Top 10 Must-Follow Best Practices for Node.js App Development

As the software development world evolved, different frameworks for app building came into the limelight. An app development framework emerged, competing with giants like React.js, Ruby on rails, and ASP.Net, known as Node.js. It took the IT world by storm and established itself as a front-runner. You must wonder how Node.js continued its winning streak.

Node.js now dominates the software development industry after 12 years of its journey since its launch in 2009. It overtook React.js to become the most popular web framework, as per the Statista survey in 2022.

Here are some numbers for you that show the rise of Node.js to the top.

• Respondents using Node.js - 47.12%
• Respondents using React.js - 42.62%

Why is Node.js so attractive to developers? It uses JavaScript for both front-end and back-end development. This makes the language more consistent across the entire application, which will help your business in the long run. Node.js is a mobile-friendly cross-platform framework well known for fast code execution. About 30 million websites currently use the Node.js framework, as per W3Tech.

Building an app is tricky; you must watch for tech scalability, speed, performance, and limitations. It takes hard work, so you must implement some basic best practices to ensure efficiency. To make this simple, you can hire a Node.js developer to help you develop your dream app.

Some Best Practices for Node.js App Development

1. Partition the Entire Program into Small Components

Maintaining a sizable code base puts the application at risk of slowing down when developers try to add new features. Instead, divide your code into components and give each one its folder or dedicated codebase.

The best option is to break down the entire stack into independent parts. Ensure these stacks don't share files; each can consist of just a few files like an API, service, data access, test, etc. Separating component files will make your app more scalable.

2. Use NPM Init

NPM is the most crucial tool after Node.js itself. NMP fetches any packages (JavaScript libraries) required when developing, testing, or deploying an application. Let’s start with a package to create a node project. NMP Init is a practical method of building your package.json. 

3. Managing Environment Variables

The operating system sets variables known as environment variables. It separates the logic of the application. Through various APIs, access environment variables from applications and programs. Dotenv, a Node.js library or other alternatives, makes it simple to load and manage environment variables.

4. Implement Asynchronous/await structures

Asynchronous programming ensures that the execution doesn't halt if a function carries out other tasks. Instead, until you invoke the function again, the execution goes on as usual. Concepts like callbacks, promises, and async/await make this possible.

5. Make sure Your App has Auto Reload

You can set your Node.js application to reload automatically after any change you make to the code while it is still in development. You can save time and effort by eliminating the need to often move between your code editor and terminal. You can use widely accessible tools like Nodemon, Livereload, Grunt, etc.

6. Client-side Rendering

Client-side rendering will significantly reduce latency and save bandwidth in your Node.js project. You can use better client-side tools, from JavaScript testing to package managers. Share rendering code server/client to decrease replication and improve initial page load.

7. You need to Monitor Your App

Node.js monitoring means tracing the code execution and reporting after adding code to your project. To understand the health of your app, you will need some pivotal information to track. You can monitor process ID, log management, request rate, resource usage, uptime, downtime, error rates, load average, and latency.

8. Create Logging Solutions and Use Libraries

Although you can create a logging solution from scratch for your application, you can use an established logging library and modify it as necessary. Logging libraries assist programmers in creating and managing log events, which can improve your application's overall utility. The most well-known logging libraries for Node are Log4js, Winston, Pino, and Bunyan.

9. Optimize Performance for Node.js App

Scale your Node.js servers and handle high-traffic workloads on your servers without tainting user experience. Setting a request timeout will help you.

Avoid using your Node.js servers to deliver static assets from your application, such as JavaScript, CSS, or picture files, to achieve the highest level of performance. Avoiding it will reduce delays in necessary business computations.

10. Test Your Program

Before releasing your application to the public, it is essential to test it. It is always possible to start testing an application, regardless of where it is in the development process. For each reported flaw, experts advise building a test.

Conclusion:

We have presented the best node.js practices for development. It will help you to properly structure your node.js app development with logging, testing, developing asynchronous code, etc. You can build better Node.js app code by using these simple ways.

Get our node.js developers to build your project, who can take up your project immediately. We guarantee their commitment to you for 40hr/week, along with all of our resources ready to pitch in if needed. We also offer two weeks risk-free trial!

Clarion has about two decades of experience working with SMBs. We believe in building long-term partnerships with our clients!

For more information on node.js app development and hiring developers, please email us at info@clariontech.com. You can also talk to an expert by filling up the form on our contact us page.