Ryan Dahl, the creator of Node.js, introduced the concept of concurrently processing multiple requests in this technology back in 2009. Essentially, Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Google’s V8 Engine that is extensively utilized for backend development.

The development of Python commenced in the latter half of the 1980s, and in 1991, it was officially announced by Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer.

The development of Python commenced in the latter half of the 1980s, and in 1991, it was officially announced by Guido van Rossum, a Dutch programmer.

Understanding NodeJS- Key Features

In the present day, Node.js has become the most extensive free and open-source runtime environment. It caters to a variety of platforms and helps develop diverse server-side solutions. A few examples would be real-time apps, social media, and IoT applications.

  • JavaScript is a multi-paradigm programming language that supports various programming styles, including OOP, imperative, and functional programming. Node.js is built on top of JavaScript.
  • Node.js uses an event-driven I/O model that operates on the non-blocking principle. All APIs are asynchronous. Hence, when a user places request, the server registers an event but doesn’t wait for the data to be returned. Instead, it moves on to the next request, and calls the previous one as soon as it completes fetching. This makes Node.js great for real-time apps with push notifications.
  • Node.js uses a single-threaded architecture with an event loop that processes requests one at a time, depending on the time they arrive. This ensures that the thread is clear and users get fast responses, even if requests take different amounts of time to execute.
  • Node.js uses Google’s V8 engine. The V8 is a virtual machine written in C++ with built-in compilers, optimizers, and an interpreter that transforms JavaScript into machine code. This ensures high speed and advanced performance for Node.js web apps.
  • Node.js comes with NPM (Node Package Manager). NPM is a package management system for the automatic installation and updating of packages. Using NPM, developers can add other JavaScript libraries and frameworks, which increases the speed of creating Node.js apps and helps abstract from routine operations, allowing them to iterate code faster.
  • Node.js can enable cross-platform development, helping developers build desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Developers can do this using frameworks such as Electron or NW.js. This significantly saves resources and reduces development costs, as written code for web apps can be reused for desktop versions.

Understanding Python- Key Features

Python is a high-level, open-source programming language that runs on Google App Engine and is renowned for its well-structured, readable code and high-performing software solutions.

One of the most remarkable features of Python is its lightweight syntax, which facilitates its quick learning. The core of Python has a convenient structure, and the broad range of built-in libraries allows for utilizing a vast array of useful functions and features. Python is leveraged for developing a variety of applications, including web services.

  • It can support a wide range of application development styles, including OOP, which supports classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphisms, encapsulation, and functional programming based on the use of functions.
  • Python is an interpreted language that executes code line by line using an interpreter. This makes it more convenient to debug, as error messages are shown one by one and can be easily fixed.
  • This language supports modularity, allowing developers to reuse code by dividing it into manageable modules. It also offers built-in modules and the ability to create user-defined modules.
  • Python automatically allocates memory for variables at runtime, making it more efficient than static memory allocation in web applications.
  • Enables backend development using popular frameworks like Flask and Django, but can also be used for frontend development with PyScript or Pyjs, although it has limitations and isn’t suitable for complex UI projects.
  • It is designed to be portable, meaning it can run on any modern operating system (Linux, macOS, Windows).
  • Python can integrate with other programming languages and technologies, including Java, Go, Rust, C++, and CORBA. It also provides native support for C because its interpreter is written in C.

Python Vs. NodeJs Overview

It’s important to note that Python is a programming language that has undergone rigorous testing for its robust features over the last three years, while Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that is not considered a programming language.

Despite serving different purposes and at different times, both technologies are widely popular. Python was primarily a JavaScript runtime environment that powers web and mobile applications. It’s crucial to examine the differences, limitations, and advantages of each technology before selecting a language that best suits your project.

Although Statistica.com reports that Python has a higher worldwide usage rate than Node.js in 2021, at 48.24% and 33.91%, respectively, the number of users cannot be the sole deciding factor as project requirements can vary. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the fundamental differences between Node.js and Python.

Pros of Using Python

  • A smooth learning curve, thanks to beginner-friendly, English-like syntax
  • High speed of development due to clear and concise syntax, pre-built features in the standard library, and availability of pre-coded components in frameworks such as Django, Flask, and Falcon
  • Portability and extensibility, as Python code can be run on various operating systems and can easily team up with other languages using extensions 
  • Versatility and extensive toolset, as Python can power tasks beyond software development, such as deep learning and AI, scientific programming and data science, robotic process automation, and test automation
  • Availability of various tools for different use cases, including TensorFlow, Keras, and PyTorch for deep learning; pandas, NumPy, and sci-kit-learn, for scientific programming and data science; Beautiful Soup, RPA Framework, Scrapy, and PyAutoGUI for robotic process automation; and PyUnit, PyTest, Locust, Splinter, and Hypothesis for test automation
  • DevOps tools such as SCons and PyBuilder are also Python-based.

Cons of Using Python

  • Python is fast for development but slower for execution compared to C++ and Java due to its interpreted runtime process.
  • Python’s dynamic semantics check and assign variable types at runtime, making it slower than compiled languages.
  • Python’s Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) allows only one thread to execute at a time, limiting the benefits of multithreading and preventing the full utilization of modern multicore processors.
  • Developers can use the multiprocessing package to overcome the GIL limitation, but it can consume a lot of memory resources.
  • Python objects have a high memory overhead and their garbage collector does not immediately return resources to the system, causing programs to run out of memory.
  • This framework does not come with Native support on mobile platforms and consumes too much memory and energy for mobile hardware and operating systems.
  • Python is not likely to dominate client-side development, but there are projects like Pyodide that aim to bring Python and its scientific stack to the browser.

Pros of Using NodeJS

  • Node.js is a part of the JavaScript ecosystem and is a powerful runtime for web development.
  • Major corporations are supporting the NPM package manager with over 800,000 libraries.
  • Node.js is highly scalable, allowing for easy expansion of software solutions both vertically and horizontally.
  • It comes with a vibrant open-source community with thousands of developers sharing reusable code and improving the technology.
  • Being lightweight, and easy to learn, it allows for development in one language for both frontend and backend.
  • Node.js is a good choice for dynamic web development with effective data transfer and fast performance. It outperforms its competitors in handling dynamic content.

Cons of Using NodeJS

  • Developers must avoid running multiple queued tasks in the background when working with Node.js to avoid falling into “callback hell”.
  • Callback hell happens mostly due to unclean code or a lack of experience, and hiring an experienced Node.js development partner can help avoid this issue.
  • Node.js does not perform well for CPU-bound tasks and requests because they slow down the runtime.
  • The JavaScript ecosystem has many packages, but not all of them are of high quality, making it challenging for developers to choose the best package.

A Detailed Comparison Between Python & NodeJS 

Learning Curve

The syntax of a language/programming environment determines how efficiently it can perform a set of functions with minimal lines of code. Simpler syntax leads to a flatter learning curve. Node.js has a learning curve that’s not steep for those familiar with Javascript, but new developers may find it tricky to conceptualize event-driven programming. Python has a universal and easy-to-learn syntax, making it an industry-wide favorite.

Both languages are sensitive to whitespace and indentation, which may be challenging for new developers. It is best to choose the language that fits your requirements. If you’re familiar with Javascript, Node.js is the way to go, while Python is a better choice for new programmers who want a simple syntax but are willing to learn the proper indentation and whitespace usage.

Scalibilty

Scalability refers to the growth in resource requirements as you scale your web application. Node.js allows you to scale horizontally by creating a set of microservices and modules, which can dynamically run their own processes. This way, instead of creating a core and then scaling everything around it, you can expand the app vertically by adding resources. On the other hand, Python’s built-in Global Interpreter Lock doesn’t allow it to operate several threads at once, and larger teams can find it difficult to maintain code when the project scales. Hence, we can say that Node.js is more scalable than Python.

Architecture

Node.js has a single-threaded architecture and can handle multiple requests without blocking input-output functionality. It uses an event-driven architecture that takes up actions when an event occurs, making it faster to deploy applications. On the other hand, Python follows a standard implementation called “CPython” and does not support multithreading, making it stringent. While some tools help create asynchronous apps with Python, they do not provide the desired asynchronicity. Based on the more receptive and conducive architecture, the article recommends Node.js over Python.

Speed & Performance

The performance and speed of a programming language or environment are crucial when it comes to scaling an application. Node.js’s non-blocking architecture and ability to execute code outside of the web browser make it efficient and fast. This is an advantage over Python’s multithreading constraints. Python’s syntax is easy to learn but not optimized for speed, making Node.js the better choice in terms of performance and speed.

Community Support

Communities play an important role in keeping programming languages and technologies up-to-date, maintaining libraries, and developing new features. Usually only dedicated organizations manage the most effective communities.

Node.js has a large, globally active community of experienced developers, despite being relatively new. It’s easy to find talent within the Node.js community. Python, being the older language, has a larger community with contributors at various levels of experience. The community’s active participation results in faster solutions and overall language improvement.
Both Node.js and Python have active and growing communities. Hence, the decision between the two should not be based solely on community support or talent availability since both are open-source and free to use.

Data Processing

The processing power of a programming language or environment is an important factor to consider when developing applications that handle large amounts of data. Node.js is best for data-intensive use cases because of its efficient handling of frequent data transmission and parallel running capabilities. On the other hand, Python’s processing speed is relatively slow due to its single-threaded nature. Therefore, we would recommend Node.js for applications that require efficient data processing.

Error Handling

To CTOs, having error-free code is essential, and a language with excellent error-handling processes is preferable. Node.js can make finding bugs and errors tedious due to its parallel process running feature. On the other hand, Python’s simpler syntax and lack of parallel processes make it easier to scan for errors. Thus, if error handling is a key metric, Python is the best choice as it has an edge over Node.js.

The Final Verdict

To summarize, Python and Node.js are both popular backend programming languages for web development. Python is a general-purpose language with a simple structure, an active development community, and extensive AI and ML libraries. Node.js is a lightweight, fast, and full-stack JavaScript development platform. The choice between them depends on business needs and the problem you’re trying to solve. Node.js is best for applications that require a continuous connection, real-time data transmission, and frequent interaction between the client and server. Python is best for efficient MPV deployment, rapid development, and for less experienced developers.