Node Js Non-blocking or asynchronous Blocking or synchronous

1. AUG 2023 07 Asign menu 0   HOME INSIGHTS ABOUT US WEB PORTFOLIO MOBILE PORTFOLIO CAREERS CONTACT US BLOG Blog Home / Node.js / Node Js: Non-blocking or asynchronous | Blocking or synchronous NODE. JS Node Js: Non-blocking or asynchronous | Blocking or synchronous   CronJ, 4 years ago 19 min read ? Listen to Post Node.js is a server-side scripting language based on Google’s V8 Javascript engine. Node js is a single-threaded and highly scalable system. Instead of separate processes and threads, it uses asynchronous, event-driven I/O operations. So It can achieve high output via single-threaded event loop and non-blocking I/O.  Table of Contents 1. Node.js: Why and Where to Use It? 2. How to Run Code in Node.js? 3. Why Node Js is single-threaded? 4. What is Non-blocking or asynchronous? 5. What is Blocking or synchronous? 6. What is IO? 7. Blocking vs Non Blocking NodeJS 8. Blocking or Non-blocking in Node.js: Which is Faster? 9. Dangers of Mixing Blocking and Non-Blocking Code 10. How can We Convert Blocking Code to Non-blocking Code? 11. Pros and Cons of Non Blocking IO Node.js 12. Is it possible to use asynchronous architecture? Node.js: Why and Where to Use It?

2. Node.js has gained immense popularity in recent years due to its unique features and capabilities. It is a powerful JavaScript runtime built on Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine, which enables developers to build scalable and high-performance applications. In this article, we will explore the reasons why you should consider using Node.js and where it can be most bene?cial. Why to Use Node.js? Ef?cient and Scalable: Node.js is known for its e?ciency and scalability, making it an excellent choice for developing applications that can handle a large number of concurrent connections. It uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, allowing it to handle multiple requests without getting blocked, unlike traditional blocking I/O models used in other languages. This makes Node.js ideal for applications that require real-time interactions, such as chat applications, collaborative tools, and gaming platforms. Single Language, Full Stack: One signi?cant advantage of Node.js is that it enables developers to use JavaScript both on the server and the client side. This means that you can have a seamless development experience, using the same language and libraries throughout the entire stack. This consistency reduces the complexity of development and eases the transition between front-end and back-end development tasks. It also enables the reuse of code and modules, resulting in faster development cycles and increased productivity. Large and Active Community: Node.js has a vibrant and extensive community of developers, which means you can easily ?nd support, libraries, and resources to help you in your Node.js development journey. The community actively contributes to the Node Package Manager (NPM), which hosts a vast collection of open-source packages that can be easily integrated into your projects. With a rich ecosystem and continuous community-driven enhancements, Node.js ensures that you can ?nd solutions to most of your development challenges. Where to Use Node.js? High Performance: Node.js’s event-driven, non-blocking architecture allows it to handle a large number of concurrent connections e?ciently. This, coupled with its ability to use JavaScript’s asynchronous programming paradigm, makes it highly performant, especially when dealing with I/O-intensive tasks. Node.js excels in scenarios such as handling HTTP requests, ?le system operations, and database queries. It can signi?cantly improve the response time and throughput of your applications, making it a preferred choice for high-performance web servers. Microservices and APIs: Node.js is an excellent choice for building microservices and RESTful APIs. Its lightweight and modular nature allow developers to create small, independent services that can communicate with each other. This promotes a modular and decoupled architecture, making it easier to scale and maintain your applications. Additionally, Node.js provides a range of frameworks and libraries, such as Express.js, that simplify the development of APIs, enabling you to quickly build robust and scalable back-end services. Node.js o?ers a compelling set of features and bene?ts that make it a valuable tool for modern web development. Its e?ciency, scalability, and the ability to use JavaScript both on the server and client sides make it an attractive choice for developers. With its large and active community, high performance, and support for microservices and APIs, Node.js proves to be a versatile platform suitable for a wide range of applications. How to Run Code in Node.js? Running code in Node.js allows developers to execute JavaScript outside of the browser environment, enabling server-side scripting and building command-line tools. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of running code in Node.js, from setting up the environment to executing your ?rst program.

3. Installing Node.js: To begin running code in Node.js, the ?rst step is to install Node.js on your machine. Visit the o?cial Node.js website (nodejs.org) and download the appropriate installation package for your operating system. Follow the installation instructions provided, and upon completion, you will have Node.js and its accompanying package manager, npm, installed on your system. Creating a JavaScript File: Once Node.js is installed, you can start by creating a JavaScript ?le that contains the code you want to run. Using a text editor or an integrated development environment (IDE), create a new ?le with a .js extension, such as “myScript.js”. This ?le will serve as the entry point for your Node.js program. Writing Your Node.js Code: Open the JavaScript ?le you created and begin writing your Node.js code. You have the ?exibility to use JavaScript syntax and leverage the rich set of Node.js APIs and modules available. For example, you can utilize the ‘fs’ module to work with the ?le system, the ‘http’ module to create a web server, or third-party libraries available on npm to enhance your code’s functionality. Command-Line Execution: To run your Node.js code, open a command-line interface (CLI) or terminal window and navigate to the directory where your JavaScript ?le is located. Use the ‘node’ command followed by the name of your ?le to execute the code. For example, in the terminal, enter: node myScript.js Node.js will interpret and execute the code, providing the output or performing the speci?ed actions de?ned within your program. Handling Command-Line Arguments: Node.js allows you to pass command-line arguments to your program, enabling dynamic behavior and user input. Within your JavaScript code, you can access these arguments using the ‘process.argv’ array. This allows you to customize the execution of your code based on the provided arguments. Interacting with the Console: During code execution, you can interact with the console by using functions such as ‘console.log()’ to display messages, values, or debug information. The console output will be visible in the command-line interface or terminal window where your code is running, aiding in the development and troubleshooting process. Running code in Node.js is a fundamental skill for JavaScript developers, as it unlocks the ability to build server-side applications and command-line tools. By following the step-by-step guide provided above, you can successfully set up the Node.js environment, create JavaScript ?les, and execute code using the command line. Experiment with di?erent Node.js APIs, modules, and command-line arguments to explore the full potential of Node.js and leverage its capabilities in your projects. Why Node Js is single-threaded?

4. Node.js is single-threaded for asynchronous processing. By doing asynchronous processing on a single-thread under typical web loads, more performance and scalability can be achieved. What is Non-blocking or asynchronous? A non-blocking operation will not wait for I/O operation to complete. When blocking operation caused the process to be put on the back burner at the operating system level, performing a non-blocking I/O operation the process continues to run instead. A non-blocking call initiates the operation, leaves it for the operating system to complete returning and immediately without any results. Alternate means are then used to determine the completion of the I/O operation. There are a few ways to communicate that non-blocking I/O operation has been completed. Programs interacting closer with operating systems that use polling. By using polling, the program repeatedly asks from the operating system that has any I/O operation to complete? and then process those operations have. In Javascript, we can also do with callbacks. A non-blocking call in JavaScript, that provides a callback function that is to be called when the operation is completed.

5. Node.js was internally used operating system level polling in combination with worker threads for operations that do not support polling. Then node.js translates these mechanisms to callbacks. A performant application uses non-blocking I/O operations. This allows a single process to serve multiple requests at the same time. Instead of no of processes being blocked and waiting for a single I/O operation to complete, this waiting time can be used to serve other requests. All Node.js libraries and the Node.js core API offer non-blocking operations. For your reference please have a look at the image. Let us take a real-time example, Eg: When you went to a restaurant, the waiter comes to your table, takes your order and gives it to the kitchen. Then he moved to serve another table. While the chef is preparing your meal, so the same person can serve many different tables. They don’t have to wait for the chef to cook one meal before they serve another table.

6. This is called non-blocking or asynchronous architecture and this is how node applications work. Example for non-blocking: Let’s take a file name called sample.txt. It contains only “Hello World..”. Write a snippet in another file: const fs = require(‘fs’);  // Require the fs library   ” console.log(“Execution started..”);     // File I/O Operation fs.readFile(‘?le.txt’, function(err, data){ if(err) { return console.error(err); } console.log(data.toString()); }); console.log(“Execution Ended..”); If you run node server you will get the following output. What is Blocking or synchronous?

7. Once again let’s go back to our restaurant example. Eg: Imagine you went to another restaurant. A waiter is allocated to you. You gave an order to him. Now the waiter went to the kitchen and give orders to the chef, and now he is sitting ideal while preparing your order. That means now the waiter here acting like a thread. He will go to the next order after delivering your order. While preparing your order your thread (waiter) is waiting for the response. This is called blocking or synchronous architecture and that’s how applications built with frameworks like a speed net or rails work out of the box. So a thread is allocated to handle that request when we receive a request on the server as a part of handling that request. It is likely that we’re going to query a database and as you know sometimes it may take a little while until the result is ready. When the database is executing the query that the thread is waiting ideally, it can’t be used to serve for another client. So we need another new thread to serve another client. Imagine what would happen if we have a large number of parallel clients at some point we are going to run out of threads to serve these clients. For your reference please have a look at the image.

8. Example for blocking: ” var contents = fs.readFile(‘?le.txt’,’utf8′, function(err,contents){      console.log(contents); });

9. ” var contents = fs.readFile(‘?le1.txt’,’utf8′, function(err,contents){       console.log(contents); }); This will give you the output: What is IO? Input/Output (I/O) operations play a crucial role in any software application, including Node.js. In this article, we will explore the concept of I/O and delve into the di?erences between blocking and non-blocking operations. Speci?cally, we will focus on how Node.js leverages non-blocking I/O to enhance performance and scalability. Understanding I/O in Software: I/O refers to the communication between a program and external devices, such as disks, networks, or user input. In the context of Node.js, I/O operations involve reading from or writing to ?les, making network requests, or interacting with databases. E?cient I/O handling is essential for optimizing the overall performance of an application. Blocking I/O: In traditional programming models, I/O operations are typically blocking, meaning that the program halts its execution until the I/O operation completes. This blocking behavior can lead to ine?ciencies and reduced performance, especially when handling multiple concurrent connections. In such scenarios, the application waits until each I/O operation ?nishes before moving on to the next one, potentially causing delays and bottlenecks. Non-blocking I/O: Node.js distinguishes itself by employing a non-blocking I/O model. Non-blocking I/O allows the program to continue executing other tasks while waiting for I/O operations to complete. Instead of waiting, Node.js delegates I/O operations to the underlying system and registers callbacks to be executed upon completion. This asynchronous approach enables the application to handle multiple operations concurrently, resulting in improved e?ciency and responsiveness. Non-blocking I/O in Node.js: Node.js takes full advantage of non-blocking I/O to maximize its performance and e?ciency. It uses an event-driven architecture and employs asynchronous programming techniques. Asynchronous APIs allow developers to write non- blocking code by utilizing callbacks, promises, or async/await syntax. Node.js also provides a vast ecosystem of modules and libraries built on top of non-blocking principles, further enhancing its capabilities. I/O operations are essential components of software applications, including Node.js. Understanding the di?erence between blocking and non-blocking I/O is crucial for building performant and scalable applications. Node.js, with its non-blocking I/O model, o?ers signi?cant advantages by enabling e?cient resource utilization, enhanced performance, and scalability. By leveraging non-blocking I/O, developers can unlock the full potential of Node.js and build high-performance applications that can handle thousands of concurrent connections. Blocking vs Non Blocking NodeJS In Node.js, understanding the di?erence between blocking and non-blocking operations is crucial for building e?cient and responsive applications. In this article, we will explore the concepts of blocking and non-blocking in Node.js, their implications, and how they a?ect the performance of your code.

10. Blocking Operations in Node.js: Blocking operations refer to tasks that halt the execution of the program until the operation is completed. When a blocking operation is encountered, Node.js waits for it to ?nish before moving on to the next task. This can cause delays and ine?ciencies, especially in scenarios where there are multiple concurrent operations. Non-blocking Operations in Node.js: Non-blocking operations, on the other hand, allow the program to continue executing other tasks while waiting for an operation to complete. Instead of waiting, Node.js delegates the operation to the underlying system and registers a callback function to be executed upon completion. This asynchronous approach enables Node.js to handle multiple operations concurrently, improving e?ciency and responsiveness. Comparison: Blocking vs. Non-blocking Operations in Node.js Blocking Operations Non-blocking Operations Execution Model Synchronous Asynchronous Program Flow Waits for each operation to ?nish Continues with other tasks Responsiveness Can be slow for multiple tasks Improved responsiveness Performance Lower concurrency, potential delays Higher concurrency, better performance Resource Usage Higher resource utilization E?cient resource utilization In Node.js, understanding the di?erence between blocking and non-blocking operations is vital for writing high-performance applications. By leveraging non-blocking operations, Node.js can handle concurrent tasks e?ciently, resulting in improved responsiveness, scalability, and resource utilization. Asynchronous programming and the event-driven architecture of Node.js enable developers to harness the power of non-blocking operations, making it a preferred choice for building scalable and responsive applications. Blocking or Non-blocking in Node.js: Which is Faster? Non-blocking Advantages: Non-blocking operations, including asynchronous operations in Node.js, o?er several bene?ts that contribute to speed and performance: Enhanced Responsiveness Non-blocking operations prevent the program from becoming unresponsive during I/O tasks. By allowing concurrent execution, Node.js can quickly respond to incoming requests and handle multiple operations simultaneously. Scalability Non-blocking operations enable Node.js to e?ciently handle a large number of concurrent connections, making it suitable for applications with high tra?c and real-time communication requirements. Ef?cient Resource Utilization Non-blocking operations optimize resource usage by utilizing the CPU and system resources e?ectively. The program doesn’t idle while waiting for I/O operations to complete, allowing it to perform additional tasks, resulting in better overall performance. In the world of Node.js, the choice between blocking and non-blocking operations signi?cantly impacts the speed and performance of your applications. While blocking operations may be suitable for speci?c use cases, non-blocking operations, including asynchronous programming, o?er advantages in terms of responsiveness, scalability, and resource utilization. By understanding the di?erences and utilizing non-blocking techniques e?ectively, developers can optimize the speed and overall performance of their Node.js applications.

11. Dangers of Mixing Blocking and Non-Blocking Code Performance Bottlenecks Mixing blocking and non-blocking code can lead to performance bottlenecks. When a blocking operation is encountered within non-blocking code, it can stall the entire application, reducing the bene?ts of non-blocking architecture. Unpredictable Behavior Mixing blocking and non-blocking code can result in unpredictable behavior. The order of execution may become uncertain, leading to unexpected outcomes and potential bugs that are di?cult to debug. Resource Utilization Mixing blocking and non-blocking code may lead to ine?cient resource utilization. Blocking operations can consume system resources while waiting, hindering the execution of other non-blocking tasks and degrading overall performance. Best Practices to Avoid Mixing Code: Consistency: Strive for consistency throughout your codebase. Choose either blocking or non-blocking approach depending on your application’s requirements and stick to that paradigm. Design Considerations: Plan your application’s architecture and I/O handling strategy upfront, ensuring a coherent and consistent approach across your codebase. Use Non-blocking Libraries: Leverage non-blocking libraries and modules when working with third-party dependencies to maintain consistency and avoid potential con?icts. Mixing blocking and non-blocking code in Node.js can introduce risks and complexities that impact the performance and reliability of your applications. It is crucial to understand the di?erences between blocking and non-blocking code and adopt a consistent approach throughout your codebase. By adhering to best practices and maintaining consistency, you can ensure the e?cient execution of your Node.js applications and mitigate the risks associated with mixing blocking and non-blocking code. How can We Convert Blocking Code to Non-blocking Code? In Node.js, converting blocking code to non-blocking code is a crucial step for optimizing performance and responsiveness. By leveraging non-blocking techniques, you can enhance the scalability of your applications and ensure e?cient resource utilization. In this article, we will explore best practices for converting blocking code to non-blocking code in Node.js. Identify Blocking Code: Analyze your codebase to identify sections that involve blocking operations, such as ?le I/O, network requests, or database interactions. Look for synchronous function calls that halt the execution until the operation is completed. Utilize Asynchronous APIs: Leverage the asynchronous APIs provided by Node.js for non-blocking operations. These include callbacks, promises, and async/await syntax. Rewrite blocking code to use asynchronous functions and callbacks. Replace synchronous operations with their asynchronous counterparts. Use Libraries and Modules: Explore and utilize existing libraries and modules built on non-blocking principles. These libraries provide optimized solutions for common tasks and help streamline the conversion process. Examples of popular libraries include “axios” for non-blocking HTTP requests and “fs-extra” for non-blocking ?le operations. Implement Event-driven Architecture: Embrace the event-driven architecture of Node.js. Utilize events and event listeners to handle non-blocking operations e?ectively. Register event listeners for I/O operations and execute the corresponding logic when the operation completes. Parallelize Tasks: Identify opportunities to parallelize tasks and execute them concurrently. Split complex tasks into smaller, independent units that can be processed concurrently, utilizing the full potential of non-blocking capabilities. Optimize Resource Utilization: Ensure e?cient utilization of resources by avoiding unnecessary blocking operations. Whenever possible, delegate I/O tasks to the underlying system and continue with other operations while waiting for completion.

12. Converting blocking code to non-blocking code in Node.js is a fundamental step for enhancing performance and responsiveness. By leveraging asynchronous APIs, utilizing libraries, implementing event-driven architecture, parallelizing tasks, and optimizing resource utilization, you can successfully transition from blocking to non-blocking code. This conversion unlocks the scalability and e?ciency bene?ts of non-blocking I/O, enabling your Node.js applications to handle concurrent operations and deliver optimal performance. Pros and Cons of Non Blocking IO Node.js In Node.js, non-blocking I/O is a fundamental concept that distinguishes it from traditional blocking-based architectures. Understanding the pros and cons of non-blocking I/O in Node.js is essential for building e?cient and scalable applications. In this article, we will explore the advantages and trade-o?s of non-blocking I/O in Node.js. Pros of Non-blocking I/O in Node.js: Enhanced Performance: Non-blocking I/O allows Node.js to handle multiple concurrent operations without becoming unresponsive. This concurrency improves performance, especially in scenarios with high I/O load or a large number of concurrent connections. Non-blocking operations prevent the program from waiting idly during I/O tasks, optimizing resource utilization and overall system performance. Scalability: Node.js’s non-blocking I/O model enables it to handle a massive number of concurrent connections e?ciently. With its single-threaded event loop, it can scale horizontally and vertically, making it suitable for applications with high tra?c and real-time communication requirements. Non-blocking I/O ensures that the system remains responsive under heavy loads, providing a seamless user experience. Responsiveness: Non-blocking I/O makes Node.js highly responsive. It allows the program to continue executing other tasks while waiting for I/O operations to complete. This responsiveness is crucial for applications requiring real-time updates, such as chat servers, collaborative tools, or streaming services. Cons of Non-blocking I/O in Node.js: Complexity: Implementing non-blocking I/O requires careful handling of asynchronous operations and callbacks. This asynchronous programming style can be challenging, especially for developers transitioning from traditional blocking-based architectures. Non-blocking code can be more complex to write, read, and debug compared to blocking code. Proper error handling and control ?ow management are crucial to avoid callback hell or “pyramid of doom” scenarios. Limited CPU-Intensive Operations: Node.js’s single-threaded nature limits its ability to e?ciently handle CPU-intensive tasks. Blocking CPU-bound operations within the event loop can signi?cantly impact the responsiveness of the entire application. To overcome this limitation, Node.js encourages delegating CPU-bound tasks to worker threads or separate processes, while keeping the main event loop free for non-blocking I/O operations. Non-blocking I/O in Node.js o?ers several advantages in terms of performance, scalability, and responsiveness. It enables e?cient handling of concurrent operations and optimal resource utilization. However, implementing non-blocking I/O requires careful management of asynchronous code and can introduce complexities. Developers need to be mindful of the limitations regarding CPU-intensive tasks and employ appropriate strategies to delegate such operations. Overall, Node.js’s non-blocking I/O model is well-suited for building high-performance applications, particularly those involving I/O-heavy workloads or real-time communication requirements. Is it possible to use asynchronous architecture?

13. So with this kind of architecture, we are not utilizing our resources efficiently. This is the problem with synchronous or blocking. In previous examples as I explained that’s how applications built with frameworks like asp.net worked by default. Of course in asp.net, it is possible to use asynchronous architecture. To handle all requests we have a single thread, the linear request arrives that a single thread is used to handle that request. If you need to query a database our single thread doesn’t have to wait for the database to return the data while the database is executing our query. That thread will serve another client when the database prepares the result, it puts a message in what we call an event queue. In the background, the Node is continuously monitoring this queue. When it finds an event in this queue it will take it out and will do the remaining process. This kind of architecture makes the node ideal for building applications that include a lot of network access or disks. We can serve more clients without the need to throw in more hardware and that’s why no applications are highly scalable in contrast. The node should not be used for CPU intensive applications like image manipulation service or a video encoding. In such applications, we have a lot of calculations that should be done by CPU and few operations that touch the file system or the network. Also Read: Writing Files In Nodejs? Here Is What You Need To Know. Since no applications are single threaded while performing the calculations to serve one client, other clients have to wait. And that’s the reason, the node should not be used or CPU intensive applications. It should only be used for building data-intensive and real-time applications. Follow Us on Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn. Thank You.

14. VIA SOURCE TAGS #NODEJS ASYNCHRONOUS SYNCHRONOUS #NODEJS NONBLOCKING BLOCKING NODE. JS   NODE. JS Node JS WebSocket: Examples | Chat Features | Client- Server communication NodeJS Logging: What should you know about logging? CronJ CronJ is a product development company which solves problems in Video analytics, IoT, Industrial automation, Manufacturing 4.0, Smart Factory, Smart City, Blockchain, Arti?cial Intelligence, Mobility Solutions and supply chain consulting. Related posts WordPress Theme built by Shu?ehound.