1. Node.js
An Introduction
Richard Rodger
@rjrodger
Richard Rodger
@rjrodger
nearform.com

2. For the
next ten
years ...

3. For the
next ten
years ...
... you'll do most of your
coding in JavaScript

4. What can
JavaScript
do for
you?
•dynamic language
•prototypes instead of classes
•functional
• ... and it looks like C

5. there are
three
eras...
1990's
2000's
2010's

6. you won't
get fired
* yes I know about tiobe.com

7. why?

8. how many
concurrent
clients?
90's: 10
00's: 100
10's: 1000
C10K Problem

9. How do
you scale?
processes
threads
events

10. • Runs high-performance server-side JavaScript
• Uses the Google Chrome V8 engine
• just-in-time compilation to machine code
• generation garbage collection (like the Java JVM)
• creates virtual “classes” to optimise property lookups
• Has a well-designed module system for third party code - very
effective and simple to use
• Your code runs in a single non-blocking JavaScript
thread
• That’s OK, most of the time you’re waiting for database or
network events

11. being event-driven is like
having Jeeves run your
server

12. Node.js Web Server
var http = require('http');
var server = http.createServer(function (req, res) {
res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});
res.end('Hello Worldn');
})
server.listen(1337, "127.0.0.1");
console.log('Server running at http://127.0.0.1:1337');

13. JavaScript: an eligible bachelor?
avoid slow, validate forms
date ECMA, jQuery
marry Node.js, Crockford

14. crockford.com
function Y(le) {
return (function (f) {
return f(f);
}(function (f) {
return le(function (x) {
return f(f)(x);
});
}));
}

15. Where
will your
app live?
co-lo buy, build, and rack
IaaS Amazon EC2
PaaS Heroku

16. Node.js Code Volume
4
3
2
1
0
Client JavaScript Server JavaScript

17. Node.js does what it says on the tin
• High performance • callback spaghetti is not a
problem in practice
• High throughput
• Low CPU usage • use functional style
• Constant memory usage • client-side code is far
more difficult
• leaks will kill, but then • Don't do CPU intensive stuff
• < 100ms startup time • ... there's a warning on
• means you may not the tin!
notice!

18. Who's using Node.js in Ireland?

19. JavaScript

20. My Company
HTML5 Apps + Node.js
My Book
richardrodger.com
Richard Rodger
@rjrodger
nearform.com