Is there a client+server-side MVC JS framework

Question

I've been working with Node+Express for a while now, and I'd like to start looking for a strong structure for building average to huge web apps, but which could also be used (and not be too much overkill) for simple websites.

I've been taking interest for backbone, but I'm looking for something much more "complete" already. I Know backbone can do everything with the right plugins and by respecting the best practices, but what I'm looking for is something more "strong" as is and from the start, like AngularJS, CanJS or Ember (maybe CanJS is the best compromise between flexibility and conventions althought all of this can be mostly subjective). Just to be sure to keep into the best practices, even if I must stick to an opinionated FW.

Now, before choosing anything, and because I'll be using Node in the backend, so full JS, I'd like to know if there is a framework which would deliver client+server MVC capabilities, or if I must use Node/Express in the back and something else for the front.

Other info that may be useful, I'd like to code in CoffeeScript/LESS, and keep HTML as is (so no Jade-like stuff). If I'm not asking too much, I'd like to use this technology for all of my projects, which will be targeting also mobile phones, as websites (for sure), and sometimes even as Phonegap-based apps. Maybe this becomes hard (Meteor doesn't support Phonegap for it's client-side part for what I've read, maybe Derby ?).

Also, I must point out that I'm not asking anything subjective like "what is the best between ..." but simply if full client+server MVC JS framework exists, and if yes, which ones meets those needs.

Answer 1

• rendr (backbone with server-side support)
• meteor (very real-time oriented)

Answer 2

Meteor and DerbyJS seem great but very real-time oriented, I am not going for those.

I think I'll use TowerJS which seems to have really great features (live JS/CSS injection in browser when files updated, live node files reloading without restarting, pre-built development, staging and prod environments, MVC+ORM client+server-side, Redis for temp data and Mongo for DB...).

For Phonegap projects, I'll keep tower server-side and I'll find something else for the client, maybe simple backbone.

Answer 3

Take a look at the ExtJS 4. Also there is Sencha Touch 2 for mobile app development. Both of them has strong support for MVC.

Answer 4

sails.js is the most popular node.js MVC framework nowadays, and has a huge and growing community.

Meteor is also a great tool; my experience with the extjs community is that they are not very welcoming (rtfm noob! type of stuff).