Maybe, but what has that to do with node.js? badum tsss But jokes aside - the whole node environment doesn't strike me as particularly un-bloated or un-clunky

Maybe, but what has that to do with node.js? badum tsss But jokes aside - the whole node environment doesn't strike me as particularly un-bloated or un-clunky, especially compared to modern JVM solutions like e.g. vertx, netty or even wildfly/undertow. Same goes for the pure runtime itself (i.e. v8 vs jvm), where v8 may be competitive at best, but hopelessly outclassed in other cases.