Best Node.js Open Source Projects in GitHub

If you’re curious about discovering the best open-source projects in the Node.js domain, this article walks you through the best Node js open-source projects in GitHub in 2023.

A Brief History of NodeJS

Let’s start with the inception of Nodejs.

Ryan Dahl created Node.js in 2009 as a response to the limitations of existing servers at that time, which could not handle high-volume concurrent connections. Node.js enabled developers to utilize JavaScript for server-side scripting; as a result, developers could create web application development using a single language.

Initially, Node.js was exclusively available for Linux and Mac operating systems. However, In June 2011, Microsoft and Joyent collaborated to develop a native Windows version of Node.js, thereby extending its compatibility with Windows operating systems.

Node.js served as the foundation for the development of various frameworks and libraries, including Express, Socket.io, Hapi, Koa, and Ghost. In addition to libraries and frameworks, many tools were built upon Node.js to enhance its functionality and cater to different use cases.

Subsequently, Node.js expanded its capabilities in 2017 with the inclusion of HTTP/2 support. Consequently, These advancements led to a surge in the number of projects developed around Node.js, with approximately 80,000 open-source projects currently on the internet.

What is Node.js?

NodeJS is a server-side built on the Google Chrome V8 engine. It is an open-source, single-threaded, and cross-platform environment that provides faster execution of JavaScript programs, also allowing Javascript outside the browser. Since it uses event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture, it is widely popular among web app developers. On the whole, It has gained immense popularity, leading to the development of numerous open-source projects centered around it.

Use Cases of Node.Js

Node.js is a versatile platform that can be utilized for creating various software solutions, including web applications, APIs, microservices, real-time chat applications like instant messaging apps, command line tools, streaming applications, IoT applications, and desktop applications compatible with multiple platforms.

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Best Node.js GitHub Open Source Projects

In this article, we have included these metrics in figuring out the best projects.

Stars: The project has more than 10,000 stars on GitHub. The number of stars is often indicative of a framework’s popularity and the level of interest it receives from developers.

Active community: We have taken into account projects that have an active and engaged community. An active community indicates that the project is well-supported and has a vibrant community of developers who contribute to its growth and improvement.

Use cases: Also, we have considered the popularity and relevance of a project in various use cases. A widely used and well-suited project for multiple use cases indicates its versatility and potential to address different development needs.

1. Axios

• Website : https://axios-http.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/axios/axios
• GitHub stars: 100k 
• Forks:10.4k 
  

Axios is a JavaScript library that simplifies the management of HTTP requests in applications.

It supports various request methods such as GET, POST, PUT/PATCH, and DELETE, allowing developers to fetch data efficiently. Moreover, Axios can intelligently determine whether the request is intended for a browser or Node.js environment and subsequently delivers the requested data to the client upon completing the API call.

2. Express

• Website: https://expressjs.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/expressjs/express
• GitHub stars: 61.1k
• Forks: 10.5k
  

Express, the leading Node.js framework, is highly favored for building web and mobile applications. Due to its minimalistic and unbiased characteristics, it has gained widespread popularity. Also, it is lightweight in nature and offers essential middleware and routing features. Due to these characteristics, Express claims the top spot among the most widely used Node.js frameworks,

Express gains popularity due to the following factors:

• Swift and impartial development methodology.
• Well-suited for crafting APIs and web apps.
• User-friendly and stripped-down design philosophy.
• Accompanied by robust request handling and middleware capabilities.
• Seamlessly integrates with diverse databases such as MySQL, MongoDB, and more.
  

With an impressive count of 61k stars and 10.5k forks on GitHub, Express strongly holds its place among the top open-source projects. Also, its wide adoption by over 20 million projects further demonstrates its immense popularity.

3. Socket.io

• Website: https://socket.io/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/socketio/socket.io
• GitHub stars: 58.4k
• Forks: 10.2k 
  

Websockets, with approximately 98% browser support, enable bi-directional real-time communication between servers and clients.

When working with WebSockets, you will likely utilize many of its features. Socket.io acts as a wrapper around WebSockets, offering most of the well-tested WebSockets features. Thus, simplifying and streamlining the implementation of WebSockets.

Popular applications like Microsoft Office, Yammer, Zendesk, and Trello are prime examples of apps that utilize socket.io.

4. Nest

• Website: https://nestjs.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/nestjs/nest
• GitHub stars: 57.2k
• Forks: 6.9k 
  

Nest is a modern and popular framework that enables the development of a variety of web applications. It offers a range of features, such as a powerful CLI and TypeScript support, which aids in the detection of bugs and enhances the development process. With its modular structure and scalability, Nest provides developers with the tools to create robust and high-quality applications.

5. Strapi

• Website: https://strapi.io/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/strapi/strapi
• GitHub stars: 54.2k
• Forks: 6.6k 
  

Strapi, a widely recognized headless CMS, boasts an impressive client list, including IBM, Walmart, and NASA. The dynamic shift towards decoupling data has sparked a significant rise in the adoption of headless systems. 

At the forefront of this movement is Strapi, a leading and highly favored CMS built on the node platform. It is an open-source project that offers a robust API system, empowering developers with seamless data management and transfer capabilities.

6. Meteor

• Website: https://www.meteor.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/meteor/meteor
• GitHub stars: 43.5k
• Forks: 5.3k
  

Meteor JS, developed in 2012, is one of the oldest frameworks that provides an ecosystem for developing mobile, web, and desktop applications using JavaScript and TypeScript. It has gained popularity among big companies like Qualcomm, IKEA, and Honeywell. 

The framework is known for its versatility, as it allows the implementation of various frameworks and technologies.

Furthermore, It seamlessly integrates with popular libraries and tools such as React, Vue, Angular, MongoDB, Cordova, and npm, further enhancing its appeal and making it a highly popular framework in recent times.

7. Sheetjs

• Website: https://sheetjs.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/SheetJS/sheetjs
• GitHub stars: 33k
• Forks: 8k
  

SheetJS is a library for Node.js that provides spreadsheet manipulation functionalities, including reading, editing, and exporting them. It can be used for various purposes, including data analysis, data visualization, and data integration.

In summary, it is a robust software that provides proven functionality for working with complex spreadsheets. It boasts a remarkable record of over 1 million weekly downloads.

A few typical applications of SheetJS include:

• Importing data
• Generating professional reports
• Modifying spreadsheet files
• Editing and styling complex templates
• Creating graphs and images
• Customizing pivot tables
  

8. Prisma

• Website: https://www.prisma.io/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/prisma/prisma
• GitHub stars: 31.9k
• Forks: 1.2k
  

Prisma is a widely used open-source ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) designed to streamline communication between databases. It acts as an abstraction layer, hiding the complexities of working with database languages and providing a more efficient way to interact with and manipulate databases. And its primary purpose is to facilitate the connection between Node.js applications and databases.

By leveraging Prisma, developers can focus on the logical development of their applications while offloading much of the database-related work to the ORM itself. It has gained significant popularity as a tool for establishing seamless communication with databases.

One of the standout features of Prisma is its type safety for database queries, which helps prevent errors and improves the maintainability of the codebase. Additionally, it offers automatic migration capabilities, making it easy to handle database schema changes. Moreover, Prisma integrates well with popular frameworks like Express, Nest.js, and more, further enhancing its versatility.

9. Sails.js

• Website: https://sailsjs.com/
• GitHub page: https://github.com/balderdashy/sails
• GitHub stars: 22.6k
• Forks: 2k
  

Sails.js is a JavaScript-based MVC framework that offers an enhanced approach to developing applications ready for production. What’s more, it is entirely built using JavaScript.

Additionally, it incorporates Waterline ORM, which offers a convenient means of interacting with data. Also, it comes with the features to generate REST APIs automatically, which greatly benefits developers and improves the development experience.

10. Eslint

• Website: https://eslint.org/
• GitHub Page: https://github.com/eslint/eslint
• GitHub stars: 22.8k
• Forks: 4.2k

ESLint is a powerful tool designed to assist developers in finding and resolving errors in their JavaScript code. Also, it offers a wide range of features and is highly customizable to meet the specific needs of individual projects. 

One of the key features of ESLint is its pluggable nature. Each rule in ESLint is a plugin, allowing developers to add or remove rules based on their requirements easily. 

Moreover, it can detect common mistakes, such as syntax errors, unused variables, and problematic coding patterns. And the added benefit is major text editors have built-in support for ESLint, providing real-time feedback and highlighting potential issues as developers write code.

Summing up

In this article, we have explored the top 10 Node.js open-source projects on GitHub.  In summary, the popularity of these projects was determined by considering factors such as the number of stars and the strength of the community.

Node.js is widely embraced across industries, making it a highly popular choice. If you are looking to develop applications using JavaScript, the world’s most widely used programming language, hiring Node.js developers would be a beneficial decision.

At Brilworks, we have successfully delivered multiple projects and boast a team of exceptional developers. With our talented pool of resources, we are among the renowned Node.js development companies. If you have any requirements, feel free to reach out to us today.