I use Node.js in the API and service layer: systems that need many concurrent connections, real-time streams and background jobs. I built the backend of a 24/7 algorithmic trading platform in Node.js, and today I use it together with TypeScript. What matters to me is not the framework choice but that the service behaves predictably under load and when things fail.
Node.js manages many concurrent connections in a single process through its event loop. That works particularly well for I/O-heavy work: the API layer, real-time notifications, webhook receivers, integration services and queue consumers. For CPU-heavy work I prefer moving the job to a separate service or queue rather than blocking the same process for long stretches.
I build small, readable layers: the HTTP layer, business rules, data access and external service clients. Defining domain types in TypeScript up front catches the most common integration defects — field mapping errors — at compile time.
With WebSockets and server-sent event streams, the connection lifecycle, reconnection and authorisation are handled explicitly. Long-running or retryable work goes onto a queue; each job carries a unique key so the same job is not processed twice. Scheduled tasks run outside the application process.
I work with PostgreSQL, MySQL and document databases. Outbound calls define timeouts, retries and circuit-breaker behaviour, so the service does not lock up when the other side slows down. Making the same request twice produce the same result (idempotency) is part of the integration design.
Health-check endpoints, structured logs and basic metrics are set up from the start, so a rising error rate or latency becomes visible. Process management uses PM2 or a container-based setup; deployment and rollback steps are written down.
The API contract, the Node.js service, the data model, the integration layer, tests and run documentation. If an existing Node.js service has performance, error-handling or maintenance problems, I measure first, find the bottleneck and then propose a targeted change.
The decision depends on the workload. Node.js is strong for many concurrent connections, real-time streams and integration-heavy work. For CPU-heavy or strongly typed core business logic I may prefer another language. In most projects the right answer is putting each job in the right layer.
Not required, but recommended. Especially in code that talks to external services and is touched by several developers, field types catch integration defects before runtime.
Yes. Live notifications, status updates and messaging can be built with WebSockets or server-sent events. Reconnection, authorisation and message ordering are treated as part of the design.
I measure first: response times, event-loop lag, database queries and outbound service calls. Rather than changing code on a hunch, I show the bottleneck and produce a targeted fix plan.
Yes. Health checks, structured logs, basic metrics and deployment steps are part of delivery. I do not hand over a system without measurements that show it is running.
