Software Alternatives & Startups

Browsersync VS PM2

Compare Browsersync VS PM2 and see what are their differences

Browsersync

Browsersync makes your tweaking and testing faster by synchronising file changes and interactions...

Rating
0 reviews
PM2

Advanced, production process manager for Node.js

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, PM2 should be more popular than Browsersync. It has been mentioned 60 times since March 2021.

social mentions
22 vs 60
Website Testing popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
94 vs 120

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Browsersync
PM2
Website browsersync.io pm2.keymetrics.io
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Browsersync 5 features
PM2 5 features
  • Live Reloading
    Browsersync automatically refreshes your browser whenever you make changes to your files, saving time and reducing the manual effort required for refreshing the page.
  • Cross-Browser Testing
    It allows for synchronized testing across multiple browsers and devices, ensuring consistency and compatibility of web applications in different environments.
  • Easy Setup
    Browsersync is relatively easy to set up with extensive documentation and a range of configuration options that make it adaptable to different workflows.
  • CSS Injection
    Changes to CSS files can be injected into the browser without a full page reload, speeding up the development process by reducing wait times.
  • URL Syncing
    Synchronizes interactions such as clicks, scrolls, and forms across multiple devices, which is helpful for testing and demonstrating application functionality.

Possible disadvantages

  • Performance Overhead
    Running Browsersync can lead to increased CPU and memory usage, potentially slowing down development, especially on lower-end machines.
  • Complex Configuration
    For more advanced scenarios, setting up Browsersync can become complex and require additional time and effort to configure properly.
  • Compatibility Issues
    Some plugins or complex setups might experience compatibility issues, necessitating additional troubleshooting or workarounds.
  • Network Dependency
    Browsersync requires a stable network connection to synchronize across devices, which can be an issue in environments with unreliable connectivity.
  • Learning Curve
    Although basic use is straightforward, leveraging the full suite of features may require learning additional commands and configuration options.
  • Process Management
    PM2 provides efficient process management, allowing you to easily start, stop, and restart applications. It handles the daemonization of processes and ensures that all your services run continuously.
  • Monitoring & Logging
    PM2 offers robust monitoring and logging features, providing real-time metrics on CPU and memory usage, along with comprehensive logging to help debug issues and monitor application performance.
  • Cluster Mode
    PM2 supports cluster mode, enabling you to run multiple instances of your application to utilize multi-core systems effectively, thereby improving performance and handling more traffic.
  • Easy Deployment
    With PM2, deployment is simplified through built-in functionalities like management of environment variables and automatic startup scripts, making it easier to deploy applications across environments.
  • Platform Agnostic
    PM2 is platform-agnostic and can be used with diverse environments and languages, though it is optimized for Node.js applications, offering flexibility to manage various types of applications.

Possible disadvantages

  • Overhead
    While PM2 is lightweight, it can add some overhead, particularly in smaller or simpler applications where its full range of features may not be necessary.
  • Configuration Complexity
    For new users or simple applications, PM2's configuration options may seem complex, with a steep learning curve to understand and leverage all available features effectively.
  • Memory Usage
    PM2's memory usage can be higher compared to more minimal solutions, which might be a concern for resource-constrained environments or small-scale projects.
  • Limited to JavaScript by Default
    Although you can manage other types of applications, PM2 is primarily designed for Node.js, so managing non-JavaScript applications could require additional effort or wrappers.
  • Potential Issues with Large Projects
    In some cases, PM2 may face challenges scaling very large projects due to its process management design, requiring more thorough testing and configuration tuning.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Browsersync 2 videos + Add
PM2 3 videos + Add

Browsersync Tutorial for Beginners

More videos

  • - Browser Live Reload while Coding with Browsersync

The Spyderco Paramilitary 2 (PM2) Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review

More videos

  • - Cut or Carry: Spyderco PM2 ParaMilitary 2 Review
  • - Spyderco Paramilitary 2 S110V Long-Term Review (Best value PM2?)

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Browsersync
PM2
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
31% 31%
69% 69%

User comments

Share your experience with using Browsersync and PM2. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Browsersync no reviews yet
PM2 no reviews yet

We have no reviews of PM2 yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Browsersync 22 mentions
PM2 60 mentions
  • Show HN: Wd-40, a static webserver with automatic hot-reloads
    I thought the name was inspired by a cheap, easily available lubricant that comes in handy for every home. I've tried many simple servers for experimenting with simple static websites (HTML, CSS, JS). I'm currently settled on... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Eleventy vs. Next.js for static site generation
    Eleventy offers a great developer experience. For example, it includes an inbuilt --serve flag that uses Browsersync to enable serving the site locally and with hot reload upon file changes. This is a huge convenience. Another... - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • Deno 1.38: HTML doc generator and HMR
    I was looking for something like HMR for client side reloading a little while ago (HTML, CSS, etc), and ended up with just using the CLI of Browsersync[1] with a barebones config. It works, but feels shoehorned and wonky. It would be... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago

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  • The hosting setup nobody talks about anymore
    At this point we have a few options to handle our Nuxt site. We could just copy the dist folder over, install node, and use something like pm2 to manage the node process. While this works, I find it a little brittle. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • JavaScript Awesome Package
    PM2 - PM2 is a daemon process manager that will help you manage and keep your application online 24/7. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • PM2 process management for Node.js - Mastering PM2 Process Management...
    Now you have the tools to keep your Node. Js apps running strong. Experiment with the ecosystem. config. Js file. Explore more advanced PM2 features on their official website. Remember, consistent uptime builds user trust. If you're... - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago

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Alternatives to Browsersync and PM2

When comparing Browsersync and PM2, you can also consider the following products.

  • LiveReload

    LiveReload 2 proudly presents… The Web Developer Wonderland. (a happy land where browsers don't need a Refresh button). CSS edits and image changes apply live. CoffeeScript, SASS, LESS and others just work.

    Compare LiveReload to Browsersync or PM2:

  • GitHub

    Originally founded as a project to simplify sharing code, GitHub has grown into an application used by over a million people to store over two million code repositories, making GitHub the largest code host in the world.

    Compare GitHub to Browsersync or PM2:

  • CodeKit

    CodeKit allows you to optimize the performance of your website by automatically and efficiently compiling a variety of popular languages.

    Compare CodeKit to Browsersync or PM2:

  • ExpressJS

    Sinatra inspired web development framework for node.js -- insanely fast, flexible, and simple

    Compare ExpressJS to Browsersync or PM2:

  • Ghostlab

    Ghostlab allows you to test out a newly developed website on a variety of browsers and mobile devices at the same time. To get started, simply drag the web address to the Ghostlab system and press the play button. Read more about Ghostlab.

    Compare Ghostlab to Browsersync or PM2:

  • Supervisor

    Supervisor is a client/server system that allows its users to monitor and control a number of...

    Compare Supervisor to Browsersync or PM2: