Node.js has supported multi-threading via the worker_threads module since 2018, contrary to the common misconception that it is single-threaded.
Threads communicate using MessagePort and MessageChannel for direct messaging or BroadcastChannel to send messages to all threads simultaneously.
JavaScript objects are not shared between threads but are copied via the structured clone algorithm, with certain objects like SharedArrayBuffer being transferable for efficiency.
The Piscina library simplifies multi-threading by providing a thread pool to manage worker creation, task scheduling, and result handling automatically.
Worker threads are used in libraries like Pino to prevent log loss on exit and within Node.js itself to power loader hooks for ESM and TypeScript support.
The Vlt application server runs multiple Node.js services as separate threads within a single process, enabling efficient communication via shared memory.
A live demo shows how offloading a synchronous, blocking operation from the main event loop to a Piscina thread pool dramatically improves server throughput.
By managing the task queue and skipping work when the system is overloaded, you can significantly improve tail latency and overall throughput.
A demonstration shows how the Vlt server can scale both a standard API and a Next.js SSR application across multiple threads using only configuration changes.
23:14Dani Coll
42:08Matteo Collina
30:36Christian Woerz
55:30Christian Woerz
27:27Michele Riva
14:44Chris Heilmann
52:51David Vlijmincx
59:03Florian Rappl
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Jobs that call for the skills explored in this talk.
doinstruct Software GmbH
Berlin, Germany
