The Best JavaScript Frameworks And Libraries

The Best JavaScript Frameworks And Libraries
The Best JavaScript Frameworks And Libraries

All programmers work with frameworks and libraries; this is an integral part of the process of creating any IT product. Some solutions have more advantages than others and are used more often in development.

Many of the reliable bespoke software development companies, around today use them. We will be taking a closer look at the best JavaScript frameworks and libraries. So, just keep reading!

What Is a Library And Framework?

A library is a set of functions and components that can be used to solve specific problems. Libraries do not have a clear structure; they provide specific functions and tools to perform tasks. The developer can use the libraries at his own discretion, choosing the necessary components.

A framework is a development platform that includes a method for working with the file system and databases, binding data to elements, styling components, running queries, and handling errors.

When working with the framework, it sets the rules, and you follow them by filling the ready-made template with your code. While you would often lose flexibility with this, you can be sure the code will work stably because the framework takes care of the main work.

Let’s take a look at the best tools that bespoke software development companies use.

Libraries

#1: jQuery

Released in 2006, jQuery is one of the oldest libraries around today. It is a small, fast, and feature-rich cross-platform library that is designed to easily write client-side HTML scripts. With an API that works across a wide range of browsers, jQuery makes event handling, animation, and other tasks much easier.

Pros of jQuery

  • Good scalability
  • Versatility
  • Easy adaptation of the DOM object model when adding and removing elements
  • Optimized process for sending HTTP requests
  • Ability to use dynamic content
  • Useful plugins for a jQuery website

Disadvantages of jQuery:

  • Low speed
  • Availability of more advanced alternatives
  • Legacy object model API

#2: React

React was created in 2013 and is designed for creating interactive user interfaces, mainly used in mobile and web applications. Using this library, you can create reusable components that can automatically update and display data on a page without reloading it.

Pros of React

  • High performance
  • Easy integration with frontend and backend frameworks
  • Applicability on the client and server sides
  • Cross-platform
  • A wealth of documentation, training resources, and manuals
  • Ease of transition from old versions to new ones
  • Ease of component structure support;
  • Simple JSX syntax instead of JavaScript – the code is easier to read and maintain
  • One-way data binding – changes in the structure of children do not affect the parents
  • The ability to reuse components
  • SEO-friendly – good indexability of pages due to dynamic rendering of content
  • The constant development of the library.

Disadvantages of React

  • Complexity – many developers consider the library to be bloated and prefer not to use it in small projects
  • An additional barrier to immersion in the form of JSX syntax
  • The need for build tools to work correctly and compatibility with other libraries and frameworks
  • Documentation updates do not always keep up with the release of new versions

Frontend Frameworks

#1: Angular

Angular is a component-based framework for developing web applications, a set of tools for building, testing, and debugging code, and a set of libraries. The solution was created by Google engineers in 2010.

In 2016, an improved version of Angular 2 was released with a completely updated source structure, improved dependency injection capabilities, logging services, and interaction between components.

Pros of Angular

  • A wealth of documentation, training resources, and manuals;
  • The ability to create scalable applications
  • The ability to work on the application and data in isolation
  • Full support for the NativeScript framework for developing applications for iOS and Android

Disadvantages of Angular

  • The need to use TypeScript – a complex syntax for those who are just switching to Angular from classic JavaScript or jQuery
  • Possible failures in the operation of dynamic applications due to their complex structure and large size (solved by code optimization)
  • Problems with search indexing

#2: Vue

Vue is an open-source framework created in 2014 by Google as an alternative to Angular and React and built on their principles. The solution is used to create interactive user interface elements and optimize them during design.

Pros of Vue

  • Quick and easy setup
  • Flexibility – the framework can be implemented with minimal effort
  • Simplicity – you only need to know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to use it
  • Compactness and small size – the compressed version weighs about 20 KB
  • Versatility – can be used to create both small and large-scale complex applications
  • Ease of integration with server frameworks

Disadvantages of Vue

  • Weak support – the framework does not offer new users such a large collection of resources as Angular and React
  • Small community

Backend Frameworks

#1: Node.js

Node.js is a runtime environment based on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine, which is used in the Chrome browser and allows you to run server-side code. Node.js provides an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model. The solution comes with a set of built-in modules for common functions such as HTTP, file systems, and streams.

Pros of Node.js

  • Cross-platform
  • The presence of a built-in NPM package manager makes it easy to install and manage third-party libraries and packages;
  • The presence of a large number of built-in modules
  • A wealth of documentation, training resources, and manuals
  • Big community

Disadvantages of Node.js

  • Susceptible to memory leaks, which can lead to poor application performance or crashes
  • Dependence on callbacks, which can make the code base difficult to read and maintain
  • Weak support for parallelism compared to other frameworks.

#2: Express

Express is an open-source standard framework for Node.js for APIs and backend web applications. Created in 2010, this framework is primarily used with Angular or React and forms the MEAN or MERN server software stack.

Pros of Express

  • Good support for a large number of plugins – this is how Express compares favorably with its competitor Meteor.js
  • Minimalism and reliability
  • The ability to reuse code to speed up the workflow

Disadvantages of Express

  • The need to perform many tasks manually, which can lengthen the development cycle
  • Lack of a built-in error handler, which can complicate debugging the code and slow down work

Final Thoughts

JavaScript libraries and frameworks are actively used in many areas to simplify web development and ensure the efficient functioning of applications. If you are looking for a reliable bespoke software development agency to work on a web project or CRM & ERP system, we recommend contacting Join.To.IT.