If you need a feature-rich, scalable, fast, real-time application, Node.js is the answer and it’s no wonder Amazon, eBay, Netflix, Reddit, Tumblr, PayPal, and LinkedIn all use it. This JavaScript runtime environment reduces development costs by 58%, meaning it’s also perfect for startups. That said, not all Node.js development companies are capable of delivering top quality solutions. To help you find a reputable Node.js developer, we evaluated 73 providers against our custom-developed ranking methodology. We then curated a list of the most prominent names in the Node.js world. Scroll down to check out the best Node.js providers, and read on for an insight into our ranking process along with an actionable selection guide.
We employed an in-depth research process to curate a list of the best companies. We started out by evaluating past work, certifications, and the quality of services. Then we moved on to assess their reputation, workflows, management, and reporting systems.
Scroll down for more details about our evaluation methodology.
Portfolios and case studies allow us to analyze companies’ past work in action. We look for solutions they’ve developed for clients and put them to test. We check portfolios at the very beginning of our evaluation process to narrow down the list to the most prominent companies that use Node.js, excluding those that didn’t meet our high standards in the testing phase.
Certification is essential for verifying developers’ expertise. The OpenJS Certification Program established by its namesake foundation allows developers to demonstrate their competence in various Node.js domains. We check for OpenJS Node.js Services Developer (JSNSD) and OpenJS Node.js Application Developer (JSNAD) certifications, which indicate that professionals are keeping their knowledge and skills fresh and relevant at all times.
We also check whether the Node.js development companies are certified in other languages compatible with the platform such as JavaScript. These certificates allow us to locate trustworthy and highly-skilled Node.js teams at a glance.
As an open-source JavaScript server environment, Node.js has versatile usage. Some companies offer a broader knowledge, while others have a narrow focus on specific Node.js domains. To give you a better idea of what to expect from the best Node.js development companies, we’ll break down the full list of services offered by different providers, and move on to explain each service individually.
Node.js creates an excellent environment for developing websites or portals that are easy to navigate, enjoyable to spend time on and showcase all the features of your business. Web developers use this technology to support feature-rich and high-performance websites.
Some of the best ecommerce development companies rely on Node.js for crafting appealing, easy-to-navigate, and strategic e-commerce websites that sell. Node.js developers can further help you establish secure, fast, and reliable applications that will take your business to new heights. This technology is also perfect for developing a customized shopping cart app that you can integrate into your existing website.
Many UX design experts prefer Node.js for mobile apps, with this runtime environment supporting modern, feature-rich applications that implement a high-end design. Node.js, in combination with JavaScript, also lets Node.js development agencies create fast, reliable, and secure apps within a short timeframe.
Node.js is ideal for developing real-time applications such as chat apps. With the help of event-based servers, the technology supports lightweight, high-performing apps that share data with real-time tracking systems. If you require a fast, efficient, and scalable application, Node.js can deliver. With remarkable testing capabilities and the ability to handle massive data volumes, this environment is undoubtedly among the best for crafting apps that use live streaming or real-time data.
Node.js development firms can create APIs like REST APIs that can take your business to the next level. You can also get customized web-based packages of any application with the help of professional Node.js services.
If you want a set of robust content management tools, developers can help you build a custom Node.js management system. Instead of relying on the free options, you can get a tailor-made toolkit to maximize your performance.
Node.js is unparalleled when it comes to real-time messages and conversation interaction. The environment allows you to build an AI-powered chatbot that supports natural language detection and engaging answer delivery. Due to the simplicity of the process, Node js development companies can craft a ready-to-use chatbot in a shorter timeframe compared to other technologies.
With a variety of frameworks and testing tools like Chai, Mocha, Nock, Tape, and Sinon, developers can check the quality of their code with high accuracy. Relying on a data-centered A/B testing development through Node.js, you can get a better perspective on your business and improve your decision-making processes.
Node.js has plugins that let you upgrade your overall website performance and user experience. With the technology offering endless custom plugin development options, a Node js expert can help you achieve specific goals, along with top functionality of your website.
Node.js makes a great backend environment for complex projects that use many different data sources. When data comes from various channels such as user activities, data streams from external APIs, and CSV files, it’s smart to separate these processes into individual modules or applications. Consequently, Node.js is one of the best technologies for creating microservices-based solutions.
Node js developers can also create interactive dashboards that give you a bird’s-eye view over your processes and let you maintain your systems through the backend.
We evaluate supporting Node.js services since they provide advanced expertise and enhance the client’s overall experience. After getting the desired Node.js solution, clients might need additional training, assistance, or advice on how to make the most out of their systems. We consider the following advanced Node.js services crucial for a five-star experience.
Some businesses might have unique requests that don’t fall within the regular services offered by most Node.js development companies. We consider it a huge plus when firms provide custom development solutions designed to satisfy specific business needs.
We favor Node.js service providers that can perform seamless migrations. These services are essential for businesses that want to transition their web platforms to the Node.js environment. Development companies should provide safe data transfer and deployment, preceded by proper testing and quality analyses to ensure a smooth database transition.
Businesses need expert assistance to analyze their IT architecture. That’s where Node.js professionals could step in to investigate the development processes, review the code quality, and perform other tests and audits before coming up with the best Node.js strategy for the client.
Firms that offer assistance beyond the development process get a boost in our rankings. Even in the case of a high-quality Node.js product, clients will most likely need training and support in the long run. Node.js developers need to provide assistance ranging from emergency care and bug fixes to feature updates, optimization help, and ongoing maintenance.
Node.js development is popular among techies since it allows them to build high-performing and scalable solutions with less code. With its rich selection of tools, this technology lets developers create products on both the server and client-side. With thousands of tools available, no developer is expected to be proficient in all of them. We invited a team of Node.js experts to help us draw up a list of the best tools for every Node.js development agency.
We checked teams’ tool proficiency in the following areas:
Webpack is widely popular among developers as one of the best JavaScript module bundlers. Its primary function is to bundle JavaScript assets for browser use. The tool reduces the initial loading time and simplifies the overall application deployment process. Webpack can also speed up the deployment of front-end assets, including image files, CSS, and HTML, among others.
Meteor is a Node.js tool that supports the rapid prototyping of JavaScript applications. As an open-source platform for web, mobile, and desktop, this framework supports writing cross-platform code. The power of Meteor lies in its ability to speed up the development process to a great extent. For instance, Node.js firms use this tool to reduce 1000 lines of code to only 10. While the tool is perfect for prototyping apps, it’s not the best option for maintaining them.
Babel acts as a JavaScript compiler, allowing developers to transform the syntax, more precisely, to turn ECMAScript 6 into ECMAScript 5 with the least code possible. Other functions include source code transformations, polyfill, and support map for secure code debug. The tool doesn’t come with any built-in plugins, allowing developers to create their own.
Express is a Node.js framework with features for creating web and mobile applications. It helps Node js developers effortlessly create robust APIs. Teams use it in combination with Node.js to develop entire websites. In this case, Node.js is used for designing the server part while Express.js helps in the publishing process. The most helpful features include simplified multiple routing and data integration.
Socket.IO has a reputation for being the most reliable and fastest real-time engine. Used to develop real-time applications, this JavaScript library supports event-based and bi-directional communication in real-time. Its principal function is providing real-time analytics along with logs, counters, and charts. It also offers improved scalability, debugging, binary support, and integration. Both novices and top Node.js development firms such as Zendesk, Microsoft, and Trello favor this library and use it as a chatting app.
PM2 is a must-use Node.js tool that acts as a process manager for developing Node.js applications. The developer community highly favors it due to the many helpful built-in features that create an ideal Node.js app production environment. Its most prominent features include max memory reload, development workflow, deployment workflow, source map support, key metrics monitoring, hot reload, cluster mode, and more. Some of the most popular finance platforms, like PayPal and Intuit, rely on PM2.
Node js development firms use Electrode.io for both Node.js and React.js applications. Besides being a set of standardized structure, modern technologies, and best practices, the platform contains Electrode Explorer and Electrify. These tools allow you to explore all your platform components easily, offer better visualization and performance, along with seamless application deployment to the cloud. It’s incredibly user-friendly, allowing everyone to quickly get the hang of it regardless of their Node.js expertise.
In addition to the multiple technical factors, we also use qualitative metrics to rank the best Node.js development agencies. Checking the companies’ reputation is a crucial step in our evaluation process. At this point, we assess firms’ online ratings, reviews, customer service, professionalism, and the clients’ growth rate after collaborating with a specific company.
We start out by browsing companies’ websites to check their portfolios, case studies, and the overall impression they leave with their virtual presence. This way we learn whether the Node.js development companies offer a more comprehensive range of services or focus on specific domains.
We also look elsewhere on the internet to find reviews from real clients. After verifying the authenticity of the reviews, we take notice of the companies’ strongest capabilities along with recurring issues and problems. We further check whether the Node.js agencies have taken proper measures to correct these issues and prevent them from happening in the future. At this point, we also look for peer referrals.
Lastly, our team of Node.js experts gets on the phone with each company, presenting themselves as potential clients. They ask strategic questions that help us determine the depth of expertise and relevant experience of each company.
After speaking with the best Node.js development firms, we analyze their workflows, communication management, and reporting processes. We strongly suggest establishing communication channels and reporting schedule ahead of the development process. At the very beginning of the collaboration, both sides should agree on report dates and means of communication. The developers in charge of crafting products for your business should keep you updated during every step of the process, allowing you to react on time with suggestions and modification requests.
Before diving into a partnership with a Node js expert, you need to know how much its services will cost you. While the price will play a significant role in your final decision, you don’t want to hire a cheap, unreliable developer that will mess up your systems and possibly damage your company’s reputation.
That’s why we never consider the cheapest or the most expensive firms just for the sake of having a diverse price range on our list. We look for companies with reasonable rates within the industry standards and make sure that the companies offer excellent value for the money.
A list of the best providers won’t solve all your dilemmas. That’s why we prepared a hiring guide to help you select the best option for your business. From the right questions to ask and essential things to consider to actionable tips, our guide will help you recognize the best firm for your specific needs.
Scroll down to learn how to locate and hire the right Node.js partner.
First, write a goal list. Why do you want a Node.js-based solution? Is your project something that requires a whole set of services or do you need more basic assistance? Some Node.js companies might try to sell you fancy packages with extra features. These are not your best bet unless you need all of them.
It’s best to discuss your requirements with more providers and review your options to locate the most cost-effective deal. As a rule of thumb, you want to give advantage to companies willing to create a customized package that suits your needs which will cut unnecessary costs.
Having a set budget will help you eliminate the Node js development agencies that don’t fall within it right at the start. Then you can analyze your options to locate the vendor that ticks all the boxes without exceeding your proposed budget.
Culture represents the personality of the company. In other words, you can’t have a fruitful collaboration if you don’t like each other’s personalities and work style. That’s why you need to make sure that the company you hire is a cultural fit. This way, you’ll be able to develop a great working relationship that will lead to successful project execution.
If you have a niche-specific project, you might want to limit your choices to Node.js development companies with experience in your area of operation. Industry-focused expertise is not always required but could be a huge plus. To locate a provider that serves your domain, look for similar projects in the companies’ portfolios, analyze case studies, or ask directly over the phone. Aside from industry experience, it’s smart to give advantage to providers that can craft personalized solutions.