I have a very different view point than most about why I think Node.js is popular. Take it for what it's worth. I've always sort of laughed at the idea of Fron

I have a very different view point than most about why I think Node.js is popular. Take it for what it's worth. I've always sort of laughed at the idea of Front-End developers flocking to Node.js just for the fact that it is the same language. I actually really like Node.js but hardly ever use it for web apps. I think where it shines is as a platform for systems programming and I think when you look at Node.js systems programming was clearly at the forefront of the design. I can't count how many Front-End-to-Node.js developers I've worked with that have been using Node for a year or more and have no clue about processes, sockets, streams and pipes. Perhaps that is a testament to libraries like Express that hide all of that, but in my opinion the beauty of Node.js is all of that "other stuff" Front-End people ignore. To each their own I guess. Also, the myth of sharing Server and Client code is almost never done and even when it is, it isn't done well.