Five Reasons for Not Always Using a JavaScript Framework

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Not every undertaking requires a structure. This is true for JavaScript among many other languages that your software engineers use.

Frameworks are excellent resources for relieving developers of the burden of continuously rewriting and inventing code. Your development team will benefit greatly from a framework when deploying a project in an efficient and productive manner.

However, not all projects require a framework. For many of the languages that your software engineers use, this is accurate. Does JavaScript follow this same pattern? Indeed.

JavaScript frameworks are frequently regarded as necessary resources for front-end web development in the present day. Your developers can create dynamic, scalable web-based apps that are usable not only by customers or clients but also by other members of your firm by utilizing any one of the many frameworks available. There are many different frameworks available, including Vue.jsAngularSvelteExpress.jsBootstrap, and Django.

So, when you need a framework, they’re there for the taking (and most are open source, so they’re free to use). But when might you not need a JavaScript framework? Let’s take a look at five reasons.

1. If What You’re Working on Is Simple

Truth be told, JavaScript frameworks are best used on more complicated projects for applications at scale. If you’re working on something simple and small, then a framework is going to be overkill. In fact, if you’re working on a smaller project, a framework will only complicate matters, so you’re better off doing without.

Recall that the purpose of utilizing a framework is to streamline your tasks and reduce time spent by incorporating all of the necessary features from vanilla JavaScript. If the project you are working on is smaller, the time you save will be more than offset by the time you need to either add the framework to the mix or catch up on it.

If keeping things simple is the primary goal of the project, then do not bother with a framework.

For projects where simplicity is the main objective, there is no need to use a framework.

2. When HTML and CSS Alone Will Do the Trick

Developing web applications is the majority of what you will be doing with a JavaScript framework. Indeed, JavaScript can contribute to the interactive, dynamic, and engaging nature of those applications; nevertheless, there are instances in which using too much of it might negatively impact the site’s speed.

Take a step back and consider if HTML and CSS are sufficient to create a website or online application. If so, stay with the fundamentals. Yes, you may need to incorporate some JavaScript, but introducing a framework at this point could soon cloud the more transparent paths made possible by using more basic languages. Keep in mind that JavaScript is for behavior, HTML is for structure, and CSS is for look. For many applications, HTML and CSS are essential components, whereas JavaScript is the cherry on top. Although it adds a layer of complexity you might not require, a JavaScript framework is a tool that allows you combine all of those elements to build a cake worthy of competition. particularly if all you want is a simple cake.

3. If You’re Using JavaScript ES6

With the release of JavaScript ES6, the necessity for frameworks isn’t nearly as great as it once was. And with the inclusion of modules and classes with ES6, most of the popular frameworks could be thought of as obsolete.

Recall that some of the trickier parts of programming are abstracted via frameworks. With the advent of ES6, many use cases no longer even require the use of frameworks thanks to a variety of new capabilities (including modules and classes, default parameters, template literals, multi-line strings, destructuring assignment, better object literals, and arrow functions).

Even though earlier versions were made especially to support classes, working with things like classes was quite difficult until ES6.

The aforementioned JavaScript capabilities significantly contribute to the elimination of frameworks by introducing hitherto unobtainable functionalities inside the language. Most of it will be pre-packaged within the language itself, saving you from needing to use those third-party tools.

4. If Creative Freedom Is Your Jam

Let us face it: if you use a JavaScript framework, you usually only have access to that one and are at the mercy of its limitations. You have complete control over how you want to style your web development when you do not employ a framework. Unless you are creating at scale and do not care about creative freedom, you can pretty much do everything you want using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Other than that, you already have everything you need, and the possibilities for your creativity are endless.

5. HTMX

HTMX is the replacement for intercooler.js, which adds AJAX to an application using recognizable, declarative HTML elements. Instead of utilizing JavaScript, this new library enables you to access several contemporary browser features (including AJAX, CSS Transitions, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events) straight from HTML. As a result, programmers will not need to use JavaScript or, consequently, JavaScript frameworks to create contemporary user interfaces.

From the official HTMX website, we see this example:

123456<button hx-post=”/clicked”hx-trigger=”click”hx-target=”#parent-div”hx-swap=”outerHTML”>Click Me!</button>


In this example, an HTTP POST request is sent to /clicked when a user presses a button, and the element is replaced using the parent-div from within the DOM based on the answer.

Conclusion

Utilizing a framework is primarily done for two reasons: its speed and its ability to integrate additional data sources. A framework will only obstruct you and stifle your creativity if none of those are a problem for your project.

Frameworks for JavaScript do have a function, and they should not be disregarded out of hand. However, if you have the time and desire, developing natively in HTML and CSS and JavaScript code can be very rewarding.

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