7 Useful Node.js Packages Every Developer Should Know

Businesses today have their prime focus on delivering a seamless performance through the solution they develop so that scalability is easy to achieve. Therefore, when they enter into the task of mobile app development, they harness a tech stack that can make this task easier and more streamlined. This is what brings Node.js to the forefront. With the tech stack’s dedication towards building network applications that are scalable, more and more developers are harnessing its use to boost their level of productivity when they build apps so that the end solution works with accelerated speed.

Continue reading to know everything related to the Node.js packages that are responsible for boosting productivity during mobile app development.

However, before that, let me give you an idea of the concept of the Node.js packages.

What is Node.js Package Manager?

The standard package manager for Node.js, MPM helps in performing tasks like making install, updates, and uninstall of the different Node.js packages that may be present within the app.

Hence, it acts as an online repository so that it becomes easy for the developers to create useful modules, and then publish those modules as packages within the repository.

Knowing now the basics of the NPM, let us gain an idea of the reasons why using these package managers is advantageous for developers.

Advantages of Using the NodeJS Package Manager

• Helps manage multiple versions of codes and code dependencies.
• Assists in taking care of globally-installed project tools.
• Local dependencies of different project tools become easy to manage.
• Eases download of standalone tools that can be used right away.

With the idea of the different benefits related to using NPM, it becomes clear thus why developers use it during their mobile app development journey as enormous time and efforts get saved for them.

Now let us get a perspective of the different packages present within the NPM which Nodejs developers should be aware of when they embark on the journey of building apps so that the end solution is scalable and runs at an exceptionally accelerated pace.

Let’s get started.

7 NodeJS packages developers should know

1. Express

A minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework, Expressjs supports developers in obtaining a robust set of features that make their web and mobile app intuitive and rich. Here are some of them listed below.

Salient Features of Express.js

• Middleware for systematic organization of different Express.js functions.
• Routing mechanism for conserving the webpage stage with the assistance of their URLs.
• Templating engines for building dynamic content on the web pages. This is by developing HTML templates on the server-side.
• Debugging mechanism for identifying the presence of bugs present in the app developed.

2. Lodash

Released under the MIT license, Lodash is a JavaScript library that offers a wide array of utility functions so that common programming tasks become easy to perform through the functional programming paradigm.

This is particularly due to the presence of the built-in functions which streamlines the overall process of app development making it efficient, on the whole. Therefore, developers get the flexibility to utilize a single line of code instead of writing common functions multiple numbers of times.

Especially due to the presence of the features listed below, the package is so popular after all among developers.

Salient Features of Lodash

• Map, filter, and reduce to make data transformation a cakewalk.
• Possessing 200+ functions within, the process of web development gets accelerated.
• Using a functional programming paradigm, common programming tasks become easy to perform.
• Currying feature present in the package assists in performing different function specializations and compositions, respectively.

3. Browserify

An open-source JavaScript bundler tool, Browserify helps developers to write and use respective Node. js-style modules so that it becomes easy to traverse the entire dependency graph of the project.

Used by big names such as Yahoo, Mapbox, Facebook, and Cloudflare respectively, the presence of the features mentioned below are especially responsible for its astounding popularity.

Salient Features of Browserify

• Tinyify to create optimized, tree-shaked bundles within the production environment.
• Watchify to give developers a perspective on the super-fast bundle as they perform the development task.
• Beefy or run-browser to make browserify development automation an easy task.
• Chem to perform code compilation so that development pace gets accelerated.

4. Cloudinary

To transform images and videos so that they load at a reasonably fast speed with zero incidents of visual degradation, therefore, when developers use Cloudinary, they can deliver high-quality responsive experiences to users so that conversions get increased.

It particularly possesses the features which make it a recommended choice when they develop apps.

Salient Features of Cloudinary

• Ready-to-use widgets for creating optimized and personalized media experiences.
• Multi-CDN and edge computing power to speed up the pace of media delivery.
• AI-powered automation for streamlining workflows, and delivering a unique customer experience.
• Online video platform for helping videos within the digital properties easy to manage and publish.

5. Axios

A JavaScript library for making HTTP requests from Node.js, Axios supports the Promise API for enabling client-side protection against XSRF and canceling requests as well, side-by-side.

Also, due to the simplicity, the package provides setting a timeout, hence developers recommend its use when performing the function of fetch().

It particularly has some unique features within, which are especially responsible for its popularity among development experts.

Salient Features of Axios

• Client-side support to maintain protection against XSRF.
• Axios API for request creation by passing the relevant config to Axios.
• Request Config for making requests with the use of only a URL.
• URL-encoding bodies so that it becomes easy to serialize JavaScript objects to JSON.

6. Moment.js

If you are looking for a package that gives you the desired support for manipulating and displaying respective dates and times in JavaScript, Moment.js is what you should be using.

With the channeling of the package, you can conveniently perform tasks such as formatting, validating, and internationalizing respective dates and times. This is by basically making use of an extremely clean and clear API. This is a prime reason why developers recommend using this package when they develop apps.

Salient Features of Moment.js

• Parsing for moment cloning through the moment.clone
• Get/Set to seamlessly read and set units in the date and update hour, minute, seconds, etc.
• Date queries to help assess if the date is greater or lesser than the input.
• Customization for performing tasks like customizing month names, abbreviating the month, etc.

7. Grunt

Last, in the list of packages, every Nodejs developer should know is Grunt. Renowned as the JavaScript task runner, it helps achieve automation when performing tasks like unit testing, minification, etc. This is after a successful Gruntfile configuration.

Therefore, by using the package, developers get the assurance to boost their productivity seamlessly without extra effort.

Salient Features of Grunt

• Through built-in tasks present within, functionality extension of the plugins and scripts is easy.
• Containing task runner, the workflow becomes easy.
• With minimal infrastructure within, it becomes easy to work with a new codebase.
• Possessing a diverse ecosystem- automation is easy with fewer efforts.

Wrapping Up

A package is extremely assistive in ensuring the success of a project. Therefore, it demands you make a wise choice. This will allow areas such as security, workflow, and productivity to be easily achievable in a streamlined manner. In case the choice is difficult for you, hire NodeJS developers. With their expertise in using the appropriate packages, they will make the journey unique for you to get a solution possessing the elements such as the ones mentioned above to get maximum users and user engagement.