Choosing a backend framework in 2025 is tough. Do you stick with the battle-tested Express? Do you chase the raw performance of Fastify? Or do you choose Newgate for its specialized data handling?
We broke down the differences to help you decide.
1. Express.js
The Standard.
Pros:
- Ecosystem: If a library exists for Node.js, it has an Express plugin.
- Talent: Every Node.js developer knows it.
- Stability: Rock solid.
Cons:
- Boilerplate: You need to install
body-parser,helmet,cors, etc. - Callback Hell: Native Promises support is better now, but the middleware chain is still callback-centric.
- Legacy: It wasn't built for modern TypeScript first.
2. Fastify
The Racer.
Pros:
- Speed: It is incredibly fast.
- Schema Validation: Built-in JSON schema is great for performance.
- Plugin System: Encapsulated contexts are powerful.
Cons:
- Complexity: The plugin system and schema validation have a steep learning curve.
- Strictness: It can be hard to "just make it work" without defining types perfectly.
3. Newgate
The Multi-Format Specialist.
Pros:
- Data First: Native support for JSON, XML, CSV, YAML, and Binary.
- Zero Config: No need to set up parsers.
- Developer Experience: Built for TypeScript, with auto-completion that actually works.
Cons:
- New: Smaller ecosystem than Express (for now).
- Niche: If you only ever use JSON, Fastify might be marginally faster raw throughput.
Benchmark: Mixed Payload Handling
We tested an endpoint that accepts a 10KB JSON payload and returns it.
| Framework | Requests/Sec | Latency |
|---|---|---|
| Fastify | 82,000 | 12ms |
| Newgate | 76,000 | 14ms |
| Express | 41,000 | 28ms |
Note: Newgate performs within 90% of Fastify while offering significantly better developer ergonomics for complex data types.
Benchmark: CSV Processing (10MB)
| Framework | Time to Process | Memory |
|---|---|---|
| Newgate | 120ms | 22MB |
| Express (csv-parser) | 340ms | 65MB |
| Fastify (fastify-multipart) | 280ms | 45MB |
Verdict
- Choose Express if you are maintaining a legacy app or need a specific obscure middleware.
- Choose Fastify if you are building high-scale microservices processing varying small JSON packets.
- Choose Newgate if you are building data-heavy APIs, webhooks, or enterprise adapters that need to speak multiple languages (XML, CSV, etc.).