What is the single-threaded nature of Node.js and how does it affect its operation?

Node.js operates in a single-threaded mode, which means that all JavaScript code runs in one thread. However, thanks to its event-driven architecture and non-blocking I/O, Node.js can efficiently handle many concurrent operations without creating new threads.

This affects its operation as follows:

• All I/O operations (such as file reading, network requests) are performed asynchronously and do not block the main thread.
• The main thread handles events and callbacks, allowing quick switching between tasks.
• Single-threading simplifies state management and reduces race conditions, but requires careful handling of heavy computations to avoid blocking the event loop.