Blocks And Non-blocks in NodeJS | Day 41 | Sync VS Async | Web development course 2023

Here's a breakdown of blocking and non-blocking operations in Node.js, crucial for understanding its asynchronous nature:

Blocking Operations:

Definition: Operations that halt the execution of further JavaScript code until they complete.
Characteristics:
Tie up the main thread, preventing other tasks from running.
Can lead to performance bottlenecks and unresponsive applications if not handled carefully.
Examples:
Synchronous file I/O methods like fs.readFileSync() and fs.writeFileSync().
Long-running computations without intervals.
Blocking network calls (rare in Node.js, but possible).
Non-Blocking Operations:

Definition: Operations that initiate a task and return immediately, allowing other code to execute while the operation runs in the background.
Characteristics:
Efficient for handling I/O-bound tasks without blocking the main thread.
Contribute to Node.js's ability to handle multiple concurrent requests.
Examples:
Asynchronous file I/O methods like fs.readFile() and fs.writeFile().
Timer functions like setTimeout() and setInterval().
Most network calls in Node.js.