NodeJS vs. AngularJS – The Differences

Owing to rapid advancements, today there is an array of technologies available to build highly robust and scalable web applications. Node.js and Angular.js are no different. Though both are used to create a wide spectrum of web applications, they are quite different as they are built to serve different purposes.

Understanding the differences between both the technologies would help you determine which is the ideal choice for your web application. This blog discusses Node.js vs. Angular.js comprehensively to help you make a smart decision.

What is NodeJS?

It is a cross-platform runtime environment and runtime system for web applications written in JavaScript. It uses V8 JavaScript engine to execute codes of an application, and is written in JavaScript, C, and C++. It works quite similar to Java Runtime Environment, Adobe Flash Player for ActionScript, Android Runtime for Android application and Common Language Runtime for .NET programs. It is ideal for developing real-time web applications, and server-side networking. It uses JavaScript code on the server to render pages even before users’ browsers are involved. It serves as web server software, which sends bulk pages to users’ browsers, though not directly always. You can write applications in Node to execute functions on users’ devices without the need to run in a browser.

What is AngularJS?

Angular.js is a front-end MVC framework for web applications based on JavaScript. It facilitates creating single-page applications fast and seamlessly. Unlike other frameworks like jQuery, it is designed to be a platform on which the entire web application is built. Programming with this architecture is functional, object-oriented, and event-driven. It is primarily designed for client-side web application development. This means it gets executed on the browser after a page has arrived in that browser, adding or manipulating things or establishing cool effects. It comprises of several directives that can be modified easily and sued on requirement.

The Differences…

1. Installation and Compatibility: Node.js is compatible with Windows, Linux, OS X, and Sun Operating System. It can be installed easily and quickly. Post installation, node applications can be written using JavaScript language.

On the other hand, Angular.js is a JavaScript-based application that does not need to be installed separately on devices. Just add the file like any other JavaScript file being added in HTML document. It is compatible with Firefox, Chrome, Opera 15, Safari, Internet Explorer 9, and mobile browsers such as Android Browser, Safari for iOS, and Chrome for Mobile.

2. Applications and Uses: NodeJS typically supports an event-driven architecture and non-blocking input/output API, ideal to build real-time web applications like chat apps or instant messaging. It has a number of built-in core modules that can be used to build a web server in Node application without having to use any other web server programs such as Nginx, Apache, and IIS. There are several frameworks based on this technology, having a wide range of features that can be used to seamlessly create different types of applications. Node.js is very effective to develop highly scalable and ultra fast networking and server-side applications.

Coming to Angular.js, it allows developers to extend HTML’s syntax to clearly define the components and features of your application. It helps build MVC components on the client-side as unlike client-side for Node. Unlike other frameworks that support one-way data binding in applications, AngularJS supports MCV pattern with two-way data binding, which makes it a very popular web application development framework. Changes in the VIEW are displayed in the MODEL, while the changes in MODEL are propagated to the VIEW. This streamlines the process of programming substantially. It is an ideal choice to build single-page applications.

To conclude, both are designed to build web applications using JavaScript. However, they are quite different in their use, architecture and system.