New Features & Improvement in Node version 14.0

It's that time of the year when Node releases its updated version. First introduced in 2009, Node.js has made it to version 14 which was released on the 21st of April featuring few improved diagnostics and a WebAssembly interface. However, it is intimated that this version will currently replace the node.js 13 and will provide long-term support (LTS) only after October. Users' feedback on this will play a crucial part in further maintenance and developments.

This new version happens to deliver more enterprise-friendly features on-demand at the demands of enterprise developers. It will open a new gateway to deliver key enhancements in the market. As the download for Node.js has continued to rise per year, it has led Node.js Development Companies to feature their services across for their businesses leading to their own development.

With each passing year, node.js has been able to prove its worth and gained momentum worldwide and 2020 is no other year hence we can see a lot happening over the next few months with version 14. With this let's explore some of the most significant updates of the Node.js that we can expect in 2020.

Node 14 Features & Improvements

Diagnostic Reports

One of the main features of node 14 are the Diagnostic reports. These reports are JSON- formatted data of process information which include call stacks, operating system information, loaded modules, and other crucial data that are formulated to support the existing application. The diagnostic reports were first introduced as an experimental feature in Node.js 12. However, this has now been promoted to be a stable feature in version 14.

The diagnostic reports are used to generate behavioral reports of node applications with the prospect of linking them to specific events. This, in turn, would make it easier to detect the problems and handle them accordingly. The information contained by the Diagnostic report helps gauge the problems in productions which include crashes, slow performance, memory leaks, high CPU usage, unexpected errors, and more.

The CLI flag for activating the reports isn't any longer needed once the reports have been marked as stable options. In short, this report captures and preserves information for problem determination within the production environment.

Some of the anomalies that the Diagnostic Report is capable of identifying in production are:

Abnormal termination.
Slow performance.
Memory leaks.
High CPU usage.
Unexpected errors.
Incorrect output.

Wondering how it may work? Here is how you use them.

Users will have to install the module with the help of npm:

npm install node-report

Once it is installed, the report can be triggered via an API call such as:

var nodereport = require('node-report');

nodereport.triggerReport();

With this release of Node.js 14, a report can be generated from within the application without having to install node-report, in the form of:

process.report.writeReport('./filename.json');

The report can also be generated from the command line like so:

node --report-uncaught-exception --report-on-signal --report-on-fatalerror app.js

Updated JavaScript Engine

In Node.js 14, the V8 engine that was initially being used has now been updated to version 8.1. Node.js 14 is supposed to benefit from the improvements

Below are the Highlights of the new JavaScript features:

Performance and Speed

OCR Caching enables upto 18% improvement in execution time.
Builtin functions go upto 12% faster due to new API allowing them to go through C++ Runtime
Double ? Tagged transitions deprecate improvements in speed upto 12%.
Pointer compression brings upto 40% reduction in heap size.
These updates are core to the engine and are definitely bound to make the Node.js codes run faster and use less memory.

Nullish Coalescing

The nullish coalescing operator handles default values of the short-circuiting binary operator which are often handled with the logical || operator.

Intl.DisplayNames

The new Intl.DisplayNames API allows programmers to display translated names of languages, regions, scripts, and currencies with ease.

Experimental Web Assembly Interface

The inclusion of the Experimental Web assembly in Node.js 14 is designed keeping in thought the security in order to prevent access to any of the underlying operating system, which is also referred to as “sandboxed.” Web Assembly is an emerging approach that enables application code to run in several environments without having to modify. The WebAssembly interface (WASI) enables WASI code to get some access to OS type resources like the file system and sockets. Packages written in the WebAssembly for Node.js format are supposed to offer better performance and cross-platform support for some use cases. WASI is meant to be a regular interface for creating calls to the underlying system, like the host application, which is another exciting feature we see in 2020.

Support for ECMAScript Modules

In Node.js 14, there are no traces of warning when using ESM in Node.js, keeping the ESM implementation experimental. However, the transpilation workflows support features like optional file extensions or JSON modules that are not supported in the environment.

Modules from transpired environments need to refactor to work in Node.js. The design decisions were made primarily for Spec compliance and Web Compatibility. It is however believed that the current implementation offers a future proof model in 0rder to authorize ESM modules that pave the path towards Universal JavaScript.

It is said that even though the ESM implementation remains experimental in Node.js 14, the warning for the same will no longer appear. Hence, users are given cautionary advice while using ESM in production.

Internationalization Support Expands in 2020

Internationalization is the key requirement for the users. Version 13 was itself compiled with full ICU which is a mature and popular globalization library. It also includes support formatting numbers, dates, times and currencies, performing time calculations, and string comparisons.

It is also responsible for interchanging the text between Unicode and other character sets. However, in Node.js 14 October release this will be the first LTS release to include full ICU by default.

Experimental async local storage API

Node.js 14 includes another Experimental API called AsyncLocalStorage. The expectation is that this more significant level API may have a simpler time getting the opportunity to steady as it uncovered less internals and gives a less complex API. While various npm modules gave comparative usefulness, the troubles in keeping up and getting packages to utilize them in a far-reaching way has brought about an accord that an API ought to be given as a component of Node.js itself.

The asynchronous nature Node.js implies that arrangements from different dialects, (for example, Thread Local Storage) don't work for Node.js. The community has been taking a shot at APIs to help follow and oversee setting through asynchronous calls over various discharges. The test Async Hooks API was added to help address this issue, however, is as yet attempting to get steady.

New compiler and platform minimums

Node.js 14 gives prefabricated binaries to various stages. For each significant discharge, the base toolchains are surveyed and raised where suitable. This release coincides with moving the entirety of our macOS parallels to be assembled on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) with Xcode 11 to help package authorization. As binaries are as yet being incorporated to help the individual arrange focuses for the release lines, it cannot be anticipated negatively affecting Node.js clients on more established forms of macOS. For Node.js 14, the base macOS target variant to macOS 10.13 is achieved.

Other Node.js Updates for 2020

QUIC protocol support: a modern transport for associated applications with expanded execution and unwavering quality..
Better Python 3 build support: In 2020 it should be conceivable to construct Node.js and local modules utilizing Python 3.
An Updated V8 JavaScript engine: V8 v7.8 and 7.9 better execution and Wasm support
Stable Workers Threads API: Worker threads in Node.js empower equal, CPU-escalated JavaScript tasks
Making native modules easier: Node v14 makes it easier to create, build, and support native modules
Node 14 comes with N-API version 6, which includes support for BigInt along with other improvements

Conclusion

Node.js follows a strict development cycle for its release, with numerous branches in various phases of development at some random point in time. At the point when the underlying arrival of Node.js 14 was reported on April 21, it was viewed as the "current" release.

While it is in the 'current' stage, Node.js 14 will get the most new features that are added to Node.js. This is ideal for evaluating the most recent highlights, testing the compatibility of your project with the most recent Node.js updates and giving us input so the release is prepared to progress to LTS in October.