# Why node.js is cool (it's not about performance)

DevFeed: [Why node.js is cool (it's not about performance)](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/why-node-js-is-cool-it-s-not-about-performance-21931.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.nelhage.com/2012/03/why-node-js-is-cool/>)

Author: Nelson Elhage

Published: 2012-03-12T11:36:35Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Nelson Elhage](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/nelson-elhage.md>)

Topics: [Node.js](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/node-js.md>), [Code](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/code.md>), [HTTP](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/http.md>), [IRC](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/irc.md>)

Tags: [blocking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blocking.md>), [http](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/http.md>), [irc](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/irc.md>), [node-js](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/node-js.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [threading](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/threading.md>)

## AI overview

The article argues that Node.js is valuable primarily because its default non-blocking model makes networked code easier to combine. It focuses on composability between independent network libraries rather than scalability or performance.

## Source excerpt

For the past N months, it seems like there is no new technology stack that is either hotter or more controversial than node.js. node.js is cancer! node.js cures cancer! node.js is bad ass rock star tech!. I myself have given node.js a lot of shit, often involving the phrase "explicit continuation-passing style." Most of the arguments I've seen seem to center around whether node.js is "scalable" or high-performance, and the relative merits of single-threaded event loops versus threading for scaling out, or other such noise.