Does Node.js support multi-core platforms? A...

Yes, Node.js does support multi-core platforms, and it is capable of utilizing all the cores. By default, Node.js operates in a single-threaded mode, running on a single processor core, which means it does not automatically take advantage of multiple core resources. However, Node.js provides mechanisms to enable running on multiple cores and thus leverage the full potential of the hardware for improved performance and scalability.

The primary method to utilize multiple cores in Node.js is through the Cluster module, which is one of the core Node.js modules. The Cluster module allows you to create multiple worker processes that can share the same server port[3]. These worker processes run independently and can handle incoming connections in parallel, which helps in distributing the workload across multiple CPU cores. When using the Cluster module, if a worker process crashes or stops for any reason, it can be replaced by a new one, which helps in maintaining the service availability[6].

Another approach is to use the worker_threads module, which was introduced as an experimental feature in Node 10 and became stable in Node 12. This module allows developers to spawn new threads and execute JavaScript code concurrently, which can be particularly useful for CPU-intensive tasks[2].

It's important to note that while Node.js can utilize multiple cores, it does so by spawning multiple processes or threads rather than executing multiple threads within a single process. This design decision helps avoid the complexities and potential issues associated with multi-threaded progr...