Have you ever heard of Deno? This runtime is expected to be a future replacement for Node.js, which deserves closer attention. This article offers you to focus on Deno: definition, common points and differences with Node.js and future use.
What Is Deno?
Behind the name, “Deno” is a runtime used for JavaScript and TypeScript. But what is a runtime? A runtime is a small program that allows you to execute scripts on a computer, on the same operating model as Word with .docx documents, with the only difference that here the source code is executed with its logic.
Deno’s design is based primarily on the V8 JavaScript engine (also used for Node.js) and Rust and Tokyo. This similarity in terms of operation is explained in particular by the fact that the same person developed both: Ryan Dahl. The latter created Deno to offer a more productive and efficient environment than Node.js, which meets the expectations of developers in 2020 by correcting the design errors of its predecessor. Its primary use: is to create web servers with security and productivity as a standard.
The Main Features Of Deno
As referenced before, Deno is a solid TypeScript runtime given V8, Google’s runtime for JavaScript. It was worked with four principal parts:
- Rust (Deno center was written in Rust while Node.js is in C++ );
- Tokyo;
- TypeScript (Deno upholds both JavaScript and TypeScript);
- V8 (Google’s JavaScript runtime utilized, for instance, in Chrome or Node).
Deno joins the most remarkable open-source advances gathered inside a similar executable document. Writing in TypeScript offers many benefits in connecting with this programming language. This is legitimate regardless of whether the code is written in JavaScript. At the point when Deno executes the TypeScript code, no past gathering of the code is fundamental. Deno deals with it for you.
Another Advantage, And Not The Least: Deno’s modules can be hosted wherever you want with automatic integration of the security protocol relating to this runtime. However, it is essential to note that Node remains an excellent server-side JavaScript runtime engine, mainly due to its large ecosystem.
Commonalities With Node.js
Since Deno was developed in the continuity of Node.js and had the role of coming to overcome the weak points of the latter. Both, therefore, converge on the same objective, and even if their respective operations are based on different mechanisms, they share many similarities:
- the command-line interface built from Rust which stands out for its responsiveness and integrates an API;
- operation with the Chrome V8 engine;
- their ease of use for server-side development with JavaScript.
The Differences Between Deno And Node.js
As stated earlier, Deno’s primary goal is to solve all (or at least the majority) problems inherent in Node.js. This implies several differences between the two, which stem from improvements made to Deno. First, Node.js is written in C++ and JavaScript, unlike Deno, which is written in Rust and TypeScript. TypeScript has revolutionized the way JavaScript development works: it puts a certain amount of rigor on the developer and results in more robust code that will require less debugging. It’s also easier to maintain, which is why so many front-end developers who use React or Angular have been drawn to TypeScript.
The mechanics of importing modules are also different between the two. While ES modules are the default system Deno is built on, Node.js’ is CommonJS. Node’s official package manager is npm, while Deno allows importing any module from a simple URL. The latter enjoys excellent flexibility since it is possible to create packages without publishing them. Deno also provides additional tools that allow you to take over tasks usually performed by third-party tools such as WebPack. Among the tools integrated into Deno, we can mention others: grouping, testing, installation of scripts, formatting and debugging.
On the security side, Deno stands out from Node.js. Deno offers a “sandbox” layer of security through permissions. A program can only access fixed permissions. Deno requires explicit permissions for file, network and environment access, while a Node.js program can access anything the user can access. Deno and Node.js are both built from Google Chrome V8, which allows them to take advantage of the Mountain View firm’s unequaled responsiveness to JavaScript implementation.
Deno, Favorite Candidate To Replace Node.js?
To conclude, the use of Deno has advantages, the main ones being security and performance. Rust has already made it possible to significantly improve many tools after their rewrite. However, the module compatibility issue remains unguaranteed: quite a few modules are guaranteed to work on both Node.js and Deno.
Another point: Deno has already been criticized for dependency management, which relies on a URL system rather than a package manager. This is a case to follow, but these few shadows on the board in no way diminish Deno’s indisputable advantages and effectiveness. This runtime undoubtedly has a bright future since it is only in the early stages of its development. We will have more answers with a few additional years of hindsight.