The Node.js platform helps you create scalable, high-performance web apps, and Express.js builds on this to make the process even easier.

However, as the web development landscape evolves, alternatives to the Express.js framework have arisen. They offer advanced features, better performance, and a more modular approach to building web applications.

Explore some of the most popular Express.js alternatives and their key benefits and features.

1. Nest.js

Nest.js is a progressive Node.js framework for building efficient and maintainable server-side applications. It provides an out-of-the-box application architecture inspired by Angular, which allows you to create testable, loosely coupled, maintainable applications.

Nest.js uses the Express.js framework by default, but you can configure it to use an alternative like Fastify. Nest.js fully supports TypeScript and uses it by default, but you can use JavaScript instead if you prefer.

Additionally, Nest.js has a CLI tool that makes development easier by automating tasks such as generating boilerplate code. It also has built-in support for features like dependency injection.

You can install Nest.js using npm, the JavaScript package manager, by running the command below:

        npm install -g @nestjs/cli

    

This command installs the Nest.js CLI. You can create a new Nest.js project by running the following command:

        nest new <project-name>

    

Here’s what a Nest.js Server looks like:

        import { NestFactory } from '@nestjs/core';
import { AppModule } from './app.module';

async function bootstrap() {
  const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);
  await app.listen(3000);
}

bootstrap();

    

Nest.js’s opinionated modular architecture, its support for dependency injection, and native TypeScript support make it a prime choice for building modern server-side applications.

2. Fastify

Fastify is a web framework for Node.js designed to be fast. It's known for its high performance and ability to handle many requests with minimal overhead.

One of the main differences from Express is that Fastify was designed to be highly optimized for performance. It also uses a powerful plugin architecture which allows you to easily extend your app’s functionality using plugins.

Fastify also uses the Pino logging package out of the box, providing a powerful logging framework without sacrificing performance.

You can install Fastify with this command:

        npm install fastify

    

Here’s an example of a simple server created with Fastify:

        const fastify = require('fastify')({ logger: true })

// Creating a route
fastify.get('/', async (request, reply) => {
  return { message: "Hello World"}
})

// Starting the server
const start = async () => {
  try {
    await fastify.listen({ port: 3000 })
  } catch (err) {
    fastify.log.error(err)
    process.exit(1)
  }
}

start()

    

Fastify is ideal for large-traffic applications as the framework handles many requests without sacrificing security.

3. Sails.js

Sails.js is a web framework for Node.js designed for building Model-View-Controller (MVC)-style web applications. It's known for its convention-over-configuration approach, which can help simplify development and make it easier to start a new project.

The main differences between Sails.js and Express are its opinionated nature and Sails’s built-in support for features like models, controllers, and services. These can help organize your code and make it easier to build scalable and maintainable applications.

You can install Sails.js by running the command below:

        npm install sails -g

    

You can create a new Sails app with this command:

        sails new <project-name>

    

And you can run your sails project by running this command:

        sails lift

    

Here’s an example of a CLI-generated Sails server:

        var sails;
var rc;

try {
  sails = require('sails');
  rc = require('sails/accessible/rc');
} catch (err) {
  console.error("Encountered an error when attempting to require('sails'):");
  console.error(err.stack);
  console.error('--');
  console.error('To run an app using `node app.js`, you need to have Sails installed');
  console.error("locally (`./node_modules/sails`).  To do that, just make sure you're");
  console.error('in the same directory as your app and run `npm install`.');
  console.error();
  console.error('If Sails is installed globally (i.e. `npm install -g sails`) you can');
  console.error('also run this app with `sails lift`.  Running with `sails lift` will');
  console.error('not run this file (`app.js`), but it will do exactly the same thing.');
  console.error("(It even uses your app directory's local Sails install, if possible.)");
  return;
}

// Start server
sails.lift(rc('sails'));

    

Sails.js also has built-in support for features like real-time communication and authentication, saving time and effort when building complex applications.

4. Hapi.js

Hapi.js is a web framework for Node.js designed to be easy to use and highly configurable. It's known for its plugin architecture, which allows you to add and remove functionality as needed, and its focus on security and reliability.

One of the main differences between Hapi.js and Express is that Hapi.js provides a more opinionated and structured approach to building web applications.

Its built-in plugin system lets you easily add features like authentication, caching, and logging. It also incudes built-in support for input validation and error handling.

You can install Hapi.js by running the command below:

        npm install @hapi/hapi

    

Here’s an example of a simple server created with Hapi:

        const Hapi = require("@hapi/hapi");

const init = async () => {
  const server = Hapi.server({
    port: 3000,
    host: "localhost",
  });

  server.route({
    method: "GET",
    path: "/",
    handler: (request, h) => {
      return "Hello World!";
    },
  });

  await server.start();
  console.log("Application running on %s", server.info.uri);
};

process.on("unhandledRejection", (err) => {
  console.log(err);
  process.exit(1);
});

init();

    

Hapi.js is also very secure due to features like built-in cross-site request forgery (CSRF) protection, header validation, and request validation. These help avoid common security vulnerabilities and prevent potential attacks.

5. Koa.js

Koa.js is a web framework for Node.js created by the team behind Express.js. It's known for its minimalist design and focus on middleware, which makes it easy to build high-performance web applications.

Koa.js was designed to be more lightweight and flexible than Express. It uses a simple middleware architecture that allows you to easily add or remove functionality as needed.

You can install Koa.js by running the command below:

        npm install koa

    

Here’s an example of a simple server created with Koa.js:

        const Koa = require("koa");
const app = new Koa();
const router = require("koa-router");
const User = require("./models/user");

router.get('/user/:id', async (ctx) => {
  try {
    const user = await User.findById(ctx.params.id);
    ctx.body = user;
  } catch (e) {
    ctx.status = 404;
    ctx.body = {
      error: 'User not found'
    };
  }
});

app.use(router.routes());

app.listen(3000, "localhost");

    

Koa.js also includes built-in support for features like request/response logging, error handling, and content negotiation, which can help make development faster and more efficient.

Choosing a Framework for Your Next Project

Choosing a framework for your next Node.js application is important, as it directly affects your entire development and production process. By extension, it will also affect the user experience of your apps.

It is essential to consider factors such as the framework’s architecture, its ease of use, how fast it is, and how flexible it is. These factors and your project’s goals and requirements will guide you in choosing a framework for your project.