The UK technology sector is growing more than two-and-a-half times faster than the overall economy and London has been ranked as the second most connected place for tech in the world behind Silicon Valley in the US. 

According to the Tech Nation Report 2018, the UK digital tech sector is worth nearly £184bn to the economy, a rise from £170bn in 2016. The turnover of digital technology companies grew by 4.5% between 2016 and 2017, compared with 1.7% growth in UK GDP.

Why you should work with a UK-based company?

Probably the second largest IT hub in the world, the UK is one of the fastest-growing IT leaders. It is the home of over 225,000 IT & web companies based on a report delivered by Computer Weekly. Web companies from the UK provide the entire range of services and are known for good management, rich business culture, and great tech performance

What you should be aware of when working with UK web companies

A report by Tech Nation in 2018 revealed the main challenges companies and IT hubs face, is related to access to talent, affecting 83% of tech hubs. Access to funding and poor transport links were also found to be major challenges for some of the UK’s tech hubs. 

Are UK IT companies reliable?

The UK companies enjoy a high trust level on a global level and are considered reliable overall. However, due to the wide variety of web & software companies, not all UK-based companies represent the business culture, performance, and tech skills that the UK is so well known for.  This is why choosing the IT company as a partner is important. 

How the UK IT industry relates to the neighboring countries

Having a leading IT infrastructure, the IT industry in the UK increased its potential and following the global trends, just like the US, it will focus more on certifying and developing already existing professionals rather than hiring new skills.  

On the background of a fast-developing EU market, the UK looks weaker alone than in the community. Brexit has forced tech giants and many IT companies to leave for other EU countries, especially Ireland and Germany - a report from Tech Spot reveals. 

Overall, the UK IT industry will continue to be a good option for businesses that tend to expand their presence on the local market, and also for local startups, that would preferably rely on companies from the UK. 

Node Js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code on the server-side. Unlike traditional server-side technologies like PHP or Ruby, which are typically used for handling server tasks, Node.js enables developers to use JavaScript for both client-side and server-side development. Below we’ll dive deeper into the types of projects built with it, and how companies can leverage it for their projects:

Node.js is built on the V8 JavaScript engine from Google, making it incredibly fast and efficient. It uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, which makes it ideal for building scalable and real-time applications. Node.js is particularly well-suited for projects that require high concurrency, such as web applications, APIs, chat applications, streaming services, and more. It has a large and active community, which has led to a rich ecosystem of libraries and packages available via npm (Node Package Manager), simplifying development tasks.

As for the type of projects that can be built using Node.js, we can name the following:

1. Web Applications:  Many web applications are built using Node.js, often using web frameworks like Express.js. These applications can range from small personal websites to large-scale, enterprise-level platforms.
2. APIs (Application Programming Interfaces):  Node.js is commonly used to create RESTful APIs that allow different services or applications to communicate with each other. This is essential for building services that provide data to mobile apps, websites, and other clients.
3. Real-time Applications:  Node.js is favored for real-time applications, such as chat applications, online gaming, and collaborative tools. The event-driven architecture of Node.js is well-suited for handling multiple concurrent connections.
4. Streaming Services:  Media streaming platforms and services that deliver audio and video content use Node.js to efficiently manage and serve media files to users.
5. IoT (Internet of Things):  Node.js is used in IoT projects to handle data collection from sensors and devices, process that data, and communicate with cloud services.
6. Serverless Functions:  Node.js is a popular choice for building serverless functions or AWS Lambda functions due to its lightweight and quick startup times.

Node.js is a versatile technology that can be effectively utilized in both smaller and larger projects, but its suitability hinges on several key factors.

For smaller projects, Node.js offers distinct advantages. Its event-driven, non-blocking I/O model allows developers to rapidly prototype and develop applications. This makes it an excellent choice for creating functional prototypes, minimum viable products (MVPs), or simple web tools swiftly.

Node.js's efficiency in handling I/O operations can lead to responsive user experiences, which is valuable for small-scale applications like personal websites, blogs, or straightforward web tools. Moreover, Node.js itself is lightweight, making it suitable for projects with minimal hardware or resource requirements. It doesn't impose significant overhead, making it a cost-effective option.

Node.js is also well-suited for serving as a backend for Single-Page Applications (SPAs), handling API requests, and serving static files efficiently. Its ability to use JavaScript both on the server and client sides can reduce development costs by enabling code reuse and a single development skill set.

For larger projects, Node.js remains a compelling choice for various reasons. Its ability to handle a large number of concurrent connections positions it favorably for projects with high traffic and user loads. It's designed to scale efficiently, allowing it to distribute workloads across multiple servers or containers, making it scalable and robust.

In larger applications with complex functionality, Node.js can be employed to build microservices that communicate efficiently with each other. This modular approach enhances maintainability and facilitates development on a larger scale.

Node.js's event-driven nature also makes it an ideal candidate for larger projects requiring real-time features. It excels in managing multiple simultaneous connections, making it suitable for applications such as messaging platforms, online gaming, or collaborative tools.

Additionally, Node.js continues to offer development speed advantages regardless of project size, which can be particularly valuable in meeting tight project deadlines.

Furthermore, for larger projects with JavaScript as the primary language on both the frontend and backend, Node.js facilitates streamlined development processes, code sharing, and collaboration among teams working on different parts of the application.