How many of you use Whatsapp for everyday communication? Wrong question! It should be, how many of you do not use Whatsapp for everyday communication? While there are numbers associated to this question, the numbers are considerably less when compared to people using this real-time chat messaging service. With the success of Whatsapp, a lot of other companies followed suit.

Considering this popularity, it is imperative that you have businesses opting for real-time chat applications. However, a lot of modern businesses are looking at Node.js to power their chat applications. Let’s start with a brief introduction of Node.js and then move on to what real-time chat applications are, and finally identify the need for using Node.js for these chat applications.

Node.js: An Overview

Node.js is a powerful JavaScript based runtime framework that uses event-driven, non-blocking I/O model. The open-source platform offers cross-platform runtime environment, and uses the Chrome’s V8 JavaScript engine for the same.

The framework allows you to create web servers and networking tools using modules that handle the core functionality. The tool is power-packed to include a great range of functionality and offers server-side applications to the end users.

The learning curve for the framework is low, as you already know JavaScript, and Node.js is an extended form of the basic framework.

Real-time Applications

We live in a world where we pre-dominantly believe in the word immediate. Yes, we want everything instantly, at the moment, and finally with the convenience and comfort you desire.

Real-time applications support this cause. You will see that there are instant apps for everything, from chat to banking to core tasks. They compute the need within microseconds, and update the data within seconds. Yes, you won’t even know the difference, and you have the new updates ready for you.

The real-time chat applications are indeed popular with a great segment, and it is the hour to keep upgrading these apps to improve them, and make it more in line with the end user’s needs. Solve problems, reduce the gaps and prepare apps for the current and emerging technologies.

A few examples of the real-time applications include: video conference applications, Voice over Internet Protocol or better known as VoIP, gaming applications, the community storage solutions that need real-time data updated every second, stock broking solutions, and finally the chat apps. Instant messaging apps are also a major example of real-time applications, example Whatsapp, which we discussed in detail earlier.

When we are on the subject of real-time applications, it is important to know why Node.js can help develop real-time applications. Rather, why should you opt for this framework to develop the real-time applications.

Node.js for Real-time Applications

Here we will discuss the main reasons why Node.js should be considered for the real-time application development.

• It is not unknown that the JavaScript execution is real fast, and Node.js being built on this framework, is your best bet for network applications that require speed. It works using the event loop thus, can handle multiple client requests at a time, without causing a load on the application.
• Reusability of the components is another advantage that you can derive from the use of Node.js. The Node Packaging Manager is out to help the developers from getting stuck while in the development phase. There are various components that can be shared, used and reused by the developers, thus allowing you to explore a wide range of solutions.
• If you have to track the I/O bound tasks in Node.js, it is quite easy. The reason being the event-driven ability of the framework. The streams in Node.js are UNIX-based, which means the framework can easily read into the input i.e. from the source and pipes it to the destination.
• The data transfer between client and server is made easy for the applications. The reason being, the easy transfer of data between client and server and easy readability owing to the framework
• Module based functions is an interesting way to make sure you write minimal code and maximize the output. You can reduce the complexity of the applications by working on individual module, debugging them, and removing the errors that are present therein.

How To Create A Real-Time Application With Node.Js?

To create the simple real-time application, you need Express.js framework combined with Socket.IO library.

With Express.js, you can incorporate the various powerful features that you need in the chat app. It also helps you with application routing and building easy-to-use templating solution. You can extend the core functionality of your chat application with this framework.

Socket.IO is the main element of the real-time applications. This framework allows for real-time, bi-directional communication between the servers and clients, which means you need this to create the real-time applications. You can get real-time analytics and pass on instant messages with this framework.

The combination of these two frameworks and perfect coding should get you the real-time application you are looking for.

The modern day chat applications are slowly closing any communication gaps that may exist, and require frameworks that work fast and scale your applications. Socket.IO is the main component when you are looking to build real-time applications. It makes up for the speed and for usable solutions, you need Express.js.

By hiring skilled Node.js developers, you can define capable and highly efficient solutions. Coruscate has experience of developing chat applications that make communication effective for businesses. We have derived solutions for a number of requirements. If you have an app idea waiting to be converted into a professional solution, connect with us over phone or email.