What's New in Node.js 8

Node.js 8 is right here between us. It is a much-awaited version of the series and claims to have plenty of features that developers are waiting to test. Many industry experts claim Node.js 8 brings sanity to native module dependencies. The new version of technology ensures protection of local module dependencies across upgrades. It is considered as a large upgrade which has significantly improved performance in almost all common situations and is more robust and fault-tolerant.

What's New?

1. Node.js API

For Node.js designers who love to make local additional items, the new exploratory Node.js API (N-API) will permit local additional items to be accumulated once on a framework and utilize over numerous renditions of Node.js. The new virtual machine rationalist Application Binary Interface (ABI) additionally stabilizes crosswise over various Node.js forms. N-API has been included as a trial highlight in v8.0, and serves the intention of isolating additional items from changes in the hidden JavaScript motor. This will help local additional items to keep running with various Node.js variants without recompilation. 

2. Zero-Filling Buffer

In the buffer realm, numerous significant changes are implemented within Node.js. The Zero-Filling Buffer and a new buffer are included by default. The focus is to render improved security and privacy in order to maintain security and privacy to prevent information leaks. However, it also has the disadvantage that this buffer will take performance hits however this can be stayed away from migrating to buffer.allocUnsafe(). It's up to developers to use this function only if they know about the drawbacks associated with it and have the know-how to tackle such issues effortlessly.

3. WHATWG URL Parser

WHATWG URL parser in Node 8 has moved from research stage to being fully supported. WHATWG URL parser was first come in Node.js 7.x a year ago as a trial URL API. Nonetheless, this new feature of version 8.0 empowers sharing of code utilizing URLs over the distinctive conditions.

4. TurboFan and Ignition

The introduction of TurboFan and Ignition have been communicated as the best change passed on to Node.js version 8. The new release additionally includes V8 5.8 JavaScript run-time, empowering performance and offering developer-confronting APIs. Version 8 comes with a simplified pipeline, without the FullCode Generator and the Crankshaft, enabling a lot of improvements such as lower memory utilization and quicker application startup times. Additionally, v8 5.8 engine has forward ABI compatibility with V8 5.9 and the upcoming V8 6.0 release, the foundation said. The Node 8 line is relied upon the move to V8 5.9 and possibly V8 6.0 sooner or later, TurboFan and Ignition will be empowered by default with V8 5.9. This change was one of the reasons of the delayed release of Node.js 8.

5. Async Hooks API

The Async Hooks (once in the past known as AsyncWrap) API has a prominent move up to the most recent adaptation. This API opens the route for engineers to administer the operation of the Node.js occasion circle, and also enabling them to assess the life of handle questions in the hub.

Once, a bundle called "co" was utilized to use generators to compose better non-concurrent code to make a more comprehensible control stream. Presently, this control stream can be actualized without the need of an outsider library.

6. Console

Node.js application would often crash due to the errors occurring While attempting to write console output to the underlying stream. But with Node.js 8, such errors will be minimized like suppressing the error events emitting when using console methods. This feature will also make the other APIs safer.

7. Upgrade NPM to 5.0.0

Node 8 will ship with the newest version of NPM. After the success and notable improvements of Yarn, NPM has followed suit in many areas and is releasing a huge update in version 5 in order to compete. Most notable features are offline mode, save by default, and a new lockfile that gets automatically created.

Other Important Changes

• Enhanced support for Promises – Node.js 8.0.0 incorporates another util.promisify() API.
• Static Error Codes – We have begun the way toward relegating static blunder codes to all mistakes created by Node.js.
• Diverting Process Warnings – Processing notices, for example, censures may now to diverted to a document
• Stream API upgrades – For clients of the Stream API, new standard mechanism for obliterating and concluding Stream occasions have been included
• Debugger changes – node-inspect has been coordinated specifically into the Node.js runtime. Also, the V8 Inspector debugger is a completely supported feature 
• Test controller JavaScript API – Provides better approaches for utilizing the investigate convention to examine running Node.js forms.

With so many updates, there could hardly be any organization that would take risk to not considering new updates in application development practices. Have you tried new features and functions? Is yes, then do share your experiences.