Node.js has evolved as one of the most popular Javascript platforms to develop networking and real-time web applications. One of the many reasons why node.js is popular among the developers is that it has many tools and frameworks available for developing a scalable and lightweight application.

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In this article, I will share the information about top 15 Node.js tools for node.js application development.

MEAN JS

MEAN stack is a collection of technologies used to develop web applications. These are considered as the building blocks for MEAN JS applications.

M  stands for mongo db

E   stands for express framework

A  stands for angularjs

N  stands for node.js

To download mean stack from github, visit the following link:

https://github.com/meanjs/mean

MOCHA.JS

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Mocha is a JavaScript framework for Node.js. It allows you to do fast unit and integrating testing, on both browser and console. With the help of Mocha.js, you can easily use other libraries including Sinon.js, Express.js, Should.js, etc.

Some features of MOCHA

• Test retry support
• Node debugger support                          
• File watcher support   
• String diff support                 
• Test coverage reporting
• Global variable leak detection

MATH.JS

Math.js is a vast library used in javascript and nodejs to solve complex function, math, matrix, and units. Mathjs is a very powerful tool and it runs on a javascript engine. 

To install math.js run fallowing command in terminal

npm install math.js 

Now load math.js in node.js and you are ready to use math.js

var math = require(math.js);

You are ready to use math.js now.

CYLON.JS

Cylon.js is another spectacular framework for nodejs which is used for internet of things, physical computing and robotics. Cylon.js makes it easy to command physical devices like robots.

You can easily install the cylon.js by using npm module.

npm install cylon

Now, load the cylon.js in your code

var cylon = require (cylon);          

SOCKET.IO

Socket.io is a cross-browser websocket. It means your app can run on any device or browser in a real-time. It also supports bi-directional communication. Socket.io is revered as one of the most reliable frameworks for building a real time application. It has features like broadcasting, room creation, custom events, etc. On line chat application are best example for socket.io.

Get Socket.io from Github

https://github.com/socketio/socket.io

WEB STORM

Webstorm is smart and lightweight IDE. If you are coding in node.js/html 5/css/javascript,  web storm should be your ideal choice. It enhances your work speed by offering testing, and debugging, all in one IDE tool. It has also an inbuilt terminal to run command line tools.

To download webstorm, click on the following link:

 https://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm/

EXPRESS.JS

  image sourse:expressjs.com.cn/

Express.js is a must use web application framework for node.js. Express.js allows you to do  many thing with less codes.

Following are some features of express.js:

• Routing
• High performance
• HTTP request
• Error handling
• Support NoSQL database  

GitHub link for express

https://github.com/expressjs

JADE

Jade is a template engine built for server side templating in node.js. It has many advantages over html especially when it comes to running a node.js application.  Developers widely use the Jade over HTML as Jade code contains good syntax and amazing styling power. You can also convert your HTML code to Jade.

You can easily install Jade by NPM

npm install jade

NIGHTWATCH.JS

NIGHTWATCH is an E2E(end to end) testing solution for website. It provides a powerful syntax for test using node.js and css. Nightwatch also has build-in command line test runner. It works with Selenium server so you must have selenium server from the Selenium releases page
 

https://selenium-release.storage.googleapis.com/index.html

SINON JS

Sinon.js functions as an independent stubs, test spies and mocks for the JavaScript. Sinon.js  can perform its operation with any unit testing framework. It also supports cross browser and runs easily on node.js server.

Installation of sinon.js via npm

npm install sinon

or npm install sinon @1 (for older version)

or you can download from http://sinonjs.org/releases/

SUBLIME TEXT  

Sublime is another powerful cross-platform source code editor that support node.js and many other markup languages. Sublimes text comes with 20 different themes and also complete the user variables.

Sublime Text is known for:

• ·         Auto save.
• ·         Customizable key binding, powerful Spell check function.
• ·         Assign keywords to block of code.
• ·         Go to anything.
• ·         Code building in editor.
• ·         Project switching

       Download link for sublime   https://www.sublimetext.com/3

Passport.js

Passport.js is an authentication middleware for node.js. It is very easy to integrate into node.js application. Passport.js simplifies the Facebook logins, Local account logins,Twitter logins and

Google+ logins for the applications.

Download passport from

https://github.com/jaredhanson/passport

Install passport.js in terminal

$ npm install passport

HAPI JS

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Hapi is a web framework for building API (application program interfaces) for web applications. It enables the developers to write re-usable application logics.

Run the following command in terminal:

npm installsave hapi

This will save dependency of your project. It is very simple to create basic server in Hapi.

Use the  following command”

'use strict';

const Hapi = require('hapi');

const server = new Hapi.Server();

server.connection({ port: 3000, host: 'localhost' });


server.start((err) => {


    if (err) {

        throw err;

    }

    console.log(`Server running at: ${server.info.uri}`);

});

BROCCOLI.JS

Image source: http://broccolijs.com/

Broccoli gives a fast and reliable asset pipeline to build an application on Node.js.

Following are some of its main features:

• ·         Very fast
• ·         Less code
• ·         Flexible

You only need stable version(v0.10x) of node.js.

 If you have installed, type following command in CLI:

$npm install g broccoli-cli  

SAILS.JS

Image source: https://github.com

Sails.js  is a popular framework for node.js developer. It support data-oriented web app development,and useful for realtime things like node.js.

Some basic feature of Sails.js include:

• 100%java script use
• front -end-agnostic
• any database
• auto-generated REST APIs
• WebSocket integration
• Professional support

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