StrongLoop, a major participant in the Node.js ecosystem, has a new owner: IBM.

IBM said that starting today, Node.js developers can use its Bluemix platform-as-a-service offering, as well as tap into its data analytics and Watson platforms. The company focuses on the creation and development of software for enterprises by using the open-source JavaScript programming language Node.js. About StrongLoop Founded in 2013 and based in San Mateo, CA, StrongLoop is a provider of enterprise Node.js capabilities in the development of Systems of Engagement applications.

APIs, an afterthought 10 or 20 years ago, have become the central technology in today’s interconnected world, and more so with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), a society and living model in which devices are linked to others through a server or cloud services. The fast-growing development framework is also useful for connecting the back-end of APIs with other enterprise, IoT and web applications. Just last week, an IBM executive was appointed to the Board of Directors at the Node.js Foundation. “APIs are a critical ingredient”.

After news of the acquisition went public, StrongLoop CEO Juan Carlos Soto told ZDnet that the company promises uninterrupted support for its customers.

Whether Node.js will one day supplant Java as the “lingua franca” for building the next generation of enterprise applications remains to be seen. “As one of the leaders in the Node.js open community, together we plan to further advance open, community-driven innovation coupled with global, enterprise class software and services offerings to grow client value in the API economy”. StrongLoop’s application development software enables developers to build applications using APIs. “StrongLoop helped accelerate our reseller program, driving growth for our partners”, said Elissa Murphy, chief technology officer at GoDaddy. No less significant is the startup’s central role in the Node.js community, which it helped unify under the banner of a formal development body on top of making numerous contributions to core components of the framework.

Tech giant IBM recently acquired startup StrongLoop. Join the conversation on Twitter by following @IBMWebSphere and using #IBMandStrongLoop.

IBM didn’t say how much it paid for the privately held company.

This story, “IBM snaps up StrongLoop to add Node.js smarts to Bluemix” was originally published by InfoWorld. For a current list of IBM trademarks, visit www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.