“Ruby, It’s Time to Say Goodbye: Why Node.js is the Future in 2023”

Drilon Jaha
8 min readDec 8, 2022

Wanted to gather some interesting topics to compare these two badboys, and shake your thinking.

Here we go:

The scalability case:

One of the key reasons why Node.js is often considered to be more scalable than Ruby is its asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model. This means that Node.js can handle many concurrent connections with less overhead, which makes it well suited for building high-performance, scalable applications.

To illustrate the scalability advantages of Node.js, consider the following example. In this example, we will create a simple server that responds to HTTP requests by returning a message. The server will be implemented using both Node.js and Ruby, and we will compare the scalability of each implementation.

Here is the Node.js implementation:

And here is the Ruby implementation:

To compare the scalability of the two implementations, we can use a load testing tool like Apache JMeter to send a large number of requests to the server and measure the response times. For example, we can use JMeter to simulate 100,000 concurrent users sending requests to the server and measure the response times.

Running this test will show that the Node.js implementation is able to handle the high number of concurrent connections with less overhead and better performance than the Ruby implementation. This is because Node.js uses an asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model, which allows it to handle many concurrent connections without blocking the event loop.

Of course, this is just a simple example, and the scalability of a real-world application will depend on many factors. However, the asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model of Node.js can provide significant scalability advantages in certain types of applications.

In conclusion, while it is not accurate to say that one programming language is inherently more scalable than the other, Node.js has certain characteristics that make it well suited for building scalable applications. The asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model of Node.js can provide significant advantages in certain scenarios, and it is worth considering for applications that require high scalability.

Non-opinionated vs opinionated

Non-opinionated frameworks, also known as “un-opinionated” or “batteries-included” frameworks, are frameworks that provide a set of core features and functionality without imposing any specific design or architectural choices on the developer. This means that developers have a lot of flexibility and control over how they use the framework, and they can tailor it to the specific needs of their project.

One of the main advantages of non-opinionated frameworks is that they provide a wide range of features and functionality out of the box, which can save developers time and effort when building their applications. For example, a non-opinionated web framework might provide core features such as routing, templating, and data persistence, as well as a set of tools and libraries that can be used to build a wide range of applications.

Another advantage of non-opinionated frameworks is that they are generally easier to learn and use than opinionated frameworks. Because they do not impose any specific design or architectural choices, developers can use the framework in a way that is most natural and intuitive to them. This can make it easier for beginners to get started with the framework and can allow experienced developers to be more productive.

Here is a simple example of a non-opinionated web framework in Node.js, Express.js:

In contrast, opinionated frameworks are frameworks that impose specific design and architectural choices on the developer. This means that developers are required to use the framework in a specific way, and they have less flexibility and control over how they use it.

One of the main advantages of opinionated frameworks is that they can provide a consistent and predictable development experience, which can make it easier for developers to work on large, complex projects. For example, an opinionated web framework might enforce a specific directory structure, naming convention, or coding style, which can make it easier for multiple developers to collaborate and work on the same codebase.

Another advantage of opinionated frameworks is that they can provide built-in support for common design patterns and best practices, which can make it easier for developers to build high-quality applications. For example, an opinionated web framework might provide built-in support for dependency injection, inversion of control, or model-view-controller (MVC) architecture, which can make it easier for developers to write maintainable and scalable code.

Here is a simple example of an opinionated web framework in Ruby, Rails:

In conclusion, whether a non-opinionated or opinionated framework is better will depend on the specific requirements and goals of your project. Non-opinionated frameworks provide a wide range of features and functionality out of the box and are generally easier to learn and use, while

A key, none comparable aspect of NodeJS

Node.js is built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, which is a high-performance engine developed by Google for use in the Chrome web browser. This engine compiles JavaScript code into native machine code, which makes it faster and more efficient than other JavaScript engines.

One of the key advantages of using Node.js, which is built on the V8 engine, is that it allows developers to write JavaScript code for both the front-end and back-end of an application. This means that developers can use the same language for the entire stack, which can simplify development and make it easier to maintain and scale the application.

Another advantage of Node.js is its asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model. This means that Node.js can handle many concurrent connections with less overhead, which makes it well suited for building high-performance, scalable applications.

In contrast, Ruby is not built on the V8 engine and does not have the same performance and scalability advantages as Node.js.

Performance aspect

In terms of performance, Node.js has an edge over Ruby due to its asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model. However, this does not necessarily mean that Node.js is always the better choice for all applications. The best choice of language will depend on the specific requirements and goals of your project. For example, if you need to build a high-performance, scalable application, Node.js might be a good choice. On the other hand, if you want a language that is easy to learn and has a strong community, Ruby might be a better fit. Ultimately, the decision of which language to use will depend on your specific needs and preferences.

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, and it is often used for building server-side applications. It is known for its high performance and scalability, making it a good choice for building real-time and data-intensive applications. One of the key reasons for Node.js’s performance and scalability is its asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model. This means that Node.js can handle many concurrent connections with less overhead, making it well suited for building high-performance, scalable applications.

To illustrate the performance and scalability advantages of Node.js, consider the following example. In this example, we will create a simple server that responds to HTTP requests by returning a message. The server will be implemented using both Node.js and Ruby, and we will compare the performance of each implementation.

Here is the Node.js implementation:

And here is the Ruby implementation:

To compare the performance of the two implementations, we can use a tool like Apache Bench to send a large number of requests to the server and measure the response times. For example, the following command will send 100,000 requests to the Node.js server with a concurrency level of 100:

ab -n 100000 -c 100 http://localhost:3000/

Running this command will output a report showing the performance metrics of the server, such as the average response time and the number of requests per second that the server was able to handle. Comparing the performance metrics of the Node.js and Ruby implementations will show that the Node.js implementation has a better performance and scalability.

Of course, this is just a simple example, and the performance and scalability of a real-world application will depend on many factors. However, the asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model of Node.js can provide significant performance and scalability advantages in certain types of applications.

Node.js has certain characteristics that make it well suited for building high-performance, scalable applications. The asynchronous, non-blocking I/O model of Node.js can provide significant advantages in certain scenarios, and it is worth considering for applications that require high performance and scalability.

Example 1: Real-time data processing

One scenario where Node.js can provide significant performance and scalability advantages is in applications that need to process large amounts of real-time data. For example, consider a stock trading platform that receives real-time market data from multiple sources and needs to process the data and update the prices in real-time.

To implement this scenario using Node.js, we can use the EventEmitter class to receive the market data from multiple sources and process them asynchronously. This allows us to handle many concurrent data streams without blocking the event loop, which enables high performance and scalability. Here is a simple example:

To implement the same scenario using Ruby, we would need to use threads to process the data asynchronously. However, threading can be difficult to manage and can introduce performance bottlenecks, especially when handling a large number of concurrent data streams.

Example 2: Web sockets

Another scenario where Node.js can provide performance and scalability advantages is in applications that use web sockets to communicate with clients in real-time. For example, consider a chat application that allows users to send and receive messages in real-time.

To implement this scenario using Node.js, we can use the ws module to create a web socket server and handle incoming messages asynchronously. This allows us to handle many concurrent connections without blocking the event loop, which enables high performance and scalability. Here is a simple example:

To implement the same scenario using Ruby, we would need to use threads to handle incoming messages asynchronously. However, as with the previous example, threading can be difficult to manage and can introduce performance bottlenecks, especially when handling a large number of concurrent connections.

--

--