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ExpressJS vs Sails.js: What are the differences?
Introduction
This Markdown code provides a comparison between ExpressJS and Sails.js frameworks, highlighting their key differences.
Language and Compatibility: ExpressJS is a minimal, unopinionated web application framework for Node.js, making it compatible with any JavaScript backend. On the other hand, Sails.js is built on top of Express.js and provides additional features like configuration and conventions based on MVC architecture.
Automatic Blueprint APIs: Sails.js has an automatic API generator called "blueprints" that allows developers to easily generate RESTful APIs based on predefined controller actions and models. ExpressJS does not provide such automatic generation of APIs, requiring developers to manually implement and configure their API endpoints.
Real-time functionality: Sails.js provides built-in support for real-time communication through WebSockets and a pub/sub system called "sockets". This allows developers to easily implement real-time features like chat applications. ExpressJS, on the other hand, does not have built-in support for real-time functionality, requiring developers to use external libraries or implement their own solutions.
Database Integration: While both frameworks can work with various databases, Sails.js provides a native ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) called Waterline. This ORM is agnostic to the database type and allows developers to easily switch between different databases without changing their code. ExpressJS does not come with a native ORM, requiring developers to choose and integrate a separate ORM library.
Community and Ecosystem: ExpressJS has a larger and more mature community compared to Sails.js. This means that ExpressJS has a wider range of available libraries, plugins, and resources, making it easier to find solutions and get help when needed. Sails.js, being a younger framework, has a smaller and less mature community with fewer available resources.
Flexibility and Extensibility: ExpressJS is known for its flexibility and minimalistic approach, allowing developers to have full control over their application's structure and architecture. This makes it easy to customize and extend ExpressJS applications according to specific project requirements. Sails.js, on the other hand, follows a convention-over-configuration approach, providing a more opinionated structure and predefined conventions. While this can speed up development by reducing the need for manual configuration, it may limit the flexibility of customization.
In summary, ExpressJS is a minimal and flexible framework with a larger community and more resources, while Sails.js provides additional features like automatic API generation, real-time functionality, and a database-agnostic ORM. The choice between the two frameworks depends on the specific needs of the project and the preference for flexibility versus predefined conventions.
Pros of ExpressJS
- Simple381
- Node.js336
- Javascript244
- High performance193
- Robust routing152
- Middlewares73
- Open source72
- Great community59
- Hybrid web applications37
- Well documented16
- Sinatra inspired9
- Rapid development9
- Isomorphic js.. superfast and easy7
- Socket connection7
- Light weight5
- Npm4
- Resource available for learning4
- Callbacks3
- Event loop3
- Data stream2
- Easy to use1
Pros of Sails.js
- Data-driven apis49
- Waterline ORM47
- Mvc37
- Easy rest32
- Real-time25
- Open source21
- Service-oriented architecture19
- Scalable18
- Convension over configuration10
- Rails-like asset pipeline9
- Node machines and machinepacks9
- Easy route/controller generation7
- Ruby on Rails basic stuff for JS devs6
- CLI for scaffolding project pieces3
- WebSocket support3
- Supportive community1
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Cons of ExpressJS
- Not python27
- Overrated17
- No multithreading14
- Javascript9
- Not fast5
- Easily Insecure for Novices3
Cons of Sails.js
- Waterline ORM5
- Defaults to VueJS4
- Standard MVC0