Is it already worth to give Derby.js or Meteor a shot for an app for production with authentication? [closed]

Question

I started reading about Derby.js and Meteor to do some research on an project I'm working on. It uses a lot of real time functionalities so they both seem handy. But I have some major concerns and am wondering if it makes sense to use them at this time.

1. Are they yet production ready? Or are there still major security issues?
2. Do they by now support sessions and authentication?
3. Am I right with the assumption that by relying on frameworks that do a lot of the work you might have it easier for the simple stuff but much, much harder if it get's a bit more complicated?
4. Am I right with the assumption, that I could achieve exactly the same effects (from a user-experience perspective) when I just use Express + Socket.io (or express.io) and that I just have to invest more time/work?

At the moment I'm more drawn to Express + Socket.io and think Derby and Meteor are a bit hyped. What do you think?

To get a better idea of what I'm planning:

• User authentication is needed
• Complex routing is needed
• SEO is an issue
• Full Text Search using Elasticsearch
• DB probably MongoDB
• Complex relations between objects
• Realtime updates (Socket.io)
• Security is an issue
• Performance and scalability are issues.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I can answer your questions for meteor:

1. YES. There are many of us running meteor in production for revenue-generating companies.

2. YES. Meteor has had an accounts system since October of 2012.

3. The more the system does for you, the harder it is to manipulate the underlying mechanics. I find that meteor strikes a reasonable balance.

4. This assumption is correct. You could also implement your own web browser to visualize HTTP, however I find it easier just to use chrome.

Other Requirements

• User authentication: Yes, see above.

• Complex routing: Yes, see iron-router and flow-router.

• SEO: Yes(?), see spiderable and ssr and this post.

• Elasticsearch: Yes, (independent from your framework choice). Meteor doesn't have an ES backend, but you certainly can talk to an ES datastore via a node.js module or directly over HTTP.

• MongoDB: Yes, that's meteor's default (and only official) DB.

• Complex relations: Yes, (independent from your framework choice).

• Realtime updates: Yes, this is how meteor works.

• Security is an issue: Yes, Emily Stark has you covered! Also see this post on the discover metetor blog.

• Performance and scalability: Use oplog-tailing and monitor your app with kadira.