Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Nest.js VS LoopBack.io

Compare Nest.js VS LoopBack.io and see what are their differences

Nest.js logo Nest.js

A progressive Node.js framework for building efficient, reliable and scalable server-side applications.

LoopBack.io logo LoopBack.io

A highly extensible Node.js and TypeScript framework for building APIs and microservices.
  • Nest.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-26
  • LoopBack.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-29

Nest.js features and specs

  • Modular Architecture
    Nest.js uses a modular architecture which is highly organized and maintainable. This allows for better separation of concerns and makes it easier to manage large-scale applications by dividing them into smaller, reusable modules.
  • TypeScript Support
    Nest.js is built with TypeScript, providing strong typing and compile-time checks. This leads to fewer runtime errors and improved code readability and maintainability.
  • Dependency Injection
    The framework includes a powerful dependency injection system, which enables better testability and easier management of application components.
  • Built-in Middleware
    Nest.js supports middleware out of the box, allowing developers to easily add additional request-processing logic at different points in the request lifecycle.
  • Extensive Documentation
    Nest.js offers comprehensive and detailed documentation, which helps developers quickly get up to speed and resolve issues more efficiently.
  • Scalability
    The framework is designed to be scalable, making it suitable for projects of varying sizes—from small applications to large enterprise-level systems.
  • Integration with Modern Libraries
    Nest.js seamlessly integrates with modern libraries and frameworks such as GraphQL, WebSockets, and TypeORM, extending its capabilities and allowing for versatile development options.
  • Active Community
    An active and growing community around Nest.js means there are plenty of resources, tutorials, and third-party tools available to assist with development.

Possible disadvantages of Nest.js

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its rich feature set and use of TypeScript, Nest.js can have a steep learning curve for developers who are not familiar with these technologies.
  • Overhead
    The reliance on the decorators and classes can introduce additional overhead, potentially making simple projects more complex than necessary.
  • Limited Flexibility
    Nest.js follows an opinionated architecture pattern, which can be restrictive for developers who prefer a more flexible or unstructured approach.
  • Performance
    While Nest.js is generally performant, the abstraction layers and TypeScript compile steps can introduce slight performance overhead compared to more lightweight alternatives.
  • Dependency on TypeScript
    The heavy reliance on TypeScript can be a drawback for developers who prefer to use plain JavaScript, or who are not familiar with TypeScript.
  • Community Compared to Mainstream Frameworks
    Although the Nest.js community is active and growing, it is still smaller compared to more established frameworks like Express.js or Koa, potentially limiting the amount of shared knowledge and third-party packages available.

LoopBack.io features and specs

  • Component-Based Architecture
    LoopBack is designed with a modular architecture, making it easy to extend and organize code efficiently. It allows developers to use predefined components or create their own to add specific functionalities.
  • OpenAPI and GraphQL Support
    LoopBack provides robust support for OpenAPI and GraphQL, enabling the creation of APIs that can easily interact with different clients and meet diverse integration requirements.
  • Strong Data Source Connectivity
    LoopBack offers a rich set of connectors that support multiple databases and services, including SQL and NoSQL databases, making it easier to connect and work with different data sources.
  • Built-in Authentication and Authorization
    LoopBack includes features for handling authentication and authorization, helping developers secure their applications more effectively with less effort.
  • Developer Community and Documentation
    LoopBack has an active community and comprehensive documentation that provides examples and guides, helping developers to get started quickly and resolve issues efficiently.

Possible disadvantages of LoopBack.io

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The complexity of LoopBack's architecture and features may result in a steep learning curve for new developers, especially those not familiar with its concepts or TypeScript.
  • Performance Overhead
    The extensive functionality and abstraction layers in LoopBack can lead to performance overhead, which might not be ideal for highly optimized applications.
  • Limited Real-Time Capabilities
    LoopBack may not provide as robust support for real-time features out-of-the-box compared to some other frameworks focused on real-time communication.
  • Migration Challenges
    Migrating from previous versions of LoopBack can be complex and time-consuming, as it may require significant adjustments to the codebase to align with the latest version's standards and practices.

Nest.js videos

Why I chose Nest.js over Express.js in 2020

LoopBack.io videos

LoopBack.io Build REST APIs in under 2.5 mins

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Nest.js and LoopBack.io)
Web Frameworks
95 95%
5% 5
Developer Tools
90 90%
10% 10
JavaScript Framework
96 96%
4% 4
Backend As A Service
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Nest.js and LoopBack.io

Nest.js Reviews

Top JavaScript Frameworks in 2025
Nest (NestJS) is a framework for building efficient and scalable server-side backend applications using Node.Js. Internally, it actually makes use of JavaScript Back-end frameworks like Express (which is the default, and optionally Fastify can be configured to use as well!
Source: solguruz.com
10 Best Next.js Alternatives to Consider Today
For TypeScript aficionados seeking a framework with a modular, scalable architecture, NestJS stands out. Built on top of Node.js, NestJS offers a powerful set of abstractions for building server-side applications. Its modular structure facilitates the creation of scalable and maintainable codebases, making it a preferred choice for enterprise-level applications where a...
The 20 Best Laravel Alternatives for Web Development
NestJS is a Node.js framework that’s inspired by Angular, and guess what? It’s written in TypeScript. Building with Typescript is like you’re navigating with the stars. It’s all about sturdy architecture, a server-side framework that enjoys the scripting superness while piling on extra sturdiness.
Top 10 Best Node. Js Frameworks to Improve Web Development
It is a structure, which is used for making expert, versatile Node.js applications on the server-side. It employs powerful JavaScript plus designed with TypeScript. Working with TypeScript indicates Nest brings uninterrupted writing and incorporates elements like the following
Top 14 Node.JS Frameworks: Which Will Rule in 2020?
Nest utilizes Express.JS and provides an unusual app architecture that allows for the easy development of easily maintainable, loosely paired and highly scalable and testable apps. Developers can use Nest CLI for developing NestJS apps with different features.

LoopBack.io Reviews

Top 14 Node.JS Frameworks: Which Will Rule in 2020?
Moreover, it can permit a user to build a server API, which maps to another server. Furthermore, Loopback.JS assists native browser and mobile SDKs for different clients like Browser, iOS, and Android/Java JavaScript (Angular).

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nest.js seems to be a lot more popular than LoopBack.io. While we know about 217 links to Nest.js, we've tracked only 6 mentions of LoopBack.io. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Nest.js mentions (217)

  • Next.js vs Nest.js: Understanding the Difference
    Read more about Next.js here and Nest.js here. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Secure Your REST API Using Keycloak Role-Based Access Control
    In this article, we will walk through a step-by-step process to secure a Nest.js RESTful API using Keycloak. This includes setting up an application client and configuring authentication and RBAC for your API endpoints. - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Next.js vs Nest.js: What to Choose in 2025?
    The rapid evolution of web development in 2025 makes it imperative to choose a framework that truly fits your project. Whether this involves a dynamic web application, scalable API, or high-performance SaaS product, the decision to select Next.js or Nest.js becomes all the more key. While both do their thing really well, in this sense, they don't do the same thing. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Why Ruby on Rails still matters
    Ok, you're right. I was referring to the usual ones (Next, Nuxt, SvelteKit, Remix, etc). Joytick looks cool. Besides this there's also NestJS https://nestjs.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Secure Your NestJS App: Implementing Authentication with Auth0
    Basic knowledge of NestJS and Javascript/Typescript. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
View more

LoopBack.io mentions (6)

  • Mastering Node.js
    Loopback.io is a powerful Node.js framework for creating APIs and easily connecting to backend data sources. It has an Angular.js SDK and provides SDKs for iOS and Android. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Looking for resources to learn backend only stuff with JavaScript
    Backend is usually an API you design, can simply use Rails for this, basic Express.js or some framework like https://loopback.io/ if you want javascript otherwise you want 'system design' https://github.com/donnemartin/system-design-primer for all the load balancers/dbms if that's what you mean. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Node JS Microservice Frameworks for Developing Scalable Web Apps.
    LoopBack – Highly Extensible Node.js and TypeScript framework. Source: about 2 years ago
  • A minimalist backend REST API in NodeJS
    We deliberately decided not to use "kitchen-sink included" frameworks such as Laravel, Django, Loopback or Nest.js to keep things simple. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Coming from Scala
    I'd say check out https://loopback.io. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Nest.js and LoopBack.io, you can also consider the following products

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

Adonis JS - AdonisJs is a Node.js web framework with breath of fresh air and drizzle of elegant syntax on top of it

Laravel - A PHP Framework For Web Artisans

FastAPI - FastAPI is an Open Source, modern, fast (high-performance), web framework for building APIs with Python 3.6+ based on standard Python type hints.

Next.js - A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps

Falcor - Falcor is a JavaScript library for efficient data fetching.