8 Node.js projects worth watching in 2021

Author Arghya Ghosh
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Reprint recommendation: Whether the project is used for your own application, or find an open source project to contribute code, these are good choices

1. Cytoscape.js

Website https://js.cytoscape.org/

This open source JavaScript library for visualization and graph analysis implements rich interactive functions. Functions such as selecting a square area, panning, and pinching to zoom are all available out of the box.

Cytoscape can be used in the Node.js server environment to complete graph analysis tasks, or it can be used under the command line. Developers interested in turning to data science can choose to participate in the development of Cytoscape, and its contribution guidelines and documentation are great.

2. PDFKit

Website https://pdfkit.org/

Very useful PDF generation library based on Node, which helps to create complex PDF files for download, supports embedded text and fonts, annotations, vector graphics and other features. However, the documentation of this project is not rich, and it is a bit difficult to contribute code to it.

3. Socket.IO

Website https://socket.io/

Provides a two-way, real-time event-based communication mechanism, supports all browser devices, and also pays attention to performance. For example, a simple chat application can be developed based on it.

After the server receives a new message, it will send it to the client, and the client does not need to send an additional request to the server after receiving the event notification.

The following useful features are supported:

• Binary stream
• Real-time analysis
• Document collaboration

4. Strapi

Website https://strapi.io/

Open source content management system. The back-end system provides functions through REST-style API. The main goal of the project is to deliver structured content on all devices.

This project supports many features, including built-in mail system, file upload, JSON Web Token authentication. The content structure based on Strapi is very flexible and can be used to create content groups and customize APIs.

5. Nest

Website https://nestjs.com/

Nest is a very popular new generation framework for creating efficient and scalable server-side applications. The bottom layer is based on the Express framework and uses TypeScript to combine functional and object-oriented programming elements. Its modular architecture allows you to use various libraries flexibly.

6. Date-fns

Website https://date-fns.org/

date-fns is still the simplest and consistent tool set for handling JavaScript dates in Node.js and browser environments, and it also works well with modern module packaging tools such as browserify, webpack, and rollup. The community support is very good, so there are many localized areas supported, and various functions have detailed descriptions and examples.

7. SheetJS

Website https://sheetjs.com/

This Node.js library can handle Excel spreadsheets and other related functions. For example, export tables, convert HTML tables and JSON arrays into xlsx files. The community is huge, and the documentation for the contribution guide is great.

8. Express.js

Website https://expressjs.com/

This is one of the most popular Node.js open source projects. It can handle HTTP requests efficiently. It is based on JavaScript, a language that is applicable to both the server and the browser, so it is of great value.

It is a powerful tool for developing high-speed and safe applications.

Basic characteristics:

1. Support different extensions and plugins
2. Routing mechanism based on HTTP method and URL
3. Seamless database integration

Thanks to Adrian Twarog [@adriantwarog] for the detailed explanation

Please watch the video 👇

youtube: 8 Node.js Projects to Keep An Eye On 2021