Powered by Google’s V8 JavaScript engine, Node.js is an extremely powerful technology, especially for backend development. In its infancy, Node.js was generally used to develop web applications, but nowadays, it’s become a trusted tool for enterprises as well- which is all due to the sheer speed that node.js based applications are capable of performing at.
Businesses from all sectors have been catching on to the many pros of using node.js based applications etc. which has led to a considerable rise in the demand to Hire Node.js Developers.
For a developer, adopting Node.js as a primary technology to focus on is a wise decision that is sure to pay off for a long time, but one must be wary of some easy to make mistakes while developing for Node.js.
Here are some major pitfalls to avoid when developing for Node.js-
- Callback
Hell - Callbacks are how asynchronous elements communicate with each other, and JavaScript-based technologies are particularly reliant on Callbacks.
Although this is a reasonably well-known issue when it comes to development for Node.js, developers still end up repeating this mistake. It’s usually developers who are migrating from developing on other languages for a long time that winds up in Callback Hell.
When multiple Asynchronous operations cram up after each other, it is referred to as Callback Hell. This can be easily prevented by not overloading your functions in your code.
- Not
splitting development into modules - Another pitfall that seems to trap developers migrating from other technologies is that of not splitting one’s code into modules and publishing them onto NPM (Node Package Manager).
Not doing so makes your code harder to test and more prone to Callback Hell, as it’s easier to lose track of nested callbacks when faced with a mountain of code. Splitting your code into modules and publishing them has the added benefit of you directly contributing to the Node.js community, as NPM is filled with modules that developers created or discovered while working on a project and feel that the module could be repurposed to help other developers.
- Executing
a callback multiple times - As mentioned earlier, JavaScript developers are particularly reliant on callbacks in development. However, one needs to be judicious in their usage of callbacks when developing for Node.js, as one can mistakenly press for callbacks multiple times which can get your functions into a jam.
One may add a return before a callback to avoid invoking the same repeatedly. Another option would be to wrap the callback so you’re alerted whenever it is called multiple times.
- Insufficient
testing - Node.js is a technology whose code needs to be tested rigorously before making it live. Rigorous testing can help developers avoid previously mentioned callback issues as well and are a practice that any developer must look to inculcate into their regimen.
One can find many popular tests for Node.js online, as its vibrant community support has led to a lot of documentation available for programmers of all experience levels.
- No monitoring or profiling - Node.js Apps need to be profiled and monitored. There are no two ways about it. Developers often mistake profiling for testing, but in reality, they are quite different from one another. The information gained from profiling can help you optimize the application and better use the resources on hand. It is a must for any Developer working for a Node.js Development Company to incorporate profiling as part of their development process.
- Blocking event loops - Node.js works as a single thread environment in which no two parts of different applications run concurrently with each other. Which means that anything that blocks any event loop will end up blocking the entire loop itself, which leads to a long wait for every module? There are modules available via NPM which can help developers in detecting delays and writing their code accordingly.
