Django vs Node.js: A Comparative Analysis

When it comes to websites and web apps, it is essential to have an interactive user interface that attracts users and keeps them engaged. But for a smooth frontend experience, it is imperative to have a well-designed backend.

There are several backend technologies, such as Rails, Laravel, Django, and Node.js that provide application architecture along with testing, debugging, and database management tools. Using back-end frameworks ensures increased productivity and a streamlined web development process.

In this blog, we take a look at Django vs Node.js, comparing two dynamic technologies for building versatile web-based applications and mobile apps with an exceptional user interface.

While developing an app, it is imperative to select an appropriate programming language. We understand that every project requires a few specifications, and hence, we have to code it with the most suitable technology.

Both, Node.js and Django, are open-source and available for free to develop web applications without any licensing. They are used in countless projects and have a vast web community.

As a Nodejs web development company in Canada, we have worked with both the frameworks and will provide a detailed comparison. Let’s start by understanding the key features of the two frameworks. 

A Brief About The Two Frameworks

The main difference between Django and Node.js is that Django is a high-level Python web framework that encourages rapid development to facilitate web developers in developing applications timely and swiftly.

Node.js, on the other hand, is based on JavaScript and is used on client-side web applications. It is a cross-platform runtime environment that allows developers to execute application code on a private server instead of a web browser.  

Both these technologies got equal fame and are versatile, making it a baffling situation for developers to decide which technology will be a fit for their upcoming project.

With this blog, we aim to provide an extensive review and evaluation of Django vs Node js. 

Let us understand the similarities and dissimilarities of JavaScript and Python frameworks that you consider for your next project.  Get started with the ideal toolkit and enhance your efficiency in website development, to triumph a cost-efficient scheme within a limited timeframe.

Django vs Node.JS: Key Differences Between The Backend Technologies

Now that we understand the key features of both Django and Nodejs, let’s have a look at the differences between them to analyze which is better for developing web apps.

The most prominent point of debate is that Django is a backend web framework while Node.js, contrary to popular beliefs, is a runtime JavaScript environment.

A detailed comparison of Django and Node.js is illustrated below:

What is Django Framework?

Django is a Python-based open-source web framework that intends to follow the Model-Template-View (MVC) architectural model. The Django web framework aids in supplying ready-to-implement solutions which allow its developers to concentrate on UI and UX of the app, and not worry about its backend technology. 

Exceptional Features of Django

The important features of Django are as follows: 

• Django is one of the most popular Python frameworks and is primarily designed to warrant rapid development.
• The developers have to abide by stringent rules and formalized schemes for execution.  Although this limits creativity to some extent, it assures a definite coding, uncomplicated application architecture, and fewer errors and bugs.
• It has a main focus on high-level processes, abstracting the low-level ones.
• Every Django project can comprise a particular or several internal applications.
• All that is required to learn Django, is the basic understanding of Python.
• For the design prototype, Model Template View (MTV) is employed. Other than the template component, it is identical to (MVC) model.
  Model grants access to data, to excerpt, and alter it, while Template presents how data is exhibited to users. View acts as a link between Model and Template that traces a range of user actions and illustrates the changes needed to be incorporated in the Model.

After considering each feature of Django, it is clear why a web developer prefer working with the Django-like framework.

With Django’s versatile nature, web development companies can develop complex, high-traffic websites and web apps of all kinds- enterprise solutions, MVPs, eCommerce stores, social media networks or even game apps. But it is not suitable for small apps and should be avoided.

What is Node.js Environment?

Node.js is open-source and cross-platform.  It has a JavaScript runtime environment that renders JavaScript code outside a web portal.  Node.js was released in 2009 and is primarily based on JavaScript, C, and C++. 

Node.js allows developers to utilize JavaScript to note down command-line tools and for server-side scripting – functioning scripts on the server instead of client-side to yield vibrant web page content, even before the page is directed to the user’s web browser. 

Subsequently, Node.js, as a JavaScript model, unites web application development around a distinct programming language, instead of diverse languages for server-side and client-side scripts. 

Exceptional Features of Node.js

The key features of Nodejs backend framework are as follows:

• It is extremely flexible due to its enormous range of free libraries and extensions. According to your preference and goal of your web development, you can modify the development environment.
• Node,js accelerated progress in JavaScript (JS) development, providing new opportunities to JavaScript specialists.  This is reasonably a simple language that is generally captured in a client-side browser.
• Node.js can also be applied to backend development, which states that the development process uses only JavaScript. The information and expertise required for full-stack developers have emerged, and an ambitious programmer can commence launching his or her own app faster. 
• You can master Node.js if you have basic familiarity with JavaScript. 
• Runs on any operating system, Linux, Windows or MacOS.

After considering each feature of Node.js, it is clear why JavaScript developers around the world use the framework for custom Node js development. With Node.js you can develop full-stack apps, using only JavaScript on both frontend and backend.

Some Popular Companies That Use Django Framework

Django is a preferred choice for building web applications that are secure, scalable and user-centric. With Django, you can implement new and unique features owing to its support of emerging technologies like Machine Learning and Data Science.

Some of the giant Django players in the market that have made exceptional use of this framework and have helped them evolve and expand are as follow: 

1. Disqus

   Disqus is the biggest project so far created on the Django framework from scratch.  The website permits you to execute comments and discuss alternatives on your website. It gives an easy-to-use plug-in for comments, evaluates audience movement, and enables tools used for high customer engagement. 

   Approximately 750,000 sites using Disqus, with about 35 million consumers, participate in a community of nearly 500 million.

2. YouTube

   A ‘video-sharing platform’ that needs no introduction is YouTube. With a rapid increase in the number of audiences, its team chose the Django framework which helped their developers to add new traits required and to retain the website’s speed.

3. Instagram

   Instagram, being the most popular Python-based video and photo-sharing social network, requires dispensing massive data and governing a giant number of interactions between users at every second. 

   

   There are over 1 billion people using Instagram every month, and according to eMarketer, the prediction is that its network would reach 117.2 million users solely in the U.S. by 2021.

   Also, it uses the Sentry tool, which is developed by Disqus, to supervise and discover errors across the system timely. 

   The list doesn’t end here.  There are some more popular companies like Spotify, BitBucket, Dropbox, Mozilla, Pinterest, The Washington Post, to name a few, using Django and getting benefitted.

Some Popular Companies That Use Node js Framework

Many popular companies have sought to use Node.js for building – social media applications, video, and text-chant engines, tracking apps, and myriad online games.

1. PayPal

   Paypal is one of the biggest and most well-renowned mediums for Internet payments.  It has been deploying Node.js to fabricate the consumer-facing side of its web application. 

   There were 325 million active PayPal accounts in the world, during the first quarter of 2020, which represents a 17% growth per annum.

2. LinkedIn

   

   LinkedIn, a social network that primarily focuses on professional networking and career development, has over 50 million companies listed and 20 million active job listings, as of May 2020.

   It uses Node.js to strengthen the server-side of LinkedIn’s mobile app.  It has augmented the speed of mobile apps, thus letting it develop more customer engagement.

3. Netflix

   Netflix is the biggest provider of video streaming including movies and series, inclusive of those that are produced in-house.  It has around 182 million paid subscriptions, globally, as of April 2020, including 69 million in the United States. 

   Its excellent user interface is built with Node as its engineers were firm to use Node.js to deliver a fast, lightweight, and modular application.

Apart from these, there are prominent companies like Uber, eBay, Yahoo, GoDaddy, Walmart, Medium, to name a few, utilizing Node.js on the backend of their apps, owing to its easy scalability, better efficiency, highly extensible, and high performance.

What to Choose: Node.js vs Django

Django and NodeJS both are budding technologies that can be used as per the precise requirements of the developer.  There is no definite response to the question, ‘Which is better – Node vs Django?’ 

You must cautiously analyze and match all the features to accomplish your needs for developing your app. 

For example, to state Nodejs vs Django, the Python-based framework is a great option if you consider employing a relational database, copious external libraries, are chiefly concerned about security, and need to build the app promptly. As a Python development company in Canada, we use Django in a lot of our projects that require data security and handling.

On the other hand, you can use Node.js if you got a nonparallel stack from a server, want great performance, aim on structuring characteristics from scratch, and need an application that carries out heavy lifting of client-side processing.

Conclusion

The success of any web app is hugely dependent on the methods and tools that your team would use.  Both, Node.js and Django web framework, are advanced technologies that would be a benefit for your stack. 

The fact is that there is no simple answer to this question, ‘Django or Node.js?’  because they both have a huge variety of tools available.

When the client wants a seamless, modern web application promptly, Django should be preferred; and there is a need to customize the development environment to form a distinctive JavaScript-based application, Node.js should be preferred.

Still confused?

Contact Monocubed and get a free consultation session from our web experts. We have worked with both technologies and can help you clear the Node js vs Django debate.