Falcon vs Tornado: What are the differences?

Key Differences between Falcon and Tornado

Falcon and Tornado are both popular Python web frameworks, but they have some key differences that set them apart.

1. Asynchronous Support: One major difference is in their approaches to handling asynchronous requests. Tornado is known for its native support for coroutines and asynchronous I/O, making it a good choice for high-performance applications that require handling a large number of concurrent connections. Falcon, on the other hand, does not provide built-in asynchronous support but can be integrated with other libraries like gevent or asyncio to achieve similar results.

2. Size and Simplicity: Falcon aims to be lightweight and barebones, providing only the essential features needed for building REST APIs. It prioritizes simplicity and minimalism, making it a good choice for small to medium-sized projects. Tornado, on the other hand, offers a more comprehensive set of features, including a built-in templating engine, support for websockets, and a full-featured web server. This makes Tornado a better fit for larger, more complex applications with additional requirements beyond just REST APIs.

3. Routing: Tornado and Falcon handle routing in different ways. Tornado uses regular expressions for routing, allowing for more flexibility and complex patterns. Falcon, on the other hand, uses a simpler routing system based on URI templates. This makes Falcon easier to learn and use for developers who are new to web development or prefer a more straightforward approach.

4. Middleware Support: Both frameworks support middleware, but the way they handle it is different. Tornado uses a middleware stack that allows you to apply middleware to specific handlers or the entire application. Falcon, on the other hand, uses a more lightweight middleware system where middleware functions are called for each request and response. This gives Falcon more flexibility in terms of when and how middleware is applied.

5. Performance: Tornado is designed to prioritize performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for high-performance web applications. Its asynchronous architecture allows it to handle a large number of concurrent connections efficiently. Falcon, on the other hand, is also performant but focuses more on simplicity and ease of use. It may be a better fit for smaller projects or situations where performance is not the primary concern.

In Summary, Falcon and Tornado differ in their approach to handling asynchronous requests, their size and simplicity, routing mechanisms, middleware support, and performance focus. Both frameworks have their strengths and are suited for different types of applications.