Introduction
Node.js has become massively popular as a server-side technology over the past years. Its event-driven, non-blocking I/O model makes it perfectly suited for building scalable network applications.
However, working with just raw Node.js can be complex for developers. This is where Node.js web frameworks come into play – they provide structure, conventions, and tooling to ease application development.
There are many great frameworks available for Node development. In this guide, we’ll explore the top 5 backends frameworks to use for your Node.js application in 2024:
Top 5 Node.js Backend Frameworks for Developers
1. Express.js: The Most Popular Node Web Framework
Express is by far the most popular Node.js framework. It has been around for years and is used by big companies like Uber, IBM, and PayPal. Some key characteristics of Express:
- Minimalist – Does not impose structure, stays out of your way
- Easy to Learn – Simple API and intuitive routing system
- Highly Flexible – Add any compatible middleware or template system
- Robust Ecosystem – Huge community with lots of resources
With over 14 million downloads per month on npm, Express has the largest ecosystem of compatible modules around authentication, database access, templating engines, and more.
Some examples of using Express:
const express = require('express');
const app = express();
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
res.send('Hello World');
});
app.listen(3000);Express provides simple routing and HTTP request handling which you can build upon to develop any backend service or web app.
For those wanting tried-and-tested compatibility with extensive modules, Express is likely the safest choice for your Node.js backend in 2024.
2. NestJS: A TypeScript-First Progressive Node.js Framework
NestJS is a rising star among Node web app frameworks. It takes strong inspiration from Angular and applies TypeScript-first development for crafting scalable, maintainable backends.
Here are some notable features:
- TypeScript Support – First-class TypeScript integration
- Object-Oriented – Class-based controllers and providers for clean code
- Modular Architecture – Easy creation of reusable modules and components
- Built-in CLI – Helps generate boilerplate code quickly
- Easy Exception Handling – Out-of-the-box exception filters
- Validation Pipes – Verify inputs easily
- Authentication – Supports authentication modules like PassportJS out-of-the-box
For example, a web controller in NestJS:
@Controller('users')
export class UsersController {
constructor(private usersService: UsersService) {}
@Get()
async findAll() {
return this.usersService.getUsers();
}
}Nest is ideal for new TypeScript/JavaScript projects wanting first-class TypeScript integration plus proven design patterns for structuring enterprise backends. The flexibility of Nest makes it a safe choice for your 2024 web apps.
3. AdonisJS: A Full-Stack Web Framework
AdonisJS is a popular full-stack framework for Node.js. In addition to a powerful backend, it also includes frontend dev tools:
- MVC Framework – Follows the classic model–view–controller pattern
- Standards-Based – Leverages ES2015+ features
- Authentication – User auth system available out-of-the-box
- ORM – Uses Lucid which supports SQL databases
- Templating – Includes a templating language called Edge
- Assets Pipeline – Asset bundling and minification tools included
Some AdonisJS code:
class UsersController {
async index() {
return User.all()
}
async store() {
const user = new User()
user.email = request.input('email')
await user.save()
return user
}
}Adonis offers an batteries-included full-stack solution supporting both frontend and API backends. It works for smaller projects or prototyping where avoiding framework choice overload is useful.
4. Sails.js: MVC Framework for Node.js Apps
SailsJS is another MVC-style framework for building backends and APIs with Node. Published apps using it include McDonald’s, Qualtrics, and Bloomberg. Some key aspects:
- Auto-generated APIs – Quickly generate a REST API supporting CRUD operations.
- Datastore Agnostic – Supports MySQL, MongoDB, Postgres, Redis etc.
- Realtime Support – Built-in WebSocket integration and channel APIs for messaging to clients
- Blueprints – Auto-generated backend actions and routes
- Robust Ecosystem – Over 600+ compatible modules and plugins
Some Sails code:
// Load users controller actions module
const { index } = require('../api/controllers/users/index');
module.exports = {
routes: {
'/users': {
// Bind route to controller action
'GET': index
}
}
};Sails lowered the bar for realtime apps by handling sockets and channels transparently. This powers instant communication between servers and clients.
For those looking to get off the ground fast by leveraging conventions, Sails is a leading contender for your 2024 Node.js apps.
5. Koa – A Next-Gen Node.js Web Framework
Koa is an expressive middleware-based framework that aims to fix common pain points in Node development. Created by the same team as Express, key aspects of Koa:
- Async/Await – Transparent support for async/await instead of callbacks
- Small and Lean – Minimal boilerplate without bundled features
- Modular – Choose only the middleware you need
- Error Handling – Centralized async error handling middleware
- Extensible – Easy to scale and add features later
Some Koa usage with async/await:
const Koa = require('koa');
const app = new Koa();
app.use(async (ctx) => {
ctx.body = 'Hello World';
});
app.listen(3000);For those wanting a lightweight framework that handles modern JavaScript practices well, Koa hits a nice sweet spot. Its middleware architecture avoids assumptions, so you use only what’s needed.
This flexibility makes Koa a solid contender for innovative backends in 2024 and beyond.
Honorable Mentions
Some other frameworks worth investigating:
- Hapi – Great configuration-centric framework by Walmart
- Loopback – Extension of Express for REST APIs and bootstrapping
- FeathersJS – Microservice framework implementing many web standards
- MeteorJS – Full-stack React frameworks with auto-updating clients
Be sure to evaluate multiple options as each framework takes a slightly different angle. Align the strengths to your specific use case.
Choosing Your 2024 Backend Framework
The good news is that all frameworks listed here have solid adoption and provide proven structures around security, authentication, database access etc.
However, each caters to slightly different needs and developer backgrounds. For greenfield REST APIs, options like Express/NestJS/Adonis work well. For realtime apps with shared channel communications, Sails excels. Legacy apps leverage options like Loopback better.
New projects may take a liking to NestJS or Adonis idioms. Simple microservices can shine on Koa. Teams with data science backgrounds sometimes prefer Feathers or Meteor.
So do a thorough evaluation of your backend requirements before committing. Also review project activity levels on GitHub and popularity across developers. This helps uncover the applicability of each solution over the longer term 2024+ timeframe.
Choosing the right backend comes down to aligning technical fit, community backing, and team skills. This determines how appropriate and sustainable each framework is for the lifecycle of a typical web project or product built with Node.js.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some key differences between Express and Koa?
Express supports callbacks while Koa is targeted at modern async/await development. Koa also offers more extensibility over bundled-in Express features.
Is NestJS a full rewrite of Express/Node or an extension?
NestJS layers its architecture patterns on top of core Node.js + Express which are still entirely usable. So it augments vs replaces them.
How does Adonis compare to options like Next.js or Nuxt that are also fullstack?
Adonis focuses on backend capabilities + optional frontend dev tools. Others start as frontend app frameworks first. Different priorities.
For realtime web apps needing easy scalability, is Sails a top contender?
Yes, Sails excellent support for WebSocket channels and shared messaging makes it very suitable for multi-user realtime applications.
Which framework best enables gradual adoption – adding APIs to existing systems?
Loopback and Express are great for incrementally adding modern Node.js APIs and microservices to augment legacy systems.
Conclusion
Node.js provides amazing capabilities for scalable server-side web development. Combined with a mature framework like Express, NestJS, Sails and others – entire projects can be delivered quickly without wasting cycles on infrastructure.
For new Node applications in 2024 and beyond, you have many excellent framework options available. Just align each framework’s priorities to your specific backend use case and development team skills.
This allows picking an optimal backbone for delivering robust APIs and web apps with Node. Leverage the ecosystem around your chosen framework for shared solutions to common needs like databases, security, deployment etc.
By making modular choices aligned to clearly identified needs – versus a one-size-fits-all framework trying to solve every problem – you set your Node.js backend for long-term sustainable success and productivity.