.js MVC Framework When your app uses the MVC framework, your app’s application logic is split amongst the model-view-controller.

The bifurcation of logic simplifies the maintenance and scalability of your application. Being full-Stack MVC Frameworks, Node.js for real-time app development. Your app assists template engines, scaffolding, libraries, and additional developmental capabilities.

In short, you can acquire comprehensive aid for frontend and backend development. When developing your web application with this framework, you can relax regarding the network apps’ architecture. The REST API will take care of it.

Top Nodejs Frameworks to Use in 2024

The developer community has openly welcomed the Nodejs frameworks. It has gained excellent benefits like increased developer productivity, enhanced app performance, reduced development cost, and more. Entrepreneurs are looking for Node frameworks that minimize resource consumption and reduce marketing time. Let us check out the list of the Best Nodejs Frameworks to Use in 2024

Express.js Framework

Everyone loves the Express.js framework for nodejs development. It is the most popular web application framework. It is a unique framework that helps developers develop mobile and desktop applications at a quicker and faster pace. Additionally, it has enormous features making scalability and speed its top priority. Being light in weight, it gets along well with free accessible modules from the public database of the NPM.

It features an incredible API and assures rendering of the best performance without splitting the difference between an ideal Node.js framework’s functions.

Official Website: http://expressjs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 56.3k

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What Are the Core Features of Express.js Framework?

• High-performance to enable multiple operations
• Server-side programming packages to speed up the process with minor code lines
• High Test-coverage for building applications
• HTTP helpers that make programs reusable
• Content negotiation- for enhanced communication between client and server
• MVC architectural pattern

Pros of Express.JS

• Low learning curve
• Ideal for developing a short app cycle
• Customizations enabled
• Flexible & adjustable

Cons of Express.JS

• Complexity
• Code-organization

When to Use Express.js?
It enables faster development of web apps with its almost readily available grounds for API integration. It is also ideal for enterprise-grade or browser-based apps for any web or mobile app development. Product owners also prefer it for small and large-scale web app developments.

Companies that Use Expess.js

• Netflix
• eBay
• Uber
• IBM

Hapi Framework

Hapi is a stable, reliable, and one of the most popular Node.js frameworks in 2024; which you can utilize for building REST APIs. It provides an incredible ability to make servers with unique features; there is no doubt that Hapi is considered the most favorable option for the Node.js framework.

Official Website: https://www.hapijs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 14k

What Are the Core Features of Hapi.js Framework?

• Scalability
• Minimum Overhead
• Secure defaults
• Fast & simple bug-fixing
• Rich community
• Compatible with MySQL, MongoDB, & other databases
• Compatible with HTTPS proxy server & Rest APIs
• Authentication, Caching, & Input validation

Pros of Hapis.JS

• Plugin-based architecture
• Configuration-centric
• Supports Microservices
• Functionally-rich web server
• Robust libraries

Cons of Hapi.JS

• Manual creation & testing of endpoints
• Manual Refactoring

When to Use Hapi.js?
Security is the USP of Hapi. Product owners prefer it for secure, scalable, real-time, and social-media apps. Mainly they use it for proxies and API servers.

Companies that use Hapi

• Gozova
• Boodle

Koa Framework

Another primary Node.js framework is the engineers of express formed Koa.js, a next-generation web framework for Node.js. The Koa framework is tiny due to its ES2017 async abilities but is vital for developing Web apps and APIs. As it does not pack the middleware, the middleware is streamlined progressively. Furthermore, each of the code lines is rich. It offers extensive features, but there’s an ongoing battle between Koa vs Express in NodeJS. Not only does it provide customized options, but it is highly customizable.

Official Website: https://koajs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 33k

What Are the Core Features of Koa.js Framework?

• Customizable & futuristic framework
• Exceptional error-handling
• Middleware cascade to personalize user-experience
• Normalises inconsistencies & helps code maintenance
• Cache cleaning, proxy support, content negotiation
• Customization options

Pros of Koa.js Framework

• Lightweight
• Support for sync/await keywords
• Generator functions transcend

Cons of Koa.JS

• Small Community
• Negligible compatibility with Express style middleware

When to Use Koa?
Both Koa and Express are built by the same team of developers. The additional features of Express, like routing and templating, “augment Node,” whereas Koa was intended to “fix and replace Node.” Koa is suitable for getting rid of callbacks, whereas Express is suitable for implementing Nodejs and conventional Nodejs-style coding. Instead of Node’s req and res objects, Koa exposes its ctx.request and ctx.response objects.

Companies that use Koa

• Bulb
• GAPO
• Paralect
• Pier
• Shimo Website
• LetzChange
• airCloset
• Brainhub

Socket Framework

Socket.js, one of the top Nodejs frameworks, is used to generate real-time computing applications. Additionally, it is pretty popular among developers as it renders accuracy, easing the entire process.

It grants to build web socket applications like dashboard APIs, chatbots, score tickets, and others. It is not one of those regular Node.js frameworks.

Official Website: https://socket.io/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 56.6k

What Are the Core Features of Socket.js Framework?

• Binary Support
• Support for multiplexing
• Reliability
• Support for auto-reconnect
• Error-detection & auto-correct
• Similar APIs for client & server-side development

Pros of Socket.js

• Helps in multiplexing
• Extremely fast
• Supports real-time data analytics
• Smooth and seamless socket authentication
• Personalized URL routing
• Helps the JSON serializable objects

Cons of Socket.js

• The connection on the server stays open
• Unable to create or build web applications that need updates periodically

When to use Socket.io
Socket.io is a javascript library ideal for real-time apps like video conferencing, chat room apps, multi-player games, and others. We can also say for apps where servers push data without user requests.

Companies that use Socket.io

• Alibaba Travels
• AO.com
• Patreon
• Barogo
• TradingView
• Bepro Company

Meteor Web Framework

Meteor framework is a straightforward full-stack Node.js framework used to build mobile and web apps. Compatible with Android, iOS, and desktop, Meteor.js extends a lot of help to ease nodejs development.

It renders a platform or a secured space for the entire application tier for staying in the same language, JavaScript.

Official Website: https://www.meteor.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 43k

What Are the Core Features of Meteor.js Framework?

• Removes the need to update mobile applications regularly
• It supports sync catchphrases
• Light in weight
• Very several lines of code are required
• Seamless and smooth implementation with Vue, React, Angular, Mongo, etc
• Same codes for multiple devices

Pros of Meteor.js

• Allows Syncing of catchphrases
• Huge and vast libraries and packages
• Robust and strong community
• Lightweight architecture
• No need to renovate the mobile applications

Cons of Meteor.JS

• It lacks the widget library
• No flexibility in terms of network connection
• Unable to create progressive web applications

When to use Meteor.js
If you are a JavaScript pro, then Meteor.js is your guy. You can build apps easily and quickly as it allows you to use the same code in both web and mobile apps. With Meteor, you can deploy live updates on the installed apps without disrupting ongoing user sessions.

Companies that use Meteor.js

• Mazda
• Accenture
• Deloitte

Sails.js Framework

This Node JS framework is a real-time MVC web development created and built on express. Sail.js creates the recent data-driven style of web applications and APIs. It offers essential blueprints so you do not need to compose any code. It utilizes code generators that help build applications with less written code.

Official Website: https://sailsjs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 22.3k

What Are the Core Features of Sails.js Framework?

• Highly compatible with sites that create frontend platforms
• It helps socket.io
• Easy and hassle-free management of HTTP requests
• Offers ORM (Object rational mapping)
• Smooth and seamless integration of middleware
• Smooth transactions
• Ensures superior quality
• Creation of a simple project template

Pros of Sails.js

• You can store and save data anywhere
• The distinct UI from the business logic
• Simple and easy project templates
• Seamless integration of middleware
• Offers essential blueprints

Cons of Sails.js

• Quite a slow framework
• Slow development of the project
• Weak management of assets

When to use Sails.js
It is an excellent choice for customized chat apps due to its accurate, streamlined data and reusable-middleware functions. You can also use it for integrating gaming and social media apps, as it is ideally compatible with Socket.io. It is preferably used for custom, enterprise-scale Node.js apps.

Companies that use Sails.js

• Lithium Technologies
• Greendeck

Total.js Framework

It is a speedy and swift Node framework Web that requires assistance. It offers consistent scaling development and progress with an incredible performance in relevance to application development. Promising to provide stable services, it constructs IoT applications flexibly.

Official Website: https://www.totaljs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 4.2k

What Are the Core Features of Total.js?

• Supports several databases like MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, etc
• Quick prototyping
• Extremely efficient in terms of developing projects
• Features a modular coding structure
• High Compatibility
• Allows and grants frontend development
• Comprises of enormous pre-developed components for quick and smooth development
• Creates real-time responsive applications
• Community chat

Pros of Total.js

• Possesses pre-developed components
• Fast and enhanced prototyping
• Community chat
• Capable of making real-time responsive applications

Cons of Total.JS

• It lacks a robust and strong community
• It lacks adequate support

When to use Total.js
Total.js is a complete framework for customized development, visual programming interfaces in IoT, eCommerce web development, cloud services, and real-time collaboration. Total.js can help you speed up the development process and prevent monetary loss if you are on a deadline.

Companies that use Total.js

• Medium
• CapitalOne
• Trello

Feather.js Framework

Feather.js is considered one of the Node js REST API Frameworks. As the name suggests, this framework is extremely light as a feather. It can smoothly interact, connect with the backend technology, and extend its assistance to various databases.

Additionally, this framework can manage to work with frontend technologies such as React Native and Angular/React.js. Generally, it acts like one of the top Node js framework libraries that helps create applications according to the REST principles.

Official Website: https://feathersjs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 14.1k

What Are the Core Features of Feather.js?

• Feather.js serves as a real-time framework
• Simplifies the development of modern Web applications
• Consequently, it grants access to connect with 3rd party services
• It connects with 3rd party applications
• It helps to build minimalistic web frameworks

Pros of Feather.js

• Feather.JS experiences a universal usage
• It provides REST APIs automatically
• It has the ability to support rational as well as the non-rational database
• Accelerates error handling

Cons of Feather.js

• Unable to get along and work with websites that wish to render views on the server
• It takes a comparatively longer time to learn

When to use Feather.js
Feather.js can build production-ready real-time apps and REST APIs within a brief timeframe. You can create a full-stack web app using services and hooks. You can also simplify complex apps and reduce development time using Feather.

Companies that use Feather.js

• Didomi
• Marcapo
• Mylo
• Chatbot Plus
• Koola
• Company Stack

NestJS Framework

Nest.js is a flexible framework that can be utilized for building server-side applications. These server-side applications are reliable and streamlined. Written on TypeScript, it uses progressive JavaScript. It is increasing at a high rate because of its flexibility.

The server-side apps built with the help of Nest.js are scalable and reliable. Utilizing Express.js, it offers an unusual application architecture allowing fast and smooth development of simplified maintainable, highly scalable, and vaguely paired testable applications. Additionally, Nest.js is accompanied by an array of healthy and robust typing models like Functional Programming, Functional Reactive Programming, and Object-Oriented Programming.

Official Website: https://nestjs.com/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 50k

What Are the Core Features of Nest.js?

• Unlocks incredible features with Nest CLI
• Possess features of Express.JS
• Trustworthy
• Uses TypeScript
• Provides modular structure for managing codes
• Builds healthy front end development on AngularJS
• It helps to build Web applications that comprise of such features that are usually distinct from their contemporaries

Pros of Nest.JS

• Possess scalable technologies
• It is event-based & super-fast
• Has a strong and robust corporate support
• A vibrant ecosystem with several open-source libraries

Cons of Nest.JS

• Users face issues in designs
• The tools are immature
• Performance is often congested and lousy

When to use NestJS
Nest.js enables efficient and scalable web app development. It organizes the architecture pattern and keeps it clean and modularized, which helps product owners to build more scalable and easily maintainable apps. So, if you plan on building a new app NestJS is a perfect choice.

Companies that use NestJS

• Adidas
• Autodesk
• Neoteric
• Sanofi

Loopback Framework

Loopback is a pervasive and influential best Node.js server framework, making it on the list of popular Nodejs frameworks. It owns a simple CLI and Zestful API website browser, offering extremely viable features.

It allows Node developers to build their models smoothly. Featuring dynamic API explorer, it has an easy-to-use CLI. Moreover, it enables you to construct those models that entirely depend on your schema. The best part is that this Node.JS is compatible and integrates well with various REST services.

These services include MongoDB, Oracle, Postgres, MySQL, etc. Furthermore, it grants the user to construct a server API that maps to another server. Assisting and helping the native browser and mobile SDKs helps multiple clients such as Android/Java, Browser, and iOS JavaScript (Angular).

Official Website: https://loopback.io/
License: MIT
GitHub Stars: 13.3k

What Are the Core Features of Loopback.js?

• It helps the developer to generate SDKs swiftly
• Helps to create API documents
• It can be connected smoothly with any of the databases
• One outstanding feature is that it supports a plethora of databases
• It features model-relation- support
• It can run on the cloud
• Connects browsers and devices with data
• Owns a structured code
• Has enhanced documentation for quick development
• Excellent file management

Pros of Loopback.JS

• It is a full-stack framework
• It helps in a swift development
• Modular and structured code
• Built-in models and features

Cons of Loopback.JS

• Steep learning curve
• Monolithic and biased architecture

When to use Loopback.JS
Loopback is all about the APIs. It is exclusive to building powerful end-to-end APIs and handling API requests. You can also use it as an external API service to accelerate the delivery of solutions, add security, authenticate, and many others with it.

Companies that use Loopback.js

• GoDaddy
• Department of Energy of the United States
• Symantec

Adonis.js

Adonis.js is one of the most popular Node js API frameworks that is attractive and simple. It assists in creating effective web apps from scratch. It also enables product owners to write stable server-side programs. Comparatively, Adonis.js is a new Node.js framework for microservices development. It has multiple packages that run the server side of your app. The framework provides much abstraction over Node.js – you won’t be working with typical runtime syntax.

Laravel hugely inspired the framework, so developers who worked with this PHP framework will perhaps have the easiest time transferring to Adonis.js.

Official Website: https://adonisjs.com/
License: MIT
Github Stars: 12.9k

What Are the Core Features of Adonis.js

• It offers easy validation of user input
• Organized Pattern with a folder structure
• Service provider for lifecycle dependency mgmt. and IOC for DI(Dependency Injection)
• Facility to write custom functional test scripts
• Support for Lucid Object Relational Mapping
• Protection against threats like cross-site forgery protection

Pros of Adonis.js

• Native support of Express, MEAN, and Koa
• Unopinionated framework
• Customize WebSocket, ORM, routing, JWT, and other features
• First Node.js framework to support JSON APIs natively
• Flexible template engine for dynamic content delivery.

Cons of Adonis.js

• Small Community
• Documentation, not Proper

Companies that use Adonis:

• Synergy Global Network
• Caravelo
• Nina
• AI and Robotics
• dot group
• O2Dev
• DORMshed
• FIVB
• Phare.io

When to use Adonis.js?
Adonis.js is suitable for developing fast web apps and services that can return the JSON responses from a controller. It enables full-stack web app development with support for frontend technologies compatible with Node.js. So, if you are looking to develop a web app that is fast, interactive, and offers higher security, Adonis.js is the ideal one.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best Node JS frameworks for scalability?

Multiple Node js frameworks help in developing the best web applications. However, you can consider ExpressJS, Nest.js, Sails.js among the top used nodejs frameworks in 2024.

How many framework are there in Node JS?

There are three types of Node JS frameworks such as MVC, Full-Stack MVC, and Rest API. These types of frameworks are used to develop scalable and secure web applications.

Which Node.js framework is recommended for REST API?

ExpressJS is perfect for Rest APIs as it is fast, lightweight, flexible, and minimalist. It offers a thin layer of basic web app features, many HTTP utility methods, and middleware for speedier REST API creation. ExpressJS also allows you to implement GraphQL by using the express-graphql library.

What is the most common framework used in Nodejs?

Express is the most common framework used in nodejs. Express has 58.3K stars on GitHub. It is a very unopinionated, minimalist, and fast framework. Express acts as an intermediate and helps set up and configure routes to send and receive requests between the front end and the database of an app.