Interviewers often ask questions about single thread and event loop in Node.js, and I have a great analogy that I use to explain it. It's important to always keep things simple and use straightforward explanations.
👉 Node.js uses a single thread to manage multiple requests, and it does so using an asynchronous structure that allows it to handle multiple tasks simultaneously without blocking the thread.
👉 I like to use the example of a cafe shop with one barista who is handling multiple coffee orders from customers. The barista can take multiple orders at once and prepare them in parallel, without waiting for one order to be fully completed before starting on another. This is similar to how Node.js manages multiple requests using a single thread.
👉 However, if one order is more complex and takes a longer time to prepare, the barista may get bogged down and other orders may have to wait. Similarly, if one request takes a long time to complete in Node.js, it can block the thread and make other requests wait.
👉 To overcome this issue, Node.js uses a cluster mode to take advantage of multiple CPU cores. This means that it can handle requests in parallel, similar to hiring more baristas to prepare coffee orders simultaneously in the cafe shop.
👉 When explaining single thread and event loop in Node.js, it's important to use clear and concise language that everyone can understand. This analogy is a great way to make these concepts more accessible to non-technical people and help them understand the benefits of asynchronous programming and cluster mode.
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