---
title: "Introduction"
description: "Introduction — Node.js BabelQueue SDK (1.x)."
source: https://babelqueue.com/docs/babelqueue-node/1.x/introduction/
updated: 2026-06-06T00:00:00.000Z
---

# Introduction

The **Node.js / TypeScript** SDK is the framework-agnostic **core**: a
wire-envelope codec, contracts and dead-letter helpers that read and write the
exact same strict JSON envelope as every other language in the ecosystem.

It is intentionally **not** a runtime — there is no `publish` call, no worker
loop. You build (or decode) the canonical envelope here and move the bytes with
your own broker client, so it works over Redis, RabbitMQ or anything else.

## What you get

- Canonical, schema-validated JSON envelopes (`schema_version: 1`) — no language
  lock-in.
- A built-in `trace_id` on every message for cross-service correlation.
- URN routing (`urn:babel:<context>:<event>`) on a stable key.
- **Zero runtime dependencies**, shipped as a dual **ESM + CommonJS** package
  with bundled types — bring your own broker client.

Continue to [Installation](/docs/babelqueue-node/1.x/installation/).