Express.js vs Fastify

The minimalist Node meets node. Here's our take.

Express.js

Nice Pick

The minimalist Node.js framework that's so simple, you'll spend half your time reinventing the wheel.

Pros

• Lightweight and unopinionated, giving you full control over your stack
• Massive ecosystem of middleware for everything from auth to logging
• Easy to get started with minimal boilerplate

Cons

• Lacks built-in structure, leading to messy codebases without discipline
• Can become a dependency hell with too many third-party packages

Fastify

Node.js on steroids. All the speed, none of the bloat—unless you count the plugin addiction.

Pros

• Blazing fast performance with low overhead
• Built-in validation and serialization out of the box
• Plugin architecture that actually scales without spaghetti code

Cons

• Smaller ecosystem compared to Express, so you might end up writing more custom plugins
• Steeper learning curve for those used to more verbose frameworks

The Verdict

Use Express.js if: You want lightweight and unopinionated, giving you full control over your stack and can live with lacks built-in structure, leading to messy codebases without discipline.

Use Fastify if: You prioritize blazing fast performance with low overhead over what Express.js offers.

The Bottom Line

Express.js wins

The minimalist Node.js framework that's so simple, you'll spend half your time reinventing the wheel.