Compare
| LoopBack | Express | Hapi | Sails | Restify | Meteor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | API framework | HTTP server library | HTTP server framework | Web MVC framework | REST HTTP library | Full-stack JavaScript app platform |
| Top Features | Enterprise connectivity, API Explorer, generators, client SDKs, websocket microservices | HTTP routing, middleware | Modularity, security | Rails familiarity, MVC | Simplicity, REST routing | Universal JavaScript, reactive rendering, websocket microservices |
| Suitable For | Web apps, APIs | Simple web apps | Web apps, APIs | Web apps, APIs | Simple REST APIs | Web apps |
| Github Stars | 8k | 29k | 7k | 16k | 6k | 36k |
| Support | IBM/StrongLoop | IBM/StrongLoop | N/A | N/A | N/A | Meteor Development Group |
| Pure Node runtime | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Client SDKs | Angular, Browser, Node.js, iOS, Android, Xamarin | N/A | None | None | None | JavaScript, Cordova for iOS and Android, React, AngularJS |
| Export API Definition | Yes | With strong-remoting | None | None | None | With meteor-rest |
| Tools | API Explorer, CLI code generators | CLI app generator | Yeoman generator | Yeoman generator | Yeoman generator | CLI tool |
| Extensions | Push, File Storage, Passport, OAuth 2.0, Express Middleware | Express / Connect Middleware | Hapi Plugins | Proprietary package system and repository, npm | ||
| Data sources | In-memory/file, MongoDB, MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, SQL Server, ATG, Email, REST, SOAP, many more. | None | None | In-memory, File, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB | None | MongoDB, MySQL and PostgreSQL via 3rd-party packages |
| ACLs | Yes | No | No | No | No | Basic allow/deny |
Who's using LoopBack?
"We are excited to be collaborating with StrongLoop on our Reseller API. Co-developing a solution with the industry leader in Node has allowed us to accelerate the delivery of solutions to our reseller partners and drive revenue growth for them. Our external API is an incredibly important aspect of our overall technical strategy."
— Elissa Murphy, GoDaddy Chief Technology Officer
"When we set out to build our ERP system for the aviation industry we carefully researched various options. Node.js and the LoopBack framework came out far ahead. Its powerful features and built-in functionality made it incredibly quick and easy. Plus, LoopBack’s ability to auto-generate the entire API layer makes it a winner."
— Lee Johnson, FlightOffice CEO & Founder
"FoKo is using Loopback to create a whole new backend for a photo-sharing application specifically for enterprises. Loopback has allowed us to move away from Parse and we are now using Loopback with MongoDB, Redis, and Amazon S3. We are moving quite fast with such an awesome product and have already made contributions back to the LoopBack project."
— Benjamin Boudreau, FoKo Software Developer
Documentation
See the full documentation, regularly updated and improved. Detailed API reference documentation is also available. Follow Getting Started with LoopBack to get up to speed quickly.
LoopBack developer forum
See the LoopBack Google Group for active discussion of developer questions. Learn from other developers using LoopBack. Ask questions and discuss with fellow LoopBack developers.
LoopBack Gitter chat room
See the LoopBack Gitter channel for realtime discussions with fellow LoopBack developers.
Blog Posts
The StrongLoop blog provides examples of newly-announced features, developer information and tips; while the documentation provides comprehensive information on how to use the LoopBack framework.
Here are some selected blog posts from StrongLoop about LoopBack:
LoopBack blog posts
- Working with LoopBack Authentication and Authorization
- Working with File Storage and LoopBack
- Using LoopBack to Build APIs For APIs
- Building Enterprise APIs with StrongLoop Support for Swagger 2.0
- How to Deploy a Node.js REST API Server on Red Hat’s OpenShift
- Getting Started with Node.js for the Java Developer
- Node.js API Tip of the Week: Model Driven Development
- Comparing Express, Restify, hapi and LoopBack for building RESTful APIs
- Full Stack JavaScript in Action with LoopBack’s Browser Support
- Node.js is Required for Next Generation API Servers
- Why the Enterprise needs an API Tier built in Node.js
- How to Migrate an mBaaS: Deployd to LoopBack
- How to run Node.js on the JVM with Avatar.js and LoopBack
Connectors
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