JavaScript: The continuous evolution of network language and its ecosystem
JavaScript has been born for more than 20 years and has continued to evolve. In recent years, its development has been amazingly fast, and it makes people wonder whether the popular front-end JavaScript technology today will remain important in a few years.
However, it is crucial to have the latest tools and frameworks to improve development efficiency. This article will explore some of the key JavaScript libraries, frameworks, and tools you should learn now.
The libraries and framework indexes covered by this article:
The JavaScript ecosystem has grown and has its own libraries, frameworks, tools, package managers and new languages compiled into JavaScript. Interestingly, npm is the de facto package manager for JavaScript and is also the largest software registration center in the world. Excerpted from an article on Linux.com in January 2017:
The npm registry has over 350,000 packages, more than twice the number of the next most popular package registry (Apache Maven repository). In fact, it is currently the largest package registration center in the world.
In just eight months, the npm registry had about 500,000 packages. This is a huge increase compared to other package warehouses.
As a front-end JavaScript developer, it is crucial to keep up with modern JavaScript tools and libraries. When a technology becomes popular, demand for it will be high, which in turn means more high-paying coding jobs. So, I put together a list of popular JavaScript technologies that I think you should know about.
The framework has an architecture that determines the flow of applications control. The framework describes the framework structure and tells you how to organize everything. The basic functionality required to get started and run an application is also provided by the framework. In addition, you must follow the design principles and patterns of the framework. The difference between a framework and a library is that you call the library, and the framework calls you.
Frameworks usually contain many libraries and have higher levels of abstraction. The framework has built-in functions such as event processing, AJAX calls, templates and data binding, and testing.
React is a JavaScript library built by developers of Facebook and Instagram. React has been rated as one of the most popular technologies for developers.
So, why is React so popular? With React, you can create an interactive UI using a declarative method, and you can control the state of your application by declaring that "the view should look like this." It uses a component-based model where components are reusable UI elements, each with its own state.
React uses a virtual DOM, so you don't have to worry about manipulating the DOM directly. Other notable features of React include one-way data flow, optional JSX syntax, and command-line tools for creating React projects with zero build configuration.
Angular was once the most popular JavaScript technology among front-end developers. It is still widely used and supported by Google as well as the individual and corporate communities.
Some of Angular features include:
Looking for the best JavaScript framework for beginners? The Vue.js framework has been very popular in recent years. As far as GitHub stars are concerned, it is also the most popular JavaScript framework on GitHub. Vue claims to be a less arbitrary framework, so it's easy for developers to grasp. Vue's HTML-based template syntax binds the rendered DOM to instance data.
The framework provides a React-like experience, with its virtual DOM and reusable components that can be used to create widgets and entire web applications. Additionally, you can write rendering functions directly using JSX syntax. When the state changes, Vue.js uses a reactive system to determine what changes have occurred and re-render the least amount of components. Vue.js also supports easy integration of other libraries.
Next.js calls itself the "React Framework for Production Environments", it is a React-based framework that adds new features, including server-side rendering and static website generation. React is a JavaScript package that is commonly used to create web applications rendered using JavaScript in a client browser. It gives you the best development experience, and all the features you need in a production environment.
### Ember.js
Ember.js is a JavaScript framework that helps developers build scalable single-page web applications by leveraging languages, best practices, and patterns from the existing single-page application ecosystem pattern. It enables the development of client JavaScript applications by providing a comprehensive solution including data management and application flow. If you are looking for the best JavaScript framework for beginners, this is a great choice.
Unlike traditional frameworks such as React and Vue where most of their work is done in the browser, Svelte transfers these work to the compilation steps when building the application. This makes it a useful choice for user interface development.
Ionic is a free and open source framework that provides a suite of mobile-optimized UI components, gestures and tools for creating high-speed, highly interactive applications. It allows you to create hybrid mobile applications.
### Gatsby
This open source static website generator is built using Webpack and GraphQL technologies and is built on the React front-end development framework. You can use Gatsby to create progressive web applications, as well as fast and secure static websites. It is used by many well-known organizations such as Tinder, Snapchat and Affirm, and is very fast and flexible when building websites.
Meteor.js is a free JavaScript framework for developing web and mobile applications. Meteor is convenient and popular and has a reactive UI. If you are an experienced developer, then you should try Meteor.js. It has a fast and convenient development process.
Meteor is especially suitable for writing full-stack applications with a shared code base between clients and servers.
Express is a popular and powerful tool for writing server-side code for any web application. It is free and open source. It is used to design and create web applications quickly and easily.
The best way to understand JavaScript libraries (JS libraries) is to use them. Library is a reusable snippet of code that provides specific functionality. It is a collection of functions, objects, and classes that you can use for your application. Library abstracts different layers, so you don't have to worry about their implementation details.
Wondering about "Which JavaScript library should I use?" You can call the library function and pass some parameters to it and the library will execute it and return control to you. However, it does not set any structural constraints that limit how you use the library. Looking for the most common JavaScript libraries? Start with a simple JavaScript library. Note that popular basic JavaScript libraries include:
Looking for the best JavaScript library to learn? jQuery is one of the most common JavaScript libraries. It is a library that makes JavaScript easier to use and makes DOM manipulation easier than before. jQuery's simple learning curve and easy-to-use syntax have spawned a new generation of client developers. A few years ago, jQuery was considered a reliable solution for building robust websites with cross-browser support. The core features of jQuery, such as DOM operations, event processing, and making AJAX calls based on CSS selectors, have promoted its popularity.
However, things have changed and the JavaScript environment is constantly evolving. Some of jQuery's features have been incorporated into the newer ECMAScript specification. Additionally, new libraries and frameworks used today have native methods for binding DOM, so ordinary DOM operation techniques are no longer required. jQuery is declining in popularity, but I don't think it will disappear anytime soon. Please check this to get started with JavaScript libraries (or JS libraries).
D3 (or D3.js) is a powerful JavaScript library for generating interactive visualizations using Web standards such as SVG, HTML, and CSS. Unlike other visual libraries, D3 provides better control over the final visual effect.
D3 works by binding the data to the DOM and then converting the document. It also has its own ecosystem, which contains plugins and libraries that extend its basic functionality. The library has been around since 2011 and has a lot of documentation and tutorials to get you started.
### Chart.js
This beautiful JavaScript library is designed to enable developers and designers to easily visualize data using JavaScript. Chart.js is one of the most widely used data visualization packages and one of the most user-friendly packages. With just a small amount of code, Chart.js can create instantly-usable interactive visualizations for your data. This is one of the best JavaScript libraries to learn.
With the simple and powerful Anime.js animation library, you can create various animations on CSS properties as well as SVG image and DOM properties. You can read more about Anime.js here:
Three.js is a JavaScript library for creating and animating three-dimensional computer images in a web browser. It is a single JavaScript file that contains effects, settings, cameras, lighting, materials, models, shaders, animations, and 3D objects.
Tools are a set of routines that help you with the development process. Unlike libraries, tools usually perform tasks on client code. It takes your code as input, performs a task on it, and then returns the output. Commonly used tools include translator and build tools, asset compressors, module bundlers, and scaffolding tools.
The universal task runner is a tool used to automate certain repetitive tasks. Popular general task runners include:
Gulp is a JavaScript toolkit used as a task runner and build system in web development. Repetitive tasks such as compilation, code compression, image optimization, unit testing, and code inspection should be automated. Even for those who are not very familiar with JavaScript, Gulp makes the process of writing tasks easier.
Gulp uses pipelines to stream data from one plug-in to another, and the final result is output to the target folder. Compared to Grunt, Gulp performs better because it does not create temporary files for storing intermediate results, thus reducing the number of I/O calls.
### Grunt
The Grunt Task Runner and Automation Tool have a command-line interface that allows you to run custom tasks defined in a file named Gruntfile. Grunt has thousands of plugins to choose from, which should cover most common repetitive tasks you will encounter. With Grunt, you can run all tasks with a single command, which simplifies your work.
### npm
Gulp and Grunt require you to spend time learning and mastering new tools, which takes time. You can avoid adding additional dependencies to your project by selecting an alternative that has been bundled with Node.js. Although npm is more well known as a package manager, npm scripts can be used to perform most of the tasks mentioned above.
### ESLint
ESLint is an insertable JavaScript tool that analyzes your code for problems that may cause errors or inconsistencies.
### Prettier
Prettier is a code formatter with strong opinions. It enforces consistent styles by analyzing your code and reprinting the code against its standards that take maximum line length into account and break the code as needed. It works in multiple languages and can be integrated with some of your favorite editors.
### Webpack
Using the Webpack module bundler, you can bundle JavaScript files for your browser, and Webpack can also modify and bundle your styles and assets.
### Babel
Babel is a free open source JavaScript compiler that converts new language features into old language features. It is also called a "translator". If you only use a bundler, anyone can write code that uses all modern JavaScript features, but run on older browsers.
### Test Tool
Testing is the process of verifying and verifying that an application meets the expected business and technical requirements. Test-driven development methods also help detect errors and should be considered as part of a modern front-end development stack.
Jest is a relatively new testing framework written by Facebook and is popular with the React community. There is a widespread misconception that Jest is designed specifically for use with React; however, according to Jest documentation:
Although Jest may be considered a React-specific test runner, it is actually a universal test platform that can adapt to any JavaScript library or framework. You can use Jest to test any JavaScript code.
The biggest advantage of using Jest over other test suites is that you only need zero configuration or minimal configuration to start writing tests. The framework has a built-in assertion library and supports the use of mock functions or spies.
Jest has a feature called Snapshot Testing that allows you to ensure that your application's UI does not change unexpectedly. Facebook developers and other contributors have been investing a lot of work on this project lately, so it wouldn't be surprising if Jest becomes the most popular JavaScript testing framework in the coming years.
This JavaScript test framework has browser support, asynchronous support including Promise, test coverage reporting, and JavaScript API for running tests. Mocha is usually used with assertion libraries such as Chai, should.js, expect.js, or better-assert because it lacks the assertion library itself.
Jasmine is a behavior-driven testing framework for JavaScript. Jasmine is designed to be a browser, platform and framework-agnostic test suite. Jasmine has its own assertion library called matchers, which gives it a clean and easy to read syntax. Jasmine does not have a built-in test runner, you may need to use a general purpose test runner like Karma instead.
JavaScript, a web language, has maintained its relevance since its inception in 1995. It may remain this way as long as the browser does not decide to replace it with another language. Although there are many other languages that compile to JavaScript, no other scripting language will replace JavaScript for the foreseeable future. Why? Because JavaScript has become too popular to be replaced.
The JavaScript environment is definitely evolving, as can be seen in the current trends in web development. Old libraries and frameworks have been replaced by new technologies. A new generation of front-end libraries, frameworks and tools are emerging and gaining widespread acceptance.
This article has been updated and includes contributions from Ezekiel Lawson. Ezekiel is a front-end developer focusing on writing clean, maintainable code using web technologies such as JavaScript, Vue.js, HTML, and CSS.
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