Today, a modern website cannot do without JavaScript to display dynamic content on the pages. JavaScript is a scripting language that is widely used among web designers and was created to enable dynamic HTML. The language can not only use procedural and functional programming techniques, but can also be used for object-oriented approaches.
While JavaScript contains only a limited set of methods and functions, the language allows you to create your own methods that can be used over and over again. As a result, a number of JavaScript Frameworks and libraries have emerged over the years to provide developers with enhanced functionality and ease of use. In the following, we present the most frequently used JS Frameworks.
What Is A JavaScript Framework?
A JavaScript framework is a collection of tools and features that enable web developers to create websites and their dynamic content faster and more effectively. The following reasons speak for the use of JS frameworks:
- Effectiveness: a JavaScript framework usually contains one or more libraries, which contain frequently recurring methods and functions. With those tasks can be solved more easily than it would be possible with pure JavaScript. This saves the developer time and resources, since new functions do not have to be written each time.
- Unified programming code: JavaScript frameworks contain structures that make the process of coding more organized and, above all, more consistent. This makes the finished JavaScript code more maintainable.
- Scalability: The structure of the JS framework makes it possible to scale websites and their functions effectively. This is possible by using new functions or adapting existing functions.
- Cross-browser compatibility: Modern frameworks determine on which browser a JavaScript is executed and thereby automatically generate executable versions of the JavaScript code that work reliably on all browsers and operating systems.
KEY POINTS
- A JavaScript framework is a collection of tools and features.
- They enable web developers to create websites and their dynamic content faster and more effectively.
- A key difference between a library and a framework is that a framework requires the developer to follow rules and conventions in order to work effectively.
- Google’s Angular framework has the largest community of supporters worldwide.
Differentiation From JavaScript Libraries
JavaScript libraries also contain predefined JavaScript functions that make the work of website developers easier. However, unlike a framework, such a library is not organized and structured end-to-end. It merely contains a collection of tools that developers can choose to use to accomplish specific tasks. An example of this is the well-known library jQuery. It makes it possible to create, for example, animated content or AJAX-based web pages. Those can reload their content from external sources without having to reload the page.
A key difference between a library and a framework is that a framework requires the developer to follow rules and conventions in order to work effectively. A library, on the other hand, is simply a collection of functions from which the programmer is free to choose which function to use.
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The Most Used JavaScript Frameworks
Below we describe the JavaScript frameworks that are most commonly used in agencies and by web developers. Each framework follows its own strategy and philosophy. In addition each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The React framework has gained a leading place among web developers, as it was primarily created for developing web interfaces. It is a very powerful JavaScript framework developed by none other than Facebook’s development team to build user interfaces for all kinds of websites. Another advantage of React is that it is very efficient to work with and is based on declarative programming. Thus, interactive UI elements can be created very easily.
Because React uses a virtual Document Object Model (DOM), modifications to the UI can be tracked immediately during development. In practical use, this means that only the components of the UI whose content has actually changed in the process need to be updated.
The framework is supported by an active community that has created many tools and resources to help React developers in their work. Even well-known big players in the industry such as Netflix, Instagram, and Airbnb use React in their web interfaces.
Angular comes from Google and is primarily used to create so-called single-page-websites used. In specialist circles, the framework is also referred to as “Angular 2”, as there was a previous version called AngularJS. With version 2, Google’s developers have made far-reaching changes. The most important modification is that the framework no longer uses JavaScript, but TypeScript (a scripting language from Microsoft).
However, since TypeScript is based on JavaScript and also contains all language elements, there are no restrictions for JavaScript developers. Those who work with TypeScript can enjoy the advantages of data types and error checking. Of course, the framework allows the creation of reusable classes and methods, as well as custom components. In addition, Angular has been adapted to allow the creation of web applications responsively. That means that the finished product works and is usable across platforms, i.e. on PC screens, smartphones and tablets alike.
Angular has extensive documentation and a worldwide community. Last but not least, the framework significantly reduces coding due to dependency injections and data binding.
Node.js occupies a special position among JavaScript extensions. JavaScript was originally created for use in the browser to dynamically display web content. The power of the language has led the creators of Node.js to create a runtime environment that can be used outside of web browsers based on JavaScript. Thus, Node.js is mostly found on server environments and is even capable of creating a full-fledged web server with just a few lines of JavaScript.
It was designed with a focus on economical use of resources. JavaScript, as a scripting language, specifies an event-triggered architecture. This is exploited in Node.js, as less RAM is required per requested network connection in server operation, since a separate thread does not have to be started on the server for each open connection.
Similar to Angular, Vue.js is primarily used for single-page websites. The developers of this still relatively young JavaScript framework have deliberately optimized their product. So beginners in particular can quickly get started with a steep learning curve and a quick sense of achievement.
For example, it is possible to include templates in the HTML code. In addition, Vue.js is said to be much more flexible than other frameworks, as it imposes far fewer rigid constraints on the developer than other frameworks. It can be integrated as a whole into a web project, but there is also the possibility to use only individual components in the sense of a JS library. This even makes it possible to combine Vue.js with Angular or React, for example. Another advantage that should not be underestimated is the slimness of Vue.js, which means that web applications based on Vue.js can be loaded quickly.
Svelte follows a completely different concept, as it is not a JavaScript framework in the true sense, but rather a JavaScript library. It does not use the framework’s own modules at runtime, as other frameworks do. Instead, Svelte’s own compiler translates the code into JavaScript code at runtime, which is then delivered to the browser. The translated JavaScript code, in turn, does not depend on any other libraries.
This tool is easy to learn, as the Svelte code is basically nothing more than HTML with variables and functions embedded in curly braces. A Hello World looks something like this:
Hello {name}!
As you can see, you can clearly recognize the integration of JavaScript and CSS in HTML in the Svelte code. Complete functions can also be integrated. As in Angular, Svelte relies on TypeScript, which, as mentioned, contains the language elements of JavaScript.
Which JavaScript Framework Is Most Widely Used?
Google’s Angular framework undoubtedly has the largest community of supporters worldwide. In particular, Angular is highly valued for the development of business applications, because the underlying MVVM approach (Model-View-View-Model) allows this framework to be used to create single-page web apps. The web application is rendered by Angular client-side in the browser, relying on the well-known library jQuery. Not to be neglected is the advantage of the structured and clear architecture. Thus, services and components are used, which help to organize the JavaScript code and, above all, make it reusable. This facilitates the scalability and maintainability of the web application, which helps save costs in the company.
However, the size of a community says nothing about the actual spread of a JavaScript framework. According to Statista, Node.js was far ahead in 2022: around 47 percent of all web developers use this framework, closely followed by React with a rate of 42 percent. Angular and Vue.js occupy places 5 and 6, each with just under 20 percent of all web developers surveyed.
How Many JavaScript Frameworks Are There Anyway?
One thing is certain: there are many more JavaScript libraries than JS frameworks. Counting all the frameworks and making statistics about them is almost impossible. It’s easy to develop a framework yourself if you know how to code, and many of these products have never seen the light of day. In a technical article from the developer portal Codica.com jokingly claimed that there are about as many JavaScript frameworks as there are stars in the Milky Way. The only thing that can be said with certainty that the number is less than 300 billion.
Which JavaScript Framework Should You Learn First?
This question cannot be answered in a general way either, since it depends on many factors and the objectives. If you want to get a taste of a first JS framework, Vue.js is undoubtedly a good choice. Those wanting to create simple web applications as an objective will do well in React. However, if you have complex websites with a large range of functions in mind, you should not shy away from the effort and look into Angular.
Another aspect is the demand on the job market if you want to enter the web development profession with JavaScript. Here you should find out which frameworks are most commonly used, for example, in agencies and which skills are most frequently requested in job advertisements. You can then adjust your learning program to improve your career opportunities.
For those who like to share ideas in communities, forums, etc., Angular is the first choice when it comes to learning a JavaScript framework. This is not only because you can always find someone to answer technical questions when problems arise, but also because you are learning a relatively complex framework at the same time.
With a JavaScript framework, you get a collection of functions and libraries that make it easier for the web developer to program JavaScript applications. In this way, frameworks can speed up the workflow during programming, and also provide the programmer with additional functions and methods that pure JavaScript cannot offer.
JS frameworks contribute to effective development. In addition, there is the scalability and reusability of created functions and methods, which are often already provided in the framework. This allows developers to focus on their application rather than spending time developing basic functionality.
A number cannot be given here, as there is an almost limitless amount of JavaScript frameworks, many of which have never appeared in the public domain. However, if you limit yourself to the most common frameworks, even then you will come up with 20 or more.
In this article alone, we have presented only six of them, and the list could be extend. And last but not least, everyone can create their own JavaScript framework – according to their own needs, preferences and requirements.
