Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Node.js VS Anvil.works

Compare Node.js VS Anvil.works and see what are their differences

Node.js logo Node.js

Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast, scalable network applications

Anvil.works logo Anvil.works

Build seriously powerful web apps with all the flexibility of Python. No web development experience required.
  • Node.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • Anvil.works Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-23

Anvil is a powerful online platform that lets you build web applications with nothing but Python. It comes with two-click deployment, built-in user authentication, easy-to-use databases and loads more!

Learn all about Anvil in 80 seconds: https://youtu.be/3V-3g1mQ5GY

Node.js features and specs

  • Asynchronous and Event-Driven
    Node.js uses an asynchronous, non-blocking, and event-driven I/O model, making it efficient and scalable for handling multiple simultaneous connections.
  • JavaScript Everywhere
    Developers can use JavaScript for both client-side and server-side programming, providing a unified language environment and better synergy between front-end and back-end development.
  • Large Community and NPM
    Node.js has a vibrant community and a rich ecosystem with the Node Package Manager (NPM), which offers thousands of open-source libraries and tools that can be integrated easily into projects.
  • High Performance
    Built on the V8 JavaScript engine from Google, Node.js translates JavaScript directly into native machine code, which increases performance and speed.
  • Scalability
    Designed with microservices and scalability in mind, Node.js enables easy horizontal scaling across multiple servers.
  • JSON Support
    Node.js seamlessly handles JSON, which is a common format for API responses, making it an excellent choice for building RESTful APIs and data-intensive real-time applications.

Possible disadvantages of Node.js

  • Callback Hell
    The reliance on callbacks to manage asynchronous operations can lead to deeply nested and difficult-to-read code, commonly referred to as 'Callback Hell'.
  • Not Suitable for CPU-Intensive Tasks
    Node.js is optimized for I/O operations and can become inefficient for CPU-intensive tasks, slowing down overall performance due to its single-threaded event loop.
  • Immaturity of Tools
    Compared to more established technologies, some Node.js libraries and tools still lack maturity and comprehensive documentation, which can be challenging for developers.
  • Callback and Promise Overheads
    Managing asynchronous operations using callbacks or promises can lead to additional complexity and overhead, impacting maintainability and performance if not handled correctly.
  • Fragmented Ecosystem
    The fast-paced evolution of Node.js and its ecosystem can lead to fragmentation, with numerous versions and libraries that may not always be compatible with each other.
  • Security Issues
    The extensive use of third-party libraries via NPM can introduce security vulnerabilities if not properly managed and updated, making applications more susceptible to attacks.

Anvil.works features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Anvil.works simplifies web development through its drag-and-drop interface and Python-based backend, making it accessible for developers who may not have extensive front-end skills.
  • Integrated Development
    It provides an all-in-one platform, including database management, authentication, and server-side logic, which reduces the need for multiple third-party services.
  • Rapid Prototyping
    The platform allows for quick iteration and development of prototypes, enabling faster testing and validation of ideas.
  • Python Support
    For developers familiar with Python, Anvil.works allows them to leverage their existing knowledge without having to learn JavaScript, HTML, or CSS.
  • Deployment Simplicity
    Deploying an application is straightforward and seamless, as it removes much of the overhead involved in traditional web app deployment.

Possible disadvantages of Anvil.works

  • Limited Flexibility
    Because it's an all-in-one solution, customization might be limited compared to traditional development stacks where you have complete control over all layers of the application.
  • Performance Constraints
    Applications built on Anvil.works might not be as performant as those built with more specialized frameworks or stacks, particularly for very large or complex applications.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Reliance on Anvil.works means that your application is dependent on their platform. Migrating away can be challenging if their pricing model changes or if the service discontinues.
  • Learning Curve
    While it reduces the need to learn multiple web technologies, there is still a learning curve for mastering the Anvil-specific ways of doing things.
  • Cost
    While there is a free tier, advanced features and higher tiers can become costly, particularly if the platform scales with usage.

Analysis of Node.js

Overall verdict

  • Node.js is a popular and effective choice for building a wide range of applications, from small utilities to large-scale enterprise solutions. Its performance, speed, and community support make it a strong option, especially for real-time applications.

Why this product is good

  • Node.js is considered good because it's built on Google Chrome's V8 JavaScript Engine, making it fast and efficient for handling I/O operations. Its event-driven, non-blocking I/O model makes it suitable for building scalable network applications. Additionally, it has a large ecosystem of packages available through npm, allowing developers to find solutions for almost any problem they might encounter.

Recommended for

  • Web applications with a lot of I/O operations
  • Real-time services such as chat applications
  • APIs for mobile and single-page applications
  • Prototyping and agile development
  • Microservices architecture

Analysis of Anvil.works

Overall verdict

  • Anvil.works is considered a good platform for web development, especially for those who prefer a simplified, drag-and-drop interface.

Why this product is good

  • It provides an easy-to-use, visual interface that allows developers to design web apps quickly without needing to handle the complexities of frontend/backend integration manually.
  • Anvil uses Python, a popular and beginner-friendly programming language, allowing developers to write both frontend and backend code.
  • The platform includes built-in components for common web functionalities, such as user authentication, data tables, API management, and email services, enhancing productivity.
  • It is particularly useful for rapid prototyping and creating small to mid-scale applications, thanks to its all-in-one nature.
  • Anvil simplifies the deployment process, allowing for seamless app sharing and scaling without deep DevOps knowledge.

Recommended for

  • Beginners who want to learn web development using Python.
  • Developers interested in rapid application development and prototyping.
  • Small teams or individuals who need to deploy applications quickly without extensive setup.
  • Educators and students looking for a practical, accessible way to build and deploy applications.

Node.js videos

What is Node.js? | Mosh

More videos:

  • Review - What is Node.js Exactly? - a beginners introduction to Nodejs
  • Review - Learn node.js in 2020 - A review of best node.js courses

Anvil.works videos

No Anvil.works videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Node.js and Anvil.works)
Developer Tools
91 91%
9% 9
Runtime
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
0 0%
100% 100
Web Frameworks
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Node.js and Anvil.works

Node.js Reviews

Top JavaScript Frameworks in 2025
JavaScript is widely used for back-end or server-side development because it makes a call to the remote server when a web page loads on the browser. When a browser loads a web page, it makes a call to a remote server. Further, the code parses the page’s URL to understand users’ requirements before retrieving and transforming the required data to serve back to the browser....
Source: solguruz.com
9 Best JavaScript Frameworks to Use in 2023
Node.js applications are written in JavaScript and run on the Node.js runtime, which allows them to be executed on any platform that supports Node.js. Node.js applications are typically event-driven and single-threaded, making them efficient and scalable. Additionally, the Node Package Manager (NPM) provides a way to install and manage dependencies for Node.js projects...
Source: ninetailed.io
20 Best JavaScript Frameworks For 2023
TJ Holowaychuk built Express in 2010 before being acquired by IBM (StrongLoop) in 2015. Node.js Foundation currently maintains it. The key reason Express is one of the best JavaScript frameworks is its rapid server-side coding. Complex tasks that would take hours to code using pure Node.js can be resolved in a few minutes, thanks to Express. On top of that, Express offers a...
FOSS | Top 15 Web Servers 2021
Node.js is a cross-platform server-side JavaScript environment built for developing and running network applications such as web servers. Node.js is licensed under a variety of licenses. As of March 2021, around 1.2% of applications were running on Node.js. Among the top companies and applications utilizing this modern web server are GoDaddy, Microsoft, General Electric,...
Source: www.zentao.pm
10 Best Tools to Develop Cross-Platform Desktop Apps 
Electron.js is compatible with a variety of frameworks, libraries, access to hardware-level APIs and chromium engine, and Node.js support. Electron Fiddle feature is great for experimentation as it allows developers to play around with concepts and templates. Simplification is at the center of Electron because developers don’t have to spend unnecessary time on the packaging,...

Anvil.works Reviews

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Node.js should be more popular than Anvil.works. It has been mentiond 900 times since March 2021. 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.

Node.js mentions (900)

  • 🔥 Why Everyone Is Talking About HTMX: The Game-Changer for Web Development
    🌍 Who Should Use HTMX? ✅ Django / Flask / Rails developers ✅ Express / Node.js backend lovers ✅ Fullstack devs who want LESS frontend headache ✅ Teams jo SSR + SEO ko priority dete hain. - Source: dev.to / about 22 hours ago
  • How to Easily Integrate the SeerBit Payment Solution with React.js
    Node.js v12+ installed on your machine. You can download it from the official site. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • Building a Responsive Carousel Component in React: The Complete Guide
    Before starting, you must have npm installed on your computer, which comes bundled with Node.js which you can install from here. - Source: dev.to / 7 days ago
  • Using NanoAPI on Game Mods
    Napi works out of the box on both mac and Linux systems. To use this tool on Windows, you will need to install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and run the CLI commands from there. Make sure that Node.js (>=22) and npm are installed https://nodejs.org/en. Then the command we run is npm install -g @nanoapi.io/napi. - Source: dev.to / 17 days ago
  • Setting up the Pinecone MCP server in your IDE
    Node.js installed with npm and npx on your path. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
View more

Anvil.works mentions (97)

  • Delphi Is 30
    I've often compared Anvil (it's web-IDE for web-apps in Python https://anvil.works) to Delphi. I'm curious how you'd rate it on those qualities (off the bat it ticks a lot of those boxes. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Everything I built with Claude Artifacts this week
    I am a bit frustrated that I don't have a great "tool" environment to build out this stuff, because of having to futz with the I/O. Like most of that stuff is "well I know how to write the Python to do the last step, but wrapping it all up in a simple web UI is Too Much Work". That effort might be small, but it's still orders of magnitude larger than the snippet! Lots of TUI interfaces try to approximate this, but... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (July 2024)
    Anvil (https://anvil.works) | Developer Advocate | Cambridge, UK | ONSITE, VISA | Full-time/part-time/flexible We make an open-source web framework, an online code editor, a GUI builder, and a PaaS hosting platform. Together, you can build and host a full-stack web application - and all you need is a little Python. (Yes, even the client-side code - we compile Python to JS and provide a GUI framework!) We’re... - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • A list of SaaS, PaaS and IaaS offerings that have free tiers of interest to devops and infradev
    Anvil.works - Web app development with nothing but Python. Free tier with unlimited apps and 30-second timeouts. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Who is hiring? (February 2024)
    Anvil (https://anvil.works) | Senior Developer | Cambridge, UK | ONSITE, VISA | Full-time/part-time/flexible We make an open-source web framework, an online code editor, a GUI builder, and a PaaS hosting platform. Together, you can build and host a full-stack web application - and all you need is a little Python. (Yes, even the client-side code - we compile Python to JS and provide our own GUI framework!) We’re... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Node.js and Anvil.works, you can also consider the following products

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

Unity - The multiplatform game creation tools for everyone.

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Blender - Blender is the open source, cross platform suite of tools for 3D creation.

Laravel - A PHP Framework For Web Artisans

Unreal Engine - Unreal Engine 4 is a suite of integrated tools for game developers to design and build games, simulations, and visualizations.