Node.js vs. Ruby on Rails: A Deep Dive Comparison and Best Use Cases

As technology constantly evolves, new web development tools and frameworks emerge in the market. Even though this provides lots of options for devs and startup owners to choose from, that variety is a double-edged sword. It also creates massive confusion, especially in this competitive era when quick and optimal results are a must. This is the reason for constant debates between technologies, such as Node.js vs. Ruby on Rails.

This subject, in particular, has been the subject of huge debates as to which web framework is better for projects.

In this article, we will have a look at the comparison of RoR vs. Node.js with respect to your project goals, be it performance, scalability, architecture, or any other factor you are concerned about.

Node.js vs. Ruby on Rails Comparison

There are many factors to consider when choosing a web framework to build your project. Now, we will be comparing the benefits that Node.js has to offer against that of Ruby on Rails. Take a look at the core difference between Node.js vs. Rails : 

Performance

Since Node.js gets the Async and non-blocking nature of JavaScript, it creates a conducive environment for small tasks that are easily manageable. Additionally, due to its V8 JavaScript engine, multitasking is fast and more efficient. In backend programming, Node.js uses the Single-threaded Event Loop architecture. This ensures that it handles multiple concurrent requests at high performance.

Node.js has the ability to process lots of requests simultaneously. Many tech giants lean towards this platform for performance. For example, PayPal doubled their request per second and saw a 35% decrease in average response time moving from Java to Node.js. 

Ruby on Rails lags in performance compared to other mainstream web frameworks. Ruby is an interpreted language, and garbage collection is not efficient enough. From time to time garbage collector comes in, halts the whole system, and cleans up no-longer-referenced memory using the mark-and-sweep algorithm. This is often time-consuming and makes the RoR app slow in certain circumstances. However, it is a rare occurrence. 

That being said, developers can build great web applications with good performance using Ruby on Rails. To do this, it is necessary to strictly follow the RoR development standards. 

Application Architecture

Node.js Processing Model is based on the JavaScript event-based model and the JavaScript callback mechanism. Also, devs can use MVC/ MVP architecture pattern that eases isolating and onboarding issues for newbies in the application codebase. Additionally, the platform creates multiple views of the same data and supports asynchronous communication between its different parts.

Ruby on Rails, on the other hand, uses the prevalent MVC (Model View Controllers) architecture. All the rules for handling data and storing business logic are stated in the model layer. The application’s front-end is handled by the View, while the application flow is taken care of by the controller. It follows the convention over the configuration rule. This means that it has already handled the technological problems. So devs can concentrate more on solving business issues.

Scalability

It is possible to scale an app using Rails. However, this process requires investing many resources compared to other mainstream web frameworks. Applications often have insufficient memory management and poor concurrency when scaled quickly using RoR. However, tech giants like Shopify and Airbnb have shown that RoR can scale applications that handle higher traffic. 

Using Node.js devs can build highly scalable applications. The non-blocking I/O and event-driven model can handle multiple simultaneous requests. It can also have an event loop mechanism that helps the server handle many requests. Due to its compatibility with microservices, it is possible to break the app into small manageable parts.  

Execution

JavaScript has been in the market for decades. So, Node.js can easily take advantage of all the ready-to-use solutions and experiences that JavaScript holds. However, Node.js still lags behind most full-scale backend programming frameworks. Hence, Node.js takes quite a lot of time to find perfect solutions to problems in terms of execution.

On the other hand, Ruby on Rails is among the user-friendliest web frameworks one can use and learn. Ruby on Rails has lots of tools and syntax that enable faster development and execution.

Ease of Testing

Node.js offers a rich ecosystem of third-party libraries that help to test and debug applications. It has some of the most popular automated testing tools like Jest, Lab Mocha, Jasmine, Lab and Code, AVA, cloud, etc. 

Ruby on Rails has an in-build testing system, making the process simple and effective. As the models and controllers are created, the RoR framework automatically starts making the skeleton test code. This significantly reduces the workload of developers. 

Node.js vs. Ruby on Rails: Head-to-Head Comparison

Below, you will find the key differences between Node.js and Ruby on Rails:

	Node.js	Ruby on Rails
Nature	Node.js is written in JavaScript. It is a run-time environment framework.	Ruby on Rails is written in Ruby. It is a Ruby-based framework.
Performance	Conducive environment for small tasks that are easily manageable.  Multitasking is fast and more efficient.	The garbage collection process is time-consuming, making RoR applications slow in certain circumstances.
Application Architecture	Devs can use the MVC/ MVP architecture pattern.	MVC (Model View Controllers) architecture
Scalability	Using Node.js devs can build highly scalable applications due to its non-blocking I/O and event-driven model.	It is possible to build scalable applications using Rails. However, it requires lots of resources.
Execution	Takes quite a lot of time to find perfect solutions to problems in terms of execution	It has lots of tools and syntax that enable faster development and execution
Ease of testing	Has lots of third-party libraries that help to test and debug applications.	Has an in-built testing system, making the process simple and effective.

Ruby on Rails vs. NodeJS Comparison Table

Ruby on Rails

Ruby is a dynamic, open-source programming language focused on simplicity and productivity. On the other hand, Ruby on Rails (RoR) is an application framework built around the Ruby language.  It encourages and facilitates using web standards such as HTML (for rendering user interfaces), JSON or XML for data transfer, and CSS (for styling).

RoR has quite several benefits that make it appealing for startups, small, and middle-sized companies. Rails is designed to help manage internal logic, routine, data, cloud computing, etc.

Here are some interesting stats about Ruby on Rails:

• Ruby on Rails is the 14th most popular web framework and technology in 2022, according to StackOverflow. 
• SimilarTech reports that RoR powers over 400K websites and has about 180K unique domains. 
• Ruby on Rails is used by over 2 million people on GitHub. 
• Computer Electronics and Technology held one of the largest/major project shares by 6.64%. They are based on RoR among the rest of the industry verticals.

Ruby on Rails Use Cases

RoR is a backend framework for building web applications. It is very popular for scalability and efficiency. This is because developers can add lots of functionality with fewer lines of code when compared to the likes of Java or Node.js:

Full-Stack Web App

Ruby on Rails is a highly structured framework for web development. With its View, Controller framework model, the framework has a lot of rules on how devs should organize their code. For the app to respond to a request, it is important to define a view, controller, and route. MVC  (Model View Controllers) functions by giving each section of your code a purpose. The Model holds business logic; the View part represents your data; the Controller section manages how your app functions.

It is often time-consuming to get used to an MVC framework. However, it helps to ensure that the code is organized and readable. 

Content Management Systems

PHP is still the best universal choice for CMS development. However, Ruby on Rails offers lots of competitive advantages. 

Using RoR, devs can quickly add rich features due to high abstraction levels. It allows users to map databases and tables as separate objects. This ensures that data can easily be manipulated and found when needed. 

Prototyping

Creating a prototype help attract customers to invest in the product before allocating any resources needed for implementation. The main priority here is to quickly implement the core features. And this is where RoR shines. It offers multiple command-line code builders, so devs don’t have to write code from scratch. It also has lots of libraries for faster implementation.

Pros of Ruby on Rails

Here are some of the advantages of using Ruby on Rails for your project:

Shorter Development Time

Code reusability and multiple command-line code builders give Ruby on Rails a huge advantage in speed. RoR is object-oriented and developer-friendly, significantly reducing the time spent on development.

Supportive Community

The RoR community is large and active. It supports other members and newcomers through ‘gems’ and helps with any other issues regarding the web framework. RoR gems are libraries that help developers to add new functionalities by writing less code.

Easy Testability

The Ruby on Rails framework automatically builds the skeleton test code so that the dev can concentrate on creating the controllers and models. Rails tests can also simulate browser requests. This means you can test your application’s response without having to test it through your browser.

Cons of Ruby on Rails

It is often said that whatever has a good side always has its downside. It will be unfair to look into the benefits and pros of Ruby on Rails without talking about its cons.

Slow Run-Time Speed 

Ruby is an interpreted tool, which means the code is not compiled into a machine version. Therefore, it’s harder for hardware to read and process quickly. When compared to other backend frameworks, Rails has a slower run-time speed. However, people often encounter performance issues due to poor database management. 

Lack of Flexibility

Ruby on Rails is an excellent choice for building standard web applications. However, it does not have much use outside of web application development. 

Also, developers are limited in the way they can customize the modules and dependencies.

Amplifies Mistakes

Making architectural mistakes at the earlier stages of development may cause serious issues later. For example, making a wrong decision at the beginning of development can significantly slow down your whole application. That is why devs need to ensure that the foundation is solid.

Node.js

Node.js is an open-source platform for executing JavaScript code server-side, as it was built on JavaScript run-time. Based on the Chrome V8 Engine, Node.js is one of the fastest engines in the market.

With the help of an event-based, non-blocking I/O model, Node.js tends to be more efficient and lightweight. 

Here are some interesting stats about Node.js:

• Most popular platform and technology in 2022, according to StackOverflow. 
• 2nd place as the most wanted technology in 2022. 
• 8th most loved platform in 2022. 

Node.js Use Cases

Here are some of the best instances to use Node.js:

Server-Side Development 

Node.js is one of the best tools to establish the connection between the browser and server. Using the long-polling method, the platform is able to handle lots of requests simultaneously. That is why Node.js is good for building real-time applications like online games, messengers, chatrooms, etc. 

It is also suitable for devs to be able to use JavaScript on the front-end and backend, making programming easier and faster. 

Node.js is a good choice if you want to build a real-time application that needs to manage a lot of concurrent requests and data between client and server.

API Development 

Node.js is one of the most suitable languages for REST (representational state transfer) API development. This means that it has all the qualities for REST development, which are stateless, uniform, cacheable architecture, layered system, and on-demand response. The API helps users to get the results of their web requests quickly.

REST APIs are very useful in web development. It delivers results to the users when they request data on a web app. REST APIs basically link the app’s code to the user’s input. 

Microservices 

The architecture of Node.js is perfect for microservice architecture. It uses an event-driven approach and has non-blocking request-processing algorithms. This allows the platform to be able to process lots of internal requests and connect multiple data services simultaneously. It is important to ensure fast data processing without errors. This is because microservices need to communicate with each other constantly. 

The Node.js platform and microservice architecture rely on efficiency and speed. The main role of a microservice architecture is to allow the devs to create scalable and efficient platforms. It does this by breaking features or functionality down into manageable chunks of services.

Pros Of Node.js

Node.js has lots of advantages. That’s why it is very popular. Here are some of the pros of Node.js:

Fewer Restrictions

The developers are able to build applications from scratch with little or no restrictions, giving them the freedom to code their own way. 

Non-blocking I/O System 

This refers to a system that does not block the execution of further operations. That is why Node.js can process many requests simultaneously. It leads to faster performance and more scalability. 

Active Community

Node.js community provides free access to readily available codes and solutions that help startups, beginners, and expert developers.

Full-Stack Privilege

With Node.js, developers can easily perform front-end and backend programming in JavaScript. This enables the smooth deployment of apps and reduces the learning curve. 

Caching Facility

Caches single modules in the application memory and eliminates the need to re-execute the code for faster response times.

No Buffering

There is no buffering in Node.js as applications output the data given in pieces.

Cons Of Node.js

Despite all the advantages, there are still some drawbacks to Node.js.

Time-Consuming

It can be time-consuming and less productive to write everything from scratch. Most often, beginners find it difficult to create apps from scratch because of the unopinionated nature of this technology. 

Not Suitable for Extensive Computing

Complex apps can be built with Node.js. However, it doesn’t do well when it comes to CPU-intensive tasks like machine learning, cryptography, etc. Furthermore, it doesn’t support multi-threaded programming.

Difficult to Maintain Code

The async nature of Node.js makes it difficult to maintain the code when building complex apps.

Our Experience Building Projects Using Ruby on Rails 

Sloboda Studio is a custom software development company with more than 13 years of experience. We are among the top 30 Ruby on Rails development companies Worldwide by Clutch.co, and we have worked on over 50 Rails projects that raised millions.

Artur’​In

Artur’in Homepage

Artur’In provides real estate professionals with a digital marketing solution to increase productivity, customer and agent retention, brand awareness, referral reach, and more.

Goal: Our client wanted to create an MVP that would showcase the primary benefits of the product. We met our client at the idea stage of the project, so we built it entirely from scratch.

Results

Three months after the launch, Artur Inside and Sloboda increased sales by 110%. In 2017 (after one year of development), Artur Inside delivered a mobile application and advanced API for customers that are interested in processed content, provided flexible content creation, processing, and monitoring tools, and created an automated content collection process.

Artur Inside has raised a total of €47.5M.

CityFALCON

CityFALCON Homepage

It is a 21st-century financial news aggregator. Its score rates financial tweets, news, and authors by using Natural Language Processing.

Goal: Our client wanted to launch a new and improved MVP with a focus on clean and simple UX to demonstrate the huge potential of his Social Media Aggregator.

Results

• Real-time word processing: each new article appears in our feed and side resources (Twitter, any RSS, etc.) at the same time. 
• API – so that other sites can use our data and share CityFALCON’s articles 24 servers make up the infrastructure;
• We developed a CityFALCON scoring algorithm to identify relevant & personalized financial content.
• We added 3 voice assistants using machine learning for big data and text processing.

Ruby vs NodeJS: Which one to Choose?

Ruby and Node.js are both popular server-side languages. Ruby emphasizes developer-friendly syntax and convention, while Node.js excels in scalability and handling concurrent requests. Ruby’s extensive library ecosystem and Rails framework makes it ideal for web development, while Node.js is well-suited for real-time applications and microservices.

Conclusion

Choosing a tech stack is one of the most difficult and important decisions for your project.

Companies must consider their business model and analyze the pros and cons of both technologies, which means making a decision by preference.

Both Node.js and Ruby on Rails can help you achieve the same results, but Rails is perfect when you want to move at a fast pace. When building your application, the language or web framework doesn’t really matter, but the execution is important. Analyze the pros and cons of all the features and then get started. 

So, in a nutshell, 

Choose Ruby on Rails if you want to build the following:

• Full-stack web application
• Content management system
• Minimum viable product

Node.js is a good choice if you want to do the following:

• Server-side development
• API development
• Microservices
• Browser-based game apps

Sloboda Studio offers software development services with middle and senior experts in Ruby on Rails and Node.js. Contact us if you have any projects in mind.