Difference between Angular.js and Node.js

What is Node.JS?

Node.JS is a multi-platform runtime environment for running JavaScript applications outside the browser. It offers a wealthy library of various JavaScript modules that can simplify coding. 

Difference between Angular js and Nodejs

AngularJS Architecture

It is endowed with an MVW (Model-View-Whatever) architecture and is capable of supporting other patterns like Model-View-Controller or Model-View-ViewModel. The view alters and manipulates the DOM to update the data and the behavior. But with AngularJS development, the DOM manipulation is the task of the directives and not the view.

The Model

The model is accountable for managing application data. It responds to the requests from the view and to the instructions from the controller to update itself.

The View

The view is a presentation of data in a particular format initiated by the controller's decision to present the data. They are script-based template systems such as PHP, ASP.NET, and JSP and are very easy to integrate with AJAX technology.

The Controller

The controller responds to user input and interacts with the data model objects. The controller receives information, validates it, and then performs business operations that modify the data model's state.

Key Features of AngularJS:

• AngularJS uses POJO that stands for Plain Old JavaScript Objects.
• It used for analysing data flow and it is not bound to any restrictions.
• Through the POJO model in Angular, developers were able to monitor the flow of data easily unlike other models.
• The loops created in POJO helps developers by providing clear code to build customer-friendly applications.

NodeJS Architecture

Node.js is a server-side platform that we use for running Javascript outside a browser. We built it on Chrome’s JavaScript runtime for quickly building fast and scalable network applications. It uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that is efficient and lightweight. It is excellent for data-intensive real-time applications that run across dispersed devices.

Asynchronous and Event-Driven

All of the APIs of the Node.js library are asynchronous. It means a Node.js based server never waits for an API to return data. The server moves to the following API after calling it. Node.js supports the server to respond to the previous API calls through a notification mechanism of Events.

Single-Threaded but Highly Scalable

Node.js utilizes a single-threaded model with event looping. The event mechanism allows the server to respond in a non-blocking way and makes the server approvingly scalable as opposed to traditional servers that create limited threads to handle requests. This Node.js single-threaded program can provide service to a much larger number of requests than standard servers.

Very Fast

Made on Google Chrome’s V8 JavaScript Engine, NodeJS is fast code execution.

No Buffering

Node.js works on a single thread, using non-blocking I/O calls, letting it support thousands of simultaneous connections without incurring the cost of thread context switching. This design of sharing a single thread between all the requests using the observer pattern intends to build highly concurrent applications, where any function performing I/O must use a callback. To adapt the single-threaded event loop, Node.js uses the libuv library, which uses a fixed-sized thread pool responsible for some of the non-blocking asynchronous I/O operations.

Workflow of Node.js:

Key Features of NodeJS:

• NodeJS is a cross-Platform and is Object-Oriented.
• This specifies that Node.js can benefit from the four main pillars of OOP, that is, polymorphism, encapsulation, inheritance and abstraction.
• It helps developers to execute the correct structure with the required dependencies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Angular js uses Node.js?

Yes, we require Node.js for Angular 2 or Angular apps. We must install Node.js to develop Angular Apps. Suppose you are familiar with Angular JS 1.x. We need to add the Angular Js file in the script tag. Although this is not the case for Angular (or Angular 2), we can run it without Node.

What is better between Angular js and Node.js?

Both Angular js and Node.js platforms target building web apps using JavaScript. However, both of them are distinct in their work and architecture. Node.js is primarily used to build server-side applications. While AngularJS is suited for building single-page client-side web applications. These two frameworks are high-performing, advanced, and widely used worldwide. So one should select according to their project need.

Can Angular JS run without NodeJS?

Angular does not need Node.js directly. We use Node.js for all the build and development tools. Angular JS is a framework, and we may use Javascript or typescript, or dart programming language to program using Angular.

Conclusion

In this article, we've discussed the fundamental differences between Angular.js and Node.js. Angular.js is a client-side framework for building dynamic web interfaces, while Node.js is a server-side runtime environment for executing JavaScript code. The knowledge of their distinct roles and how they complement each other help developers to create powerful and efficient web applications, leveraging the strengths of both technologies.

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