Head-to-Head: Express vs Sails Analysis

express

v4.21.1(30 days ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are provided via a separate npm package: @types/expressNumber of direct dependencies: 31Monthly npm downloads

Express is a fast, unopinionated, and minimalist web framework for Node.js. It provides a robust set of features for building web applications and APIs, including routing, middleware support, template engines, and error handling. Express is known for its simplicity and flexibility, allowing developers to create scalable and efficient server-side applications with ease.

Alternatives:
koa+
fastify+
hapi+
nest+
sails+
restify+
polka+
feathers+
loopback+
total.js+

Tags: node.jsweb frameworkroutingmiddlewareAPI

sails

v1.5.12(about 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 simplifies the development of real-time, enterprise-grade applications. It follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) pattern and provides a robust set of features out of the box, including data-driven APIs, WebSocket support, and automatic asset compilation. Sails is known for its scalability, extensibility, and compatibility with front-end frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.

Alternatives:
express+
koa+
hapi+
loopback+
nest+
feathers+
adonis+
meteor+
actionhero+
total.js+

Tags: node.jsweb frameworkMVCreal-time applicationsWebSocket

Fight!

Popularity

Express is one of the most popular and widely used web frameworks for Node.js. It has a large and active community with extensive documentation and a wide range of plugins and middleware available. Sails, on the other hand, is also popular but not as widely adopted as Express.

Scalability

Both Express and Sails are scalable frameworks, but Express is known for its lightweight and minimalist design, making it more suitable for small to medium-sized applications. Sails, on the other hand, is a more opinionated framework with built-in support for features like real-time communication and database ORM, making it better suited for larger and more complex applications.

Performance

Express is known for its high performance and low overhead. It is designed to be fast and efficient, making it a popular choice for building high-performance APIs. Sails, while still performant, has additional features and abstractions that may introduce some overhead compared to Express.

Developer Experience

Express provides a simple and intuitive API, making it easy for developers to get started and build applications quickly. It has a large ecosystem of middleware and plugins, which enhances the developer experience. Sails, on the other hand, follows a more opinionated approach and provides a higher level of abstraction, which can be beneficial for developers who prefer convention over configuration.

Community and Support

Express has a larger and more active community compared to Sails. It has been around for a longer time and has a mature ecosystem with extensive documentation, tutorials, and resources. Sails, while having a smaller community, still has an active community and provides decent support through its documentation and community forums.

Flexibility

Express is known for its flexibility and allows developers to have more control over the application structure and architecture. It is a minimalist framework that provides the freedom to choose and integrate other libraries and tools. Sails, on the other hand, follows a more opinionated approach and provides a predefined structure and conventions, which can be beneficial for rapid development but may limit flexibility in certain cases.