uWebSockets.js is a web server for Node.js back-ends that combines C++ performance with JavaScript accessibility through a native V8 addon.
The tool addresses the need for high-performance WebSocket and HTTP handling in Node.js applications. It is written in C++ and exposed to Node.js as a native addon, allowing developers to use a simple JavaScript API while benefiting from compiled performance. The server implements standards-compliant WebSocket and HTTP protocols with built-in support for routing, pub/sub messaging, and proxy protocol handling.
Developers should consider this tool when building applications that demand high throughput and low latency, particularly those handling large numbers of concurrent WebSocket connections or HTTP requests. It suits projects where performance is a primary constraint, such as real-time communication platforms, high-frequency data streaming, or services running on resource-limited hardware. The README emphasizes performance comparisons against other Node.js solutions, noting significant speed advantages over Socket.IO and Fastify in benchmarks, though it does not make detailed feature-by-feature comparisons with alternatives.
The project maintains active security practices through participation in fuzzing programs and demonstrates ongoing development with regular releases. The codebase is relatively compact at approximately ten thousand lines of C++, suggesting a focused implementation. The tool is not distributed through the standard NPM registry but can be installed directly from the repository using NPM's GitHub installation capability. Documentation is available through generated API references and example code in the repository.
