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Deno vs Nodejs - what's better for you?

Deno vs Nodejs - what's better for you?

With the recent release of Deno 2.0 on October 9th, you may be wondering how it fares against its older brother, Node JS, in this article, we will discuss some of the new features and what to consider if you’re thinking about using Deno in your application.

This blog is written by Jeremy Rivera at KushoAI. We're building the fastest way to test your APIs. It's completely free and you can sign up here.

Complexity and Ease of Setup

  • Node.js: Offers extensive flexibility but requires setting up multiple tools, which can make projects cumbersome. For example, a typical Node.js project might require configuration files for TypeScript, testing, linting, and bundling, and selecting compatible tools can be time-consuming. This can lead to projects with over 30 configuration files​DEV Community​Enterprise Technology News and Analysis
  • Deno: Embraces simplicity with a built-in toolchain for TypeScript, linting, and testing, reducing the need for external dependencies. This streamlined approach lets developers start coding right away without extensive configuration. Here’s an example of a Deno setup versus a Node setup for a basic server:

Example: Setting Up a Simple HTTP Server

With Node.js, setting up a server might look like this:

// Install dependencies and set up configurations for TypeScript, testing, and linting
// Run server code

const http = require('http');

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.statusCode = 200;
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
  res.end('Hello World\n');
});

server.listen(3000, '127.0.0.1', () => {
  console.log('Node.js server running at http://127.0.0.1:3000/');
});

In contrast, Deno provides a more streamlined setup. Without additional configurations, a basic HTTP server in Deno can be set up directly:

// deno run --allow-net server.ts

import { serve } from "https://deno.land/std@0.167.0/http/server.ts";

serve((_req) => new Response("Hello World\n"), { port: 3000 });
console.log("Deno server running at http://localhost:3000/");

Deno allows developers to start coding without adding extra config files or package dependencies. Just running deno run --allow-net server.ts launches the server directly.

Security Model

  • Node.js: Provides open access to the filesystem and network by default. This unrestricted access extends to all dependencies, making projects vulnerable to supply chain attacks. For example, the ua-parser-js library incident in 2021 allowed malicious code to install malware because of Node’s open permissions model​Enterprise Technology News and Analysis
  • Deno: Built with security as a core feature, Deno restricts access to the filesystem, network, and environment variables unless explicitly permitted. This sandboxed environment ensures safe execution for applications and dependencies, making Deno suitable for security-conscious projects​DEV Community

Compatibility and Ecosystem

  • Node.js: The npm ecosystem has thousands of libraries, making Node suitable for larger projects with complex requirements. However, dependency management through node_modules can create large disk usage and dependency conflicts due to versioning​Enterprise Technology News and Analysis
  • Deno: Initially distinct from Node, Deno 2.0’s support for npm packages and Node modules makes it an accessible choice for developers looking for compatibility without the bulk of node_modules​DEV Community

Use Cases

  • Node.js: Suitable for enterprise applications with extensive dependencies, or applications built on frameworks and libraries exclusive to Node.
  • Deno: Ideal for secure applications, API servers, and projects benefiting from quick setup and adherence to web standards. It’s also gaining traction in serverless functions and API development, thanks to its simplistic design.

Now that we’ve considered a few considerations behind both Javascript runtimes, and Deno 2.0’s new full adoption of NPM (the main caveat with the previous iteration of Deno), your JavaScript application can thrive under the simplicity of Deno’s syntax and security model. While NodeJS has a mature ecosystem and proven capability, it may be time to experiment with Deno and see how it saves development time and reduces your applications codebase.

This blog is written by Jeremy Rivera at KushoAI. We're building an AI agent that tests your APIs for you. Bring in API information and watch KushoAI turn it into fully functional and exhaustive test suites in minutes.

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Saumya

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