Node.js is a digital eCommerce framework that allows for both single-vendor and multi-vendor shopping carts. Most people encounter these sorts of frameworks without even realizing it. What is slightly less common is for Node.js to be used to develop a larger multi-vendor marketplace all of its own. However, creating multi-vendor marketplaces through the use of Node.js is becoming more common and is changing the landscape of eCommerce.
Some of the roles a Node.js script fills for an eCommerce vendor or general marketplace include:
- An open-source server environment as well as an open-source runtime environment using JavaScript (js)
- Since the code is event-driven and utilizes non-blocking I/O, it is compatible with a wide array of formats.
- It can perform DB operations and record customer data trends
How Node.js is Used in eCommerce
Node.js is not necessarily specialized for eCommerce; it is just a JavaScript framework people can learn. It is attractive to online businesses and virtual merchants due to its versatility and adaptability.
Node.js allows for separate businesses and online services to interact with one another through the shopping cart feature. Payment sites such as Paypal can be used in place of a bank account to make purchases. Gig workers can be paid by their employers through payment services. Retailers can access separate vendors to bundle products together. The list of possibilities goes on.
Some tech companies who employ Node.js are:
- Amazon
- Paypal
- eBay
- Etsy
- Facebook Marketplace
- Uber
- Doordash
- Groupon
Node.js and its Contribution to eCommerce
Knowing all of this, it bears asking how the introduction of Node.js scripts has changed and is continuing to change the eCommerce landscape around us.
Node.js is Faster and More Responsive Than The Scripts That came Before It
Before the popularity of Node.js, Python was the common script format used in eCommerce. The two programs even competed in the wider market for a time. The reason why Node.js won out is because of its faster, more adaptable, and more responsive script, which allows for a better interface for customers and an easier cart for online vendors to manage.
The issue of scalability also works in favor of Node.js. Other programs like Python were easier to overload and suffered slowdowns as a result. Not only does Node.js not have this problem, but it can scale an order between multiple vendors and keep the entire process running despite the amount of data it is keeping track of.
Node.js is a Multilingual Script
Node.js is a JavaScript language, or rather, a collection of languages that the script can accept. Node.js, unlike many other eCommerce scripts, offers both front-end and back-end language inputs to run. This versatility allows for direct oversight and intervention in how the script runs and what users of the shopping cart features are allowed to do.
The adaptability of the script also means that it can accept scripts from other similar programs and formats. This adaptability has led to the creation of online services that mix multiple markets the way that Node.js does best. Doordash and Uber Eats are prime examples of this principle.
Node.js is Compatible with Existing Apps
Building off of the previous point, Node.js can integrate existing apps to make a shared marketplace between them. 65% of websites are compatible with Node.js as of the publication of this article and historically has been rising since its inception in 2017. Node.js often integrates a web retailer or online merchant with a payment program such as Paypal, though more complex combinations are also common.
The result is that people’s bank information is concealed behind a greater degree of protection than most eCommerce sources can maintain, and online merchants have access to a wider variety of goods and services. The script also allows for different programs to access them in different ways, such as through shortcuts between mobile apps with access to the same data sources. Node.js also can connect to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Sharing of information also allows for targeted advertising based on the data shared between sources, meaning that customers often return and further benefit from Node.js’ convenience. For a company like eBay or Amazon, this is a remarkable opportunity to market to their customers in new ways. With social media information at their disposal, they have an unlimited number of resources to help them do it.
It Takes Less Time to Develop a Functional Node.js Framework
A basic Node.js tutorial exists for most basic frameworks one could need for a website. JavaScript, in general, is praised for being adaptable and easy to learn. Someone who knows the Javascript language will be able to fine-tune a framework specifically of the type of eCommerce a person might need to do. The code framework is comparatively easy for IT specialists to learn as well. And there are even alternative web development avenues such as prebuilt code capsules for web developers.
The short point is that Node.js is easy to build, easy to learn, and easy to alter even after it has been implemented. Companies and online merchants using Node.js have a lot of control over how their system framework functions and can change it per their needs. The code framework is also “lightweight,” meaning it is not overly taking on wherever servers a company runs it off of. Both the learning curve and the risk of failure are lower.
Node.js Has Long-Term Support
To build off some of the previous points, the fact that Node.js is easy to learn and change, spans multiple platforms, and accepts many different code languages means that its longevity is guaranteed. Now that Node.js has caught on across the web in eCommerce, it will stay dominant for quite some time. There is security in longevity.
Companies and digital merchants that use Node.js can rest assured that the system will remain variable for years to come. It will always be scalable to meet the demand needed. It will always be one of the fastest options for making transactions that span multiple platforms. The Node.js system will always be a valuable way to engage in eCommerce.
Conclusions
Node.js has many uses both for eCommerce and many other structures and platforms. Where eCommerce is concerned, it is no wonder that Node.js has taken off in terms of popularity. It is difficult to beat the sheer speed and adaptability of the framework, and the concept backing it is something we benefit from every day.
The premise of allowing a digital shopping cart to access assets and accounts from several different web addresses is both remarkable and easily utilized. People can pay for items with digital currency or transfer funds to the necessary parties from a single app.
Doordash, perhaps, encapsulates the utility of Node.js best. With this one app, a person can pay a driver to pick up food for them and deliver it, requiring a framework where they order off of a digital menu sent to Doordash, pay the driver, and pay the restaurant; all remotely. A service like this is destined to become popular quickly, as it has, and will only grow in use and popularity as time goes on.
Christoph is a code-loving father of two beautiful children. He is a full-stack developer and a committed team member at Zenscrape.com – a subsidiary of saas.industries. When he isn’t building software, Christoph can be found spending time with his family or training for his next marathon.