How Node.js Works – Architecture & Workflow

How Node.js Works – Architecture & Workflow

1. Client Request Handling

  • A client (user) initiates a request to the server.

  • The server runs on Node.js, but it could also be based on PHP, Golang, etc.

  • Node.js architecture starts processing the request upon arrival.

2. Event Queue (Event Queue Mechanism)

  • All incoming requests are first placed in the Event Queue.

  • Multiple requests are queued sequentially in the First In, First Out (FIFO) manner.

3. Event Loop Mechanism

  • The Event Loop continuously monitors the Event Queue for pending requests.

  • It picks up requests one by one and determines whether they require blocking or non-blocking operations.

4. Non-Blocking (Asynchronous) Operations

  • If a request is non-blocking, Node.js processes it immediately.

  • Once processed, the response is sent back to the client.

  • Example: Simple calculations, retrieving data from in-memory storage, etc.

5. Blocking (Synchronous) Operations & Thread Pool

  • If a request is blocking, it is sent to the Thread Pool for processing.

  • The Thread Pool consists of worker threads that handle CPU-intensive or I/O operations.

  • A worker thread processes the task and returns the result.

  • Once completed, Node.js sends the response back to the client.

  • Example: Reading files, database queries, cryptographic processing, etc.

6. Key Concepts in Node.js Execution

  • Event-Driven Architecture: Node.js operates on an event-based model for handling multiple requests efficiently.

  • Single-Threaded with Worker Threads: Although Node.js is single-threaded, it offloads heavy tasks to a pool of worker threads.

  • Asynchronous Execution: Tasks are handled asynchronously whenever possible to avoid blocking the main execution thread.