Backend Runtime Data v1.2.0 Updated 2025-12-28

Node.js

JavaScript runtime built on Chrome V8

108k N/A No known vulns N/A
86 /100
Strong pick High confidence (98%)

Quick Verdict

Best For

  • Full-stack JavaScript development
  • I/O intensive applications
  • Teams with JavaScript expertise
  • Applications requiring maximum ecosystem

Consider Alternatives If

  • CPU-intensive workloads
  • Maximum performance requirements
  • Teams wanting newest technology

Top Alternatives

Bun 82

Score Breakdown

6 dimensions evaluated with transparent methodology

Performance
75 −25

Good performance with mature optimization

  • V8 JIT compilation for fast execution
  • Event-driven non-blocking I/O
  • Worker threads for CPU tasks
Why not 100%:
  • −8 Single-threaded event loop limits CPU scaling
  • −8 Slower than compiled languages
  • −8 Memory management can be challenging
Developer Experience
85 −15

Familiar JS/TS with extensive tooling

  • JavaScript/TypeScript everywhere
  • Massive npm ecosystem
  • Excellent debugging tools
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Callback/async patterns learning curve
  • −5 Tool fatigue from ecosystem churn
  • −5 Configuration complexity
Ecosystem
98 −2

Largest ecosystem of any runtime

  • 2M+ npm packages
  • Every use case has packages
  • Major frameworks (Express, Fastify, NestJS)
Why not 100%:
  • −1 Package quality varies widely
  • −1 Dependency management can be complex
  • −1 Security vulnerabilities in supply chain
Maintainability
80 −20

Foundation-backed with LTS releases

  • OpenJS Foundation governance
  • LTS releases with 30-month support
  • Clear release schedule
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Major version upgrades can break packages
  • −6 Fast ecosystem churn
  • −6 Some packages abandoned
Cost Efficiency
90 −10

Open-source with free deployment options

  • MIT licensed
  • Runs anywhere
  • Huge talent pool reduces hiring costs
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Memory usage can be high
  • −5 May need more instances for CPU work
Compliance
88 −12

Enterprise-proven with security focus

  • Used by Fortune 500 companies
  • Regular security releases
  • OpenSSF best practices
Why not 100%:
  • −6 Supply chain attacks possible
  • −6 Requires vigilant dependency management

Compare Alternatives

How Node.js stacks up against similar technologies

TechnologyOverallPerfDXEcosystem
Current Node.js86758598
Bun Faster, newer, smaller ecosystem82———Compare →
Full comparison with Bun

Sources & Methodology

How we calculate these scores — transparent and reproducible

Deterministic Scoring

Same inputs always produce the same outputs. We use versioned lookup tables, not LLM opinions. Every score is explainable and reproducible.

Learn how it works →
primary

GitHub

Repository activity, stars, contributors, issue resolution time

primary

NPM Registry

Weekly downloads, package dependencies, version history

secondary

OSV Database

Known vulnerabilities, security advisories, CVE tracking

contextual

Community Signals

Stack Overflow activity, Discord engagement, developer surveys

Data version: 1.2.0 Last updated: 2025-12-28 Confidence: 98%

Frequently Asked

Why doesn't Node.js score 100%?

No technology is perfect for every use case. Our scoring reflects real-world trade-offs. Node.js's main gaps are in performance, where single-threaded event loop limits cpu scaling.

What does confidence percentage mean?

Confidence (98%) indicates how much data we have to support the score. Higher confidence means more data points from multiple sources (GitHub activity, NPM downloads, security audits, community surveys).

How often are scores updated?

Scores are recalculated weekly using automated data pipelines. Major version updates trigger immediate recalculation. Last update: 2025-12-28.