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What is Express JS

Dive into the backbone of Node.js web apps! Uncover Express.js, its features, and how it simplifies server-side web application development for modern needs.

BairesDev Editorial Team

By BairesDev Editorial Team

BairesDev is an award-winning nearshore software outsourcing company. Our 4,000+ engineers and specialists are well-versed in 100s of technologies.

8 min read

Express JS

A web framework for Node JS, Express JS is a popular tool for creating web and mobile applications and APIs, helping developers save time and effort. When you hire an Express development company, you can count on the team to build you robust web applications.

Express JS Development Services 1

Our Express JS Application Development Services

  • Express JS Consultation: BairesDev has extensive experience working with businesses of all sizes and maturity, advising them on the services and innovations that are right for them. We can advise you on the best technologies to use, upgrades you may need, and products that can boost your business.
  • Express JS Data Migration: New releases of Express JS mean you need an expert on your side to help you perform migrations. We will assist you by allowing you to tap into the upgraded versions of the framework and the many features they offer.
  • Express JS Web Apps: Express JS makes web development much quicker and easier. Using the framework, our dedicated developers can create high-performance, functional, quality web applications in a range of niches.
  • Express JS Restful API Development: The Express JS framework makes it simple to develop useful and robust APIs in minimal time, speeding up your development efforts.
  • Express JS Maintenance: Of course, Express is constantly being updated, and the technologies it facilitates building will need maintenance as well. BairesDev’s team will be on hand to assist you with your Express JS maintenance, whenever the time comes.

Benefits of Express JS for Software Development 

  • Quicker Development: Express JS brings a number of features to the development process that mean a much speedier process. Not only can you actually build the application more quickly, but you can also debug it and scale it with greater ease, saving significant time.
  • Node JS Support: Express is a Node framework, meaning developers enjoy all the advantages of the latter, including packages and tools associated with it.
  • Community Support: Express JS also comes with a large, supportive community. This will help you with your development efforts and save time.

What Is Express.js?

Since Express is tightly linked to Node.js, it’s important to know what Node.js is before explaining Express. So, Node.js is a cross-platform runtime environment for running JavaScript code without a browser. It’s commonly used to build backend components (such as APIs for web or mobile apps) as well as server-side scripts.

Express, on the other hand, is a small JavaScript framework based on Node.js and designed to build web applications and APIs. It’s a minimal tool with many plug-ins that extend its functionality. Express makes it easier to organize the app’s architecture on the server side, adds utilities to Node.js’s HTTP objects, and facilitates their rendering.

What is Express JS used for?

Since Express is so closely related to Node.js, its use cases are, too. In other words, both technologies work together to empower the backend of different web development projects. Some of the most common include the following:

Real-time communication platforms

Node.js is great at guaranteeing speed and performance as well as at supporting high traffic that doesn’t require intense processing. That’s why it’s so perfect for developing messaging and chatting applications.

Collaboration tools

Processing real-time flows doesn’t just serve Node.js (and, consequently, Express) in developing communication platforms. It also powers collaborative tools, such as project management apps and cloud-based CRMs.

Data streaming apps

There’s a reason why the streaming giant Netflix uses the MEAN stack to provide its development services—the Node.js/Express pair is perfect to support the streaming of large amounts of data in small packages, whether they are readable or writable.

Scalable apps

One of the main reasons why people use the MEAN stack is how scalable the resulting apps can be. Node.js can support high peak loads with the help of Express organizing the back-end part.

While Express and Node.js are great for these types of processes, it’s important to note that they aren’t a good match for projects that require heavy server-side processing, which overrides the benefits of Node’s event-driven, non-blocking I/O model for incoming requests.

Is Express JS Dead?

It’s impossible to think of Express without the MEAN stack, one of the most popular tech stacks in development. Given MEAN’s popularity, it’s not surprising that Express enjoys a widespread reputation as a great minimal tool to power the back end of numerous web development projects. In fact, according to Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey, Express has consistently ranked among the top 5 web development frameworks alongside jQuery, React, Angular, and ASP.NET.

Additionally, Express is a powerful tool that’s powering the web operations of some highly renowned companies, including IBM, Uber, Accenture, and Fox Sports. This comes to show that Express can deliver a notable performance that has been tried in production environments with high demand and a superb quality level.

While Express isn’t the only back-end web framework out there, it doesn’t seem like its popularity will decrease anytime soon. That’s because it isn’t just part of the MEAN stack but also contributes to other popular stacks, such as MERN and MEVN.

Advantages of Express JS

The fact that it’s part of a very popular tech stack shouldn’t be the only reason why a team picks Express to work on its web development projects. There are multiple advantages to using Express, including the following:

Faster development time

As it happens with all frameworks, Express allows developers to work on their projects faster and in a more organized way. That’s especially so because Express is a very simple framework that’s easy to configure and customize.

High scalability

Since Express works alongside Node.js, scalability is guaranteed. That’s because engineers can scale the application easily by adding nodes and supplementing with new resources.

Language consistency in both backend and frontend

Having the possibility to use the same language for both backend and frontend development is great. In the case of Express (and the MEAN stack), that language is JavaScript, one of the most powerful and popular languages out there.

Increased efficiency and performance

Node.js interprets the JavaScript code through Google’s V8 engine, which then compiles it into machine code. That means that running the code is more straightforward and shows impressive speed.

Concurrent requests management

Node.js can process multiple requests simultaneously, thanks to its nonblocking I/O system. This is key to the projects Express can power, as requests can be launched quickly and systematically.

Huge community support

The huge popularity around all the components of the MEAN stack guarantees that there will be a community of engineers ready to help in case any issue arises. Additionally, there are plenty of online resources that further facilitate development with Express.

Disadvantages of Express JS

While there are plenty of benefits when using Express, it’s also important to point out that there are a couple of disadvantages that can derail a web development project. The 2 most important ones are:

Lots of manual labor

The purpose of any framework is to facilitate the engineers’ job, which is why it’s such a shame that Express requires so much manual input. That’s because endpoints, middleware, and other components need to be created and tested manually.

Lack of a recommended method of organization

Flexibility and freedom of use are always welcome, but sometimes it’s better to have some guidance. Unfortunately, there’s not one in Express when it comes to defining the approach to organizing the code. That can become problematic when fixing and maintaining the code.

Essential Technology for Web And Mobile Applications

You can certainly work on web development projects without ever using Express and still get great results. But why would you do that when you have a framework that’s capable of getting the most out of Node? By choosing Express for the backend of your web development, you’ll be taking a step toward increased efficiency and high scalability.

Sure, it won’t be able to power all your web development projects, but being a part of the MEAN stack means Express can be used to build a respectable range of web and mobile applications that allow real-time collaboration and communication. What’s best, you’ll be able to do so through a very simple and easy-to-use framework that’s become an essential part of modern web development.

Why Partner With BairesDev for your Express JS Development Team

  • Proven Expertise: BairesDev’s developers have a strong command of technologies like Express JS. They have expertise in web development and a range of additional skill sets, which they will bring to your project to make it successful.
  • High Standards: Our coding standards are high — and our hiring process is strict. We hire only the top 1% of talent, ensuring that you have only the top tech professionals working on your projects.
  • Efficiency: We will bring greater efficiency to your development process, decreasing time to market while maintaining high standards and delivering high-quality results.
  • Flexibility: BairesDev is also flexible. So whether you are looking for dedicated developers to maintain and upgrade your existing apps or design a suite of complex applications for a new venture, we have the top people for the job. We will accommodate your different needs as they change and evolve, ensuring that we meet your requirements and go above and beyond.
BairesDev Editorial Team

By BairesDev Editorial Team

Founded in 2009, BairesDev is the leading nearshore technology solutions company, with 4,000+ professionals in more than 50 countries, representing the top 1% of tech talent. The company's goal is to create lasting value throughout the entire digital transformation journey.

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