Differences Between Java vs Node JS

Java is an Object-Oriented, general-purpose programming language and class-based.

Developers can use the principle – “write once, run anywhere” with Java. Java is portable,
means a program written for any platform must run similarly on a combination of hardware
and operating system. Node JS is a runtime library and environment which is cross-platform
and used for creating running JavaScript applications outside the browser. It is a free and
open source and utilized for creating server-side JS applications. Node JS allows developers
to execute their code on the server-side. It provides a faster way to write scripts that are
scalable and light.

Java

 Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystem. Much of Java’s
syntax is derived from C++, which is also class-based and Object-Oriented. Java is
being shipped in the form of JDK (Java Development Kit), which includes various
components that are required to run a java program, however, not all the components
of JDK are mandatory to run Java. The latest version is Java 10, released in March
2018.
 Java source program is converted to bytecode by the Java compiler, and then this
compiled bytecode can be executed on any operating system having compatible JRE
(Java Runtime Environment) installed on it. Thus, source code once written in Java
can be run on any platform, which is one of the biggest benefits.
 It is just that appropriate JRE must be installed on a required operating system which
can be downloaded from Java’s official website. A compiler would convert Java
source code to bytecode, and JVM (Java Virtual Machine) which is created inside
JRE (Java Runtime Environment) would convert bytecode to machine code.
 Java has extensive support for concurrency, networking, and GUI (Graphic User
Interface). There is a vast number of frameworks that are built using Java. In the
current scenario, Spring is vastly used in the web development landscape whose
foundation is laid upon Java.

Node JS

 One can easily utilize Node JS for the front end as well as for back-end development
as it allows the use of the same JavaScript. Developers can write real-time
applications, and at the same time, it provides scope for mobile application
development.
 Server-side capabilities are provided extensively in Node JS, a developer can listen to
and reply to HTTP requests on the computer, listen to traffic network and at the same
time can access the database from a computer directly.
 Node JS uses an event-based model to address scalability, and allow rich JavaScript
libraries for JavaScript modules which helps in simplify the coding. There are plenty
of frameworks based on Node JS such as Express JS, Partial JS, etc. When it comes to
building fast and scalable server-side applications, Node JS is a clear-cut winner.
 Basically, Node JS gives JavaScript the ability to interact with I/O (input/output)
devices through its APIs, and connect with other external libraries written in various
other languages.
Head to Head Comparison Between Java and Node JS

Below are the top 8 comparisons between Java and Node JS:

Key Differences Between Java and Node JS

Some key Differences Between Java and Node JS are explained below

1. Java is a great option for building complex web-based, highly concurrent application
whereas Node JS is ideal for developing small size projects.
2. Java requires Java Development Kit which includes Java compiler and runtime
environment to run Java on any machine whereas Node JS must be installed through
installable archive file.
3. Source code written in Java is compiled into bytecode and then bytecode is converted
to machine code, ready to run on any platform whereas, with Node JS, source code
written in a source file is JavaScript, Node JS interpreter will be used to interpret and
execute JavaScript code.
4. Java is strictly a server-side language which has nothing to do with the browser,
whereas Node JS can be used on client and server side efficiently.
5. Java is heavily used for building complex web-based application with an already
provided framework built using Java whereas Node JS is best suited for real-time
collaborative drawing or editing applications like Google Docs.
6. Java is an Object-Oriented language needs to be compiled and run inside JRE (Java
Runtime Environment) whereas Node JS is a cross-platform runtime system and
environment for applications written in JavaScript.
7. Java uses the concept of multithreading with ease whereas Node JS does not use the
concept of multi-threading like Java does.
8. For large scale projects that involved concurrency, Java is highly recommended
whereas Node JS does not handle the thread as well as Java does, which is the
weakest point of this framework.
9. CPU intensive task required huge computational power can be handled with Java
whereas I/O bound operations like real-time chat, media streaming etc can be handled
well with Node JS.
10. Java is de-facto enterprise standard, it is the most popular programming language in
the world whereas Node JS is a framework revolves around JavaScript and can
achieve parallelism efficiently which is different from concurrency.

Java and Node JS Comparison Table

Following is the comparison table between Java and Node JS.

Basis
of Comparison
Java Node JS
between Java vs
Node JS
Class-based, Object-Oriented Framework written in C, C++,
Creation
language derived from C++ JavaScript
 Complex web-based, highly
Application
concurrent application
Suited for complex web-based
Project
concurrency project
Messaging, web application,
Usage
highly concurrent application
Require JDK (Java Development
Installation
Kit) to run Java
Scope Dominate server-side interaction
Frameworks Spring, Struts, JSF, Tapestry etc.
Simplify application development
Application
with Object-Oriented approach
Fast and scalable server-side
application
Best suited for small size projects
Highly useful when scalable and
faster application is required
Need to install archive file on a
system
Developers can utilize it on client and
server side
Has many different frameworks like
Express.js, Sails.js, and Partial.js
More suited for an application like
real-time collaborative drawing/edit
like Google Docs

Conclusion

Java is a programming language whereas Node JS is a framework written in C, C++,

JavaScript. There are lots of stuff which can be done with Java efficiently, but not with Node
JS and vice-versa. Java has a vast and rich set of libraries and frameworks which are
dominating the web development landscape around the globe for years. Node JS is a
framework which is highly suitable for JavaScript developers. It works efficiently for client
and server-side part of an application.

Node JS is the preferred choice for I/O bound operations, which is based upon the event-
driven model. JavaScript programmer would find more comfort in Node JS, since at the core
lies the JavaScript. Java is one of the popular programming languages can achieve multiple
objectives with its set of frameworks and libraries. JMS (Java Messaging System), JavaFX,
Spring, JSF, Struts etc. are some of the tips of the iceberg offered by Java.

Finally, it depends on what applications one wants to build. Anything done with Node JS can
be achieved efficiently with Java libraries and frameworks. Super-fast applications can be
built with concurrency in Java, whereas event-driven I/O bound applications can be written
efficiently with Node JS framework. At the end of the day, it depends on requirement and
developer abilities to understand the technology.

Recommended Articles

This has been a useful guide to Differences Between Java vs Node JS. Here we have
discussed Java vs Node JS head to head comparison, key difference along with infographics
and comparison table. You may also look at the following article to learn more –