Laravel vs Django vs Node - Making the Best Backend Choice
In this article, we will review Node.js vs Laravel vs Django to help you get on the right track with your technology choice.
Posted by IT Master Soft Oct 21 | 2021
What framework to pick to develop a web application? How to achieve scalability and performance, reduced development time and costs while meeting the future users’ expectations? The only correct answer is to research and compare the options available
Feel like your project needs stronger tech support? IT Master Soft is right here to help you!
Laravel vs Django vs Node in a nutshell
To make the first step towards understanding all 3 technologies, let’s draw a clear line between them. Both Laravel and Django are web frameworks. What’s more, they are pretty popular among developers - see the picture below.
Source: Backend frameworks popularity graph
But what is Node.js exactly then, and why use it? First of all, Node.js isn’t a framework. It is a platform, or even more precisely, an environment that allows for running data-intensive apps. Such technologies are also compatible with different programming languages.
Long story short, Laravel is a solution for PHP websites, Django is a tool for the ones written with Python, while Node.js, as the “.js” in the name suggests, is a platform for JavaScript web applications. Now, let’s review each of the technologies in more detail.
Laravel overview
Laravel framework is one of the most popular tools for PHP development. It’s been a developers’ top choice for several years in a row when it comes to creating a backend part of a PHP-powered website. Laravel is speedy, performant, and flexible, but let’s look closely at its pros and cons.
Laravel logo
Pros
- Model View Controller (MVC) architecture along with dependencies injection allows for making instant and trouble-free changes
- Laravel comes with clear and extensive documentation
- There is a great talent pool of Laravel developers
- Learning Laravel is relatively easy
Cons
- While Laravel has a seamless learning curve, getting through its documentation takes a lot of time and effort since it is very extensive. And this is the logical prerequisite for the next con of Laravel
- Some developers say it requires great expertise to tailor Laravel to the project’s necessities
- The framework also lacks additional tools the developers have to configure while making sure the website won’t be overloaded
Business use cases
In most cases, Laravel becomes a good choice for eCommerce websites with heavy architecture since the framework allows for making a responsive and high-performing platform. For the same reason, it can be a worth-choosing tool for enterprise development. Plus, Laravel allows for creating websites at a faster pace, and that’s why it can also be an option for Minimum Viable Product creation at a reasonable cost.
IT Master Soft case studies
Our in-house developers are sure the technical possibilities of Laravel go beyond e-commerce and enterprise development. Plus, when used skillfully, the framework can be tailored to various projects from different industries. Below are some of our developments:
- For one of our customers, we have created a web app that allows for managing the internal processes of a musical school. With the help of the website, the school can better schedule lessons, control attendance and performance, share the pupil’s success with parents and create an electronic diary for each pupil. The web app also streamlines the communication between schools and departments, plus facilitates accounting and payroll. This is an example of how Laravel can handle a website with complex architecture.
- As one more Laravel development use case, we have created an educational website that helps students of all ages master algebra and geometry in an engaging and gamified way. The platform comes with the option to combine several games within studying one topic. The games are also perfectly customizable depending on the knowledge level.
Ready to give Laravel a try? We would be happy to share the best Laravel development practices!
Django overview
Django is one of the most popular web frameworks created for Python. In contrast to Laravel, it uses Model-Template-View (MVT) architecture that enables the developers to work on website components in parallel, and then integrate them with each other.
Django logo
Pros
- When tailored to the project’s specifics, Django can reduce the development time
- This framework is monolithic and secured
- Since Django is written in Python, it allows for creating secured artificial intelligence solutions with great scalability potential
Cons
- Django isn’t flexible
- It is difficult to learn and has no conventions
- Django is suitable for large projects only
Business use cases
Why use Django? Honestly, Django is very specific. As a rule, developers choose this framework to create artificial intelligence solutions, which will be scaled and integrated with hardware. In this case, the monolithic nature and prioritized security of Django becomes a strong benefit.
Node.js overview
As mentioned previously, the most important thing to know about Node.js is that it is neither a framework nor a library. This is a run-time environment, the core goal of which is to make the apps as fast and performant as possible. That’s why this technology is used by leading companies, and the performance they have achieved with its help is quite impressive. Below are just some of the examples:
- GoDaddy reduced its number of servers by 10 times after switching to Node.js
- eBay has chosen Node.js to successfully withstand more than 176 million users
- Uber withstands 2 million calls per second with Node.js
Node.js logo
Pros
- The event-based model implies the complete synchronization between client and server sides
- Microservice architecture for better speed and performance
- Flexibility and light weightiness paired with better productivity and effectiveness
- Less code and simplicity at great development speed
Cons
- Maintaining Node.js code can be challenging because of its Asynchronous Programming Model
- Some developers say that Node.js significantly lacks security features. According to their opinion, it is prone to DDOS attacks and NPM phishing
- Node.js will not withstand heavy computational tasks, in contrast to Django
Business use cases
Being event-driven and single-threaded, Node.js is the top choice for real-time apps, for example, instant chats and games. This tool is also good for creating Single Page Applications, which turn out to be pretty zappy and efficient. Node.js can also be a good solution for streaming apps since it makes data transfer easier. As one more use case, some developers consider Node.js for creating IoT (Internet of Things) apps, as such apps are data-intensive and driven by real-time traffic.
IT Master Soft case studies
We, at IT Master Soft also appreciate the tech opportunities Node.js can promise. That’s why we have created an internal social media project for our customer. This is an employee-only network that allows the team members to communicate, exchange knowledge, share opinions and stay in touch with each other, avoiding communication delays. This is also the perfect example of how Node.js powers instant and event-driving apps.
We have also used this technology to run an internal and dedicated blog that serves as a knowledge source for Node.js developers.
Let’s make your app robust with Node.js! Get in touch with us for top-notch Node.js development services!
Django, Laravel, and Node comparison chart
| Laravel | Django | Node.js | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Created by | Taylor Otwell | Adrian Holovaty and Simon Willison | Ryan Dahl |
| Technology | Framework | Framework | Platform or environment |
| Programming language | PHP | Python | JavaScript |
| App type | Web apps | Web apps | Web apps Mobile apps (with the help of experienced Node.js developer ) |
| Development speed | Fast | Slow to medium | Fast |
| Development time | Short | Longt | Short |
| Development cost | Affordable | Costly | Affordable |
| Tools and kits | There are not too many extensions and third-party tools, and configuring them for a large website can be difficult | There are not too many extensions and third-party tools | There are many extensions and third-party tools |
| Learning curve | Seamless | Thorny | The more JS skills and knowledge the developers have, the easier it would be to learn Node.js |
Conclusion
The choice of the right framework for your future web app is essential. While there are a lot of tools to choose from, it is always better to take a restrained look at their in-built features and try to tailor them to the project specifics as carefully as possible. IT Master Soft can help you with this task.
Our developers are equally skilled with all the tools we’ve reviewed in this article, so you are welcome to get in touch with us for the highest-end development expertise and tech support!