When using NodeJS, go with JavaScript.

I’m going to express what is possibly a controversial opinion. There are many ways to build a system backend. NodeJS is one of my favorites, specifically with JavaScript over TypeScript.

In this post, I will highlight the benefits of using NodeJS with JavaScript over TypeScript. I will focus on ease of use, speed, and simplicity.

NodeJS is a widely used server-side JavaScript runtime built on the V8 JavaScript engine. As a backend developer, it is essential to choose the right tool that will make your development process smooth, fast, and efficient. While TypeScript is gaining popularity among NodeJS developers, I am of the opinion that JavaScript is still the way to go and I personally try to steer clear of TypeScript when I can.

Ease of Use

One of the biggest advantages of using JavaScript is its ease of use. The language is simple and easy to learn, and most developers are already familiar with it. This makes it easy to jump into a project and start developing without the need for extensive training or learning a new language. Additionally, NodeJS makes it easy to build scalable applications using event-driven, non-blocking I/O.

On the other hand, TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing to the language. While this provides additional safety and predictability in the code, it can also add unnecessary complexity to the development process. TypeScript requires more configuration and setup, and it can be difficult to learn for developers who are not familiar with static typing.

Speed

NodeJS is built on the V8 JavaScript engine, which compiles JavaScript code to native machine code for faster execution. This makes NodeJS one of the fastest server-side languages available. Additionally, NodeJS is designed for non-blocking, event-driven I/O, which allows it to handle multiple requests concurrently, making it highly scalable.

TypeScript, on the other hand, adds an additional layer of compilation, which can slow down the development process. While TypeScript provides additional safety and predictability, it can also make the development process slower and less efficient, not to mention far more complex.

Simplicity

JavaScript is a simple, yet powerful language that allows developers to build complex applications quickly and easily. The language is easy to learn and has a low barrier to entry, making it an ideal choice for building rapid prototypes or small projects. Additionally, JavaScript is highly flexible, allowing developers to build applications in a variety of different styles, such as functional or object-oriented.

TypeScript, on the other hand, adds additional complexity to the language, sometimes requiring developers to learn new concepts such as interfaces, types, and generics. While these concepts can provide additional safety and predictability, they can also make the language more difficult to work with, especially for developers who are not familiar with static typing.

Conclusion

NodeJS and JavaScript provide a powerful platform for building scalable, high-performance applications quickly and efficiently. While TypeScript provides additional safety and predictability, it can also add unnecessary complexity to the development process, making it more difficult to work with and slowing down the development process.

In my opinion, JavaScript is still the way to go for NodeJS developers, due to its ease of use, speed, simplicity, and ability to create solutions fast. As a backend developer, it is important to choose the right tool for the job, and for me, if the backend is going to use NodeJS, my language of choice is still JavaScript.