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Node standards

Node.js standards

General

  • Node.js code is JavaScript code and should follow the JavaScript standards.
  • Don't use TypeScript.
  • Session state should not be stored on the node app server. Don't tie a session to a particular node server instance. Use a distributed cache or document storage database and not something like express-session.
  • Avoid blocking the main event loop and the worker pool. In short "you shouldn't do too much work for any client in any single callback or task." and consider passing CPU intensive tasks off to another service.
  • Prefer await over callbacks and avoid nested callbacks. This is easily done in Node 8 and above.

Versions

  • Be aware of the Node.js support timeline.
  • Keep on Active LTS versions.
  • Don't drop behind Maintenance LTS versions. Projects older than this will be considered unmaintainable and unsupportable until brought up to an appropriate version.
  • Don't progress beyond Active LTS versions.

Package Management

  • Use NPM.
  • Use a package.json and package-lock.json for repeatable builds.
  • Use an automated checker such as Snyk or Dependabot to ensure that your dependencies are up to date with the latest patches.
  • Separate dependencies and dev dependencies.
  • Update your version number inline with the semantic versioning standard.

Server framework

  • Our standard framework is Hapi.
  • Be aware of the Hapi support timeline.
  • Keep on the current major Hapi version.
  • Don't drop behind the lowest version available through Hapi commercial support. Projects older than this will be considered unmaintainable and unsupportable until brought up to an appropriate version.

CommonJS vs ES modules

  • ES modules should be used by default over CommonJS modules.
  • For scenarios where ES modules are not appropriate then CommonJS may be used.

Note: Some Node.js packages such as Jest are not fully compatible with ES modules and it may be more pragmatic to use CommonJS.

Status

This standard was formally adopted on 8 January 2020.

Significant changes

Clarification on preference between CommonJS and ESM added 29 July 2024.