Head-to-Head: Restify vs Sails Analysis

restify

v11.1.0(over 1 year ago)

This package was last published over a year ago. It may not be actively maintained.Types definitions are provided via a separate npm package: @types/restifyNumber of direct dependencies: 22Monthly npm downloads

Restify is a Node.js web service framework optimized for building RESTful APIs. It provides a robust set of features specifically designed for creating scalable and efficient server-side applications. Restify offers built-in support for features like versioning, content negotiation, request throttling, and request validation, making it ideal for developing APIs that adhere to REST principles.

Alternatives:
express+
koa+
hapi+
fastify+
sails+
nest+
loopback+
feathers+
total.js+
actionhero+

Tags: node.jsweb-serviceRESTfulAPIperformance

sails

v1.5.12(17 days 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!

Architecture

Restify is designed specifically for building REST APIs and focuses on providing a simple, fast, and scalable framework for creating web services. Sails, on the other hand, is a more full-fledged MVC framework that supports not only REST APIs but also web applications with built-in support for websockets, ORM, and more.

Performance

Restify is known for its high performance and is optimized for building fast and efficient RESTful APIs. Sails, being a more comprehensive framework, may have more overhead due to its additional features and abstractions, which can impact performance compared to Restify for simple API projects.

Scalability

Restify is well-suited for building scalable APIs due to its lightweight nature and focus on RESTful services. Sails, with its MVC architecture and additional features, may require more resources and configuration to scale effectively, especially for larger and more complex applications.

Ease of Use

Restify is known for its simplicity and ease of use, especially for developers looking to quickly set up REST APIs without unnecessary features. Sails, while providing more out-of-the-box functionality, may have a steeper learning curve and require more configuration, especially for developers new to the framework.

Community and Support

Both Restify and Sails have active communities and good support. Restify has a strong focus on building APIs and has a dedicated user base in that domain. Sails, being a more comprehensive framework, has a larger community due to its broader use cases, which can be beneficial for finding resources and solutions to common problems.