---
title: "What is the difference between Node.js and JavaScript?"  
description: "What is the difference between Node.js and JavaScript?"  
author: "Shrikant Mishra"  
published: 2021-01-19  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/interview/33768/what-is-the-difference-between-node-js-and-javascript  
category: "node.js"  
tags: ["javascript", "node js", "scripting language"]  
reading_time: 3 minutes  

---

# What is the difference between Node.js and JavaScript?

Where the [JavaScript](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/188153/jquery-vs-javascript) is a programming language, which runs in web browsers. And about the Node.js, it is an interpreter or running environment for JavaScript that requires a lot of libraries and all.

| #### Factor | #### Node.js | #### JavaScript |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engine | V8 – Google Chrome | V8, Spider Monkey, and JS Core |
| Usage | To perform non-blocking activities | For general client-side operations |
| Working | Interpreter – Scripting | Programming Language |
| 1. | NodeJS is a JavaScript runtime environment. | JavaScript is a programming language that is used for writing scripts on the website. |
| 2. | NodeJS code can be run outside the browser. | JavaScript can only be run in the browsers. |
| 3. | It is mostly used on the server-side. | It is basically used on the client-side. |
| 4. | NodeJS does not have capability to add HTML tags. | Javascript is capable enough to add HTML and play with the DOM. |
| 5. | NodeJS can only run in V8 engine of google chrome. | Javascript can run in any browser engine as like JS core in safari and Spidermonkey in Firefox. |
| 6. | NodeJS is used in server-side development. | Javascript is used in frontend development. |
| 7. | Some of the NodeJS modules are Lodash, express etc. These modules are to be imported from npm. | Some of the javascript frameworks are RamdaJS, TypedJS, etc. |
| 8. | NodeJS is written in C, C++ and JavaScript. | It is the upgraded version of ECMA script that uses Chrome’s V8 engine written in C++. |

## Answers

### Answer by Shrikant Mishra

Where the [JavaScript](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/188153/jquery-vs-javascript) is a programming language, which runs in web browsers. And about the Node.js, it is an interpreter or running environment for JavaScript that requires a lot of libraries and all.

| #### Factor | #### Node.js | #### JavaScript |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engine | V8 – Google Chrome | V8, Spider Monkey, and JS Core |
| Usage | To perform non-blocking activities | For general client-side operations |
| Working | Interpreter – Scripting | Programming Language |
| 1. | NodeJS is a JavaScript runtime environment. | JavaScript is a programming language that is used for writing scripts on the website. |
| 2. | NodeJS code can be run outside the browser. | JavaScript can only be run in the browsers. |
| 3. | It is mostly used on the server-side. | It is basically used on the client-side. |
| 4. | NodeJS does not have capability to add HTML tags. | Javascript is capable enough to add HTML and play with the DOM. |
| 5. | NodeJS can only run in V8 engine of google chrome. | Javascript can run in any browser engine as like JS core in safari and Spidermonkey in Firefox. |
| 6. | NodeJS is used in server-side development. | Javascript is used in frontend development. |
| 7. | Some of the NodeJS modules are Lodash, express etc. These modules are to be imported from npm. | Some of the javascript frameworks are RamdaJS, TypedJS, etc. |
| 8. | NodeJS is written in C, C++ and JavaScript. | It is the upgraded version of ECMA script that uses Chrome’s V8 engine written in C++. |


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