Head-to-Head: Feathers vs Sails Analysis

@feathersjs/feathers

v5.0.29(16 days ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 3Monthly npm downloads

@feathersjs/feathers is a minimalist and flexible Node.js framework for building real-time applications. It provides a simple yet powerful API for creating RESTful services and WebSocket-based real-time applications. Feathers is designed to be agnostic to the underlying transport layer, allowing developers to seamlessly switch between HTTP and WebSocket protocols.

Alternatives:
sails+
loopback+
nest+
hapi+
koa+
express+
fastify+
adonisjs+
meteor+
actionhero+

Tags: node.jsreal-timeRESTfulWebSocketflexible

sails

v1.5.11(2 months ago)

This package is actively maintained.The package doesn't have any types definitionsNumber of direct dependencies: 44Monthly npm downloads

Sails is a full-featured web application framework for Node.js that follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. It provides a robust set of features out of the box, including automatic REST API generation, WebSocket support, and real-time updates. Sails is known for its scalability and ease of integration with front-end frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.

Alternatives:
express+
koa+
hapi+
fastify+
nestjs+
feathers+
adonisjs+
strapi+
loopback+
meteor+

Tags: node.jsweb frameworkMVCREST APIreal-time

Fight!

Popularity

Both @feathersjs/feathers and Sails are popular Node.js frameworks, but Sails has been around for longer and has a larger community and user base. However, @feathersjs/feathers has gained popularity in recent years and has a growing community.

Architecture

Sails is a full-featured MVC (Model-View-Controller) framework that follows a convention-over-configuration approach. It provides a built-in ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) and supports automatic RESTful API generation. @feathersjs/feathers, on the other hand, is a lightweight and flexible framework that follows a service-oriented architecture. It allows you to create microservices and provides a real-time API out of the box.

Scalability

Both frameworks are scalable, but @feathersjs/feathers is designed with scalability in mind. It provides a scalable and distributed architecture by default, making it easier to handle large-scale applications. Sails can also handle scalability, but it may require additional configuration and setup.

Developer Experience

Sails provides a more opinionated and structured development experience. It has a comprehensive CLI (Command Line Interface) and provides a set of conventions that make it easy to get started. @feathersjs/feathers, on the other hand, provides a more flexible and modular development experience. It allows you to choose the components you need and provides a minimalistic API.

Community and Ecosystem

Sails has a larger and more mature community and ecosystem. It has been around for a longer time and has a wide range of plugins and extensions available. @feathersjs/feathers, although growing, has a smaller community and ecosystem in comparison. However, it provides a plugin system that allows you to extend its functionality.

Documentation

Both frameworks have good documentation, but Sails has more extensive and detailed documentation. It provides comprehensive guides, tutorials, and examples, making it easier for developers to get started and find solutions to common problems. @feathersjs/feathers also has decent documentation, but it may require some additional exploration to find specific information.