Node.js is receiving Microsoft's support to move over to Windows. The logic behind this move isn't clear as the approach used by Node.js doesn't fit with anything else that Microsoft is doing.

Node.js is the big hit for JavaScript on the server side and Microsoft doesn't want to be left out. In case you have missed all the fuss it is worth saying that Node.js is an environment that implements an event driven HTTP server object framework. You don't have a web server you simply write some code that listens for HTTP requests and responds with some data either retrieved from a database, constructed or a mix of both.

The JavaScript engine at the heart of it all is Google's V8 which is written in C++. Node.js is also written in C++ and, of course, JavaScript. Windows has no problem with C++ so you might be surprised to learn the at the moment if you want to even try Node.js out under Windows then it isn't supported as a native installation - it runs via the Cygwin DLLs and it isn't an officially supported option.

Now Microsoft has decided that it is missing out and an it is going to help support Node.js under Windows. The plan is to create a binary that will work on servers from Windows 2003 to Azure. The work is going to be done in conjunction with the Microsoft Interoperability Strategy Team.

It is always worth asking the question of what Microsoft gets out of supporting an external project, but in this instance there is no obvious answer. Node.js doesn't fit into any of its current technologies and in fact undermines ASP.NET and the IIS web server. After all part of the appeal of Node.js is that it returns the task of creating the web server to the programmer.

Perhaps it is just another example of JavaScript taking over the entire programming universe.

More Information

nodejs.org