best javascript framework to learn

JavaScript is a multi-paradigm language. It supports event-driven, functional, and imperative (including object-oriented and prototype-based) programming styles.  JavaScript was initially used only for client side. However, these days JavaScript is used as a server-side programming language as well. To summarize in just one simple sentence – JavaScript is the language of the web.

What is JavaScript framework and why to use one?

A software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by additional user-written code. JavaScript framework is an application framework written in JavaScript where the programmers can manipulate the functions and use them for their convenience. 

Frameworks are more adaptable for the designing of websites and hence, they are preferred by most of the website developers. JavaScript frameworks are a type of tool that makes working with JavaScript easier and smoother. These frameworks also make it possible for the programmer to code the application as device responsive. This responsiveness is yet another reason why the JavaScript frameworks are quite popular when it comes to the question of using a high-level machine language. Let’s have a look at the best JS Frameworks.

 

React JS

React is a library used for developing UI applications. It was released in 2013 and has been a fastest growing JS framework in today’s world.

React.js is most preferred when a high performing enterprise application needs to be delivered to its users. It is powered by user interfaces like that of Instagram and Facebook.

There has been a constant war between choosing Angular and React. React is more flexible when compared to Angular since developers will have to work with independent libraries with comparatively better response time. React is excellent when it comes to handling small and stateless functions that receive an input and return elements as their output. It focuses on JS ES6, and Flow can be used to enable type-checking in React.

Every project in React has a different architecture along with limited guidance and hence, it is easy to go wrong. React is mainly used for the V (view) in the MVC model since the UI can be updated without having to reach out to the server and fetch a new view.

 

Features

  • Components: React is declarative and component based. The web pages are divided into small components to create UIs. The component feature comes in handy when it’s about maintaining code while working with large-scale projects.
  • JSX: JSX is a javascript extension which indicates that the script needs to be processed and converted to actual javascript. JSX used shorter and simpler syntaxes to simplify coding when compared to Javascript.
  • Data binding: One-way data binding along with an application infrastructure called Flux controls. One-way data flow makes it easy to reason about an application and Flux is a pattern that keeps data unidirectional.
  • A React.JS based page consists of a virtual DOM. For every DOM object, there is a representation (copy) of that DOM object.
  • You can use React with other frameworks like Angular.js, Backbone.js quite easily.
  • Maintaining React is easy and straightforward due to its component-based architecture and reusability of the defined components.
  • React can be used on the server-side as well as on client-side thus making it possible to distribute the rendering load from server to client if needed

 

Angular JS

One of the most powerful, efficient, and open-source JavaScript frameworks is Angular. It’s impossible to not mention Angular in my Top 10 JavaScript Frameworks list. This framework is operated by the Google and is used for developing Single Page Application (SPA). This development framework is known primarily because it gives developers the best conditions for combining JavaScript with HTML and CSS. Over half a million websites like google.com, youtube.com, etc. are using Angular.

Below I’ve listed few key features of Angular:

  • MVC architecture: One of the most important features of AngularJS is the MVC or Model-View-Controller architecture. The MVC architecture is divided into three elements, i.e., the Model, View and Controller.
  1. Model: It is the lowest level of the MVC architecture where your data is stored.
  2. View: This element is responsible for showcasing all your data to the user.
  3. Controller: It is basically a software code that controls the entire interactions between the Model and View.
  • 2way binding: This is an amazing feature that sets AngularJS apart from other JavaScript frameworks. Angular Data-Binding builds a link between model and view. In a two-way data binding process, the View displays changes made in the Model and, the Model reflects changes made in the View.
  • Single page app: With AngularJS framework, you can build fully responsive single page apps that can easily fit different screen sizes perfectly. Plus, these apps are also capable of offering an improved user experience as compared to other web apps. Since the AngularJS-based single page apps are rendered on the client side, they reduce the network traffic by decreasing the load on the web sever
  • HTML UI: Another great feature of AngularJS is the fact that it uses the HTML language to build user interfaces. The HTML language is a common and declarative language with very short tags that are simple to understand. This leads to a more organized and simplistic UI. JavaScript interfaces are often more complicated to develop and organize. If you’re looking for a solution that’s quick, simple, and easy to use at a moment’s notice, then this could be it.

 

Vue JS

Released in 2014 by taking inspiration from Angular to build a lightweight framework, Vue quickly became popular among app developers because of its simplified approach and high extensibility. Vue quickly became one of the most popular interactive libraries for building web interfaces.

Vue comes as a library equipped with versatile and simple API for high-speed development of lean apps. In contrast to other major JavaScript frameworks like React or Angular, Vue is credited to deliver a clean HTML output. Vue, as a framework, also offers a whole array of advanced JavaScript features like developing custom tools for specific apps through supporting libraries, routing, state management, etc.

Features

  • Templates: Vue uses HTML based template syntax. All the templates in Vue are valid HTML that is parsed with the help of HTML parsers and spec-compliant browsers. Writing render functions can be done sing JSX.
  • Transitions: Vue allows application of transition effects when items are inserted, removed or updated from the DOM.
  • Components: This is considered to be one of the most powerful features. Components extend the basic HTML elements to enclose reusable code.
  • Reactivity: Vue has a robust reactivity system. When models, which are JavaScript objects, are modified the view is automatically updated.
  • It has a tiny footprint
  • Easy to understand and develop
  • Flexible and simple to integrate

Vue proves to be more flexible and modular front-end development framework when compared to Angular. It consists of a clear separation between the components and directives.

 

Ember JS

Ember is also an open-source framework that lets developers create a single page and large web applications. Ember has been a highly opinionated framework which was built to be very flexible.

While Angular and React are flexible and less opinionated, Ember makes a lot of assumptions about the application and makes a developer confirm to its expectations.

A complete development stack can be formed by using Ember and other important tools. Ember has a widget based approach called as Ember components. Handlebars layout and Ember’s backend architecture allows writing developers own application-specific HTML tag.

Handlebars integrated templates update automatically when the underlying data changes along with significantly lesser coding. Websites like LinkedIn, Vine and Live make use of Ember. It is also used to build desktop and mobile applications.

One of the most notable uses of Ember is in Apple Music, the desktop application. Ember has a powerful routing system when compared to React or Angular.

In case of updates, Ember is ahead of many frameworks, with new features being frequently added.

 

Features

  • Ember works on the Model-view-view model (MVVM) pattern and follows Convention over Configuration (CoC)
  • Ember-CLI: Ember’sCLIprovides standard application structure and builds pipelines. It is a command line utility that comes along with the Ember framework’s software stack.
  • Ember Templates: Templates are built into the UI which are written with Handlebars templating language.
  • Ember Inspector tool is useful for debugging applications.
  • HTML and CSS form the core of the development model in Ember
  • The Ember data library is excellent
  • Many Ember add-ons are provided which can be added to an application
  • Testing tools are built-in, and UIs are nested
  • Client-side rendering and URL support available
  • Minimizes the DOM

 

Backbone Js

Backbone.js is another popular open-source JavaScript framework which is mainly known for giving web applications better structure through integrating key-value binding and custom events with the models. App developers also acclaim the framework for declarative event handling, a rich API of enumerable functions and ability to connect the app with all APIs.

BackboneJS comes equipped with a RESTful JSON interface and follows MVP design protocol. BackboneJS is extremely lightweight framework as it doesn’t have any other dependency except on the JavaScript library, Underscore.js and jQuery. For building well-Structured single-page apps and for keeping multiple web app components synchronised, BackboneJS is widely preferred.

Features

  • RESTful JSON interface: Backbone is a framework/ library that has a RESTful JSON interface, based on the Model-view-presenter (MVP) application model. JSON is a format which is light-weight and performs data serialization while the RESTful interface is one that consists of the characteristics of the REST architecture.
  • Syncing with back-end: Models in Backbone.js can be tied to a back-end since Backbone provides excellent support for RESTful APIs.
  • Event-driven: Event-driven communication between views and models prevents the code from being hard to read.
  • Backbone adopts an imperative programming style when handling DOM.
  • Backbone has a hard dependency with Underscore.js and a soft dependency with jQuery.
  • In case of any changes in a model, the HTML code is automatically updated.
  • It is a simple library that separates UI and business logic.
  • It consists of over 100 extensions. It helps in organizing codes and acts as a backbone for any project.