E-commerce has made a shift from B2B and B2C. Now, C2C has gained popularity. However, people are addicted to mobile phones and the internet. Hence, online platforms have gained popularity; e-commerce is not an exception to it.
In 2014, e-commerce sales accounted for 1,366billion USD. However, today it accounts for 4891 billion USD. Moreover, it is expected to hit 6,388billion USD in 2024!! (Source: Statista)Huge, isn’t it?
When the demand is high, it is necessary to have a suitable e-commerce platform. Here, the development of the web application plays an important role. Some of the best frontend frameworks to build an eCommerce website are React, Vue, and Angular. But which framework is the best for backend development? Yes, it’s Node.js. Node.js helps you to build a scalable eCommerce web app that is capable of processing complex server-side requirements.
Let us analyze the role of Node.js in eCommerce application development in detail.
What Is The Role Of Backend development?
The backend of any given application is responsible for scalability. In addition, the backend is responsible for generating and maintaining information and delivering the information to the frontend.
The backend consists of the database that stores the data and a server that connects data and browser. However, the backend can either be homogeneous or heterogeneous.
The Challenges
There is high competition in the eCommerce sector. Hence, efficiency is a must to compete in the industry. Therefore, the eCommerce app should maintain high performance apart from 24/7 availability. Moreover, eCommerce sites must-have elements like payment gateways, logistics and shipment, and others. This makes the web application complex. However, these elements should not limit the website’s performance. Besides, it shouldn’t slow down the activities.
Backend processes hundreds of requests from across the world. A lot of things process in a matter of seconds. However, if the backend fails to handle complexity, the frontend will scatter too. Thus, if you miss out on efficiency, many things can fall apart in a matter of seconds.
- Often, the focus is on front-end performance. However, one should not neglect the slow loading time of the backend. A slow backend will result in a white screen. This is because of the inefficiency to handle heavier load and instability.
- Poor backend performance can impact the Search Engine ranking too.
- Programming languages may not contain enough plugins. This will hinder the functionality of the web application. Furthermore, it may not be capable of streaming data or media. On the other hand, coding languages may not support backend and frontend performance efficiently at the same time.
- Sluggish nature results in hard loading. It is necessary to ensure a backend load time of less than 200ms.
Thus, e-commerce needs a complex system and a reliable technology that makes all the elements functional simultaneously.
How Does NodeJS Overcome These Challenges?
Nodejs is characterized by asynchronous nature. This helps to balance the load time between the backend and frontend. Also, the asynchronous nature helps to develop cross-platform applications easily. Studies have shown that asynchronous programming has drastically reduced the backend load time.
An eCommerce web application will have a huge catalog. Hence, asynchronous programming gives the power to handle various users simultaneously. Therefore, Nodejs makes things easier for eCommerce.
So, What Gives Node.js This Power?
Nodejs has event-driven architecture. Besides, it is characterized by single-thread. On the other hand, other web technologies need an additional thread to process each request. Hence, it consumes more memory.
Nodejs empowers the developers to utilize event loops as well as callbacks. This makes the I/O operations easier. The event loop breaks the long requests into smaller parts. Nodejs inspects the work queue once in a few milliseconds. Thus, it processes the latest tasks instantly. Hence, you can serve millions of users simultaneously without any lag.
NodeJS has numerous plugins that make the eCommerce application rich in features. On the other hand, it makes data streaming easier. The open-source platform makes it easier to find the right skills at ease. The more the load time, the fewer conversions. With a slow website, you might lose out any thousands of users in a matter of seconds. NodeJs empowers you with high efficiency that unlocks high performance.
The Best Practices for NodeJS eCommerce Website Development
The two popular ways of developing an eCommerce website include MEAN and MERN stack.
Let us know How the MEAN and MERN stack supports NodeJS.
MEAN and MERN stack are capable of responding rapidly despite heavy traffic. The components of the MEAN and MERN stack are:
- MongoDB: This NoSQL database exchanges and executes data storage. Further, it assists Node.js in running a glitch-free server.
- ExpressJS: This backend framework is web-based. It assists in developing an uncomplex and smooth interface.
- AngularJS: AngularJS is a frontend framework. Further, this enables web development with automatic views or model synchronization.
- ReactJS: React is a library.
- NodeJS: It is a JavaScript runtime. This lightweight and efficient framework is built on Chrome’s V8 JS engine. A non-blocking input-output model characterizes it.
Both MEAN and MERN stack architecture is free and open-source.
The functioning of the MERN/MEAN stack:
- Angular JS processes client-side requests
- The request enters server-side with Node
- Further, the request is set to Exoress.js that accesses the database
- MongoDB collects and relays the entire data to Express.js
- The data is sent to Node and Angular, respectively.
MEAN/ MERN stack holds suitable for 10k users. Hence, it is ideal for businesses at the inception stage. This provides not only scalability and flexibility but also consistency. Therefore, the MEAN stack is a popular choice to develop eCommerce apps as it is stable and concurrent.
Microservice Architecture for NodeJS eCommerce App
When there is an unexpected number of users, microservice architecture is a solution.
Instead of developing applications that require high maintenance, it is better to switch to microservice frameworks. Microservices break down vast processes into small components. Further, it integrates them via APIs.
Microservices help to update and scale the eCommerce application independently. But, on the other hand, the API gateway makes it possible to communicate with several microservices.
When managing different APIs turns out to be challenging, microservices come to the rescue. Overcome the repetitive app crashes and extreme losses by switching to microservices. Thereby, get efficient management of databases as well as programming languages.
Steps Involved In The Development of NodeJS eCommerce Website:
- Agile Development Process: It ensures constant updates to enhance the performance of the eCommerce web app.
- Expertise: Get experienced and skilled professionals for UX design, web development, and testing.
- Integration: Once the app is tested, integrate it with your existing OS, API, and other servers.
- Installation: The last step is to install the web eCommerce app properly.
The Endnote:
Node.js can unlock the high performance of the eCommerce website when compared to other technologies. It is not only stable but quicker too. Overcome the challenges of eCommerce websites by switching to the Node.JS platform. Meet the high competition in the eCommerce industry with the best NodeJS Development Company.
