Top 10 JavaScript Frameworks

JavaScript, first developed for Netscape Navigator in 1995, is a dynamic programming language. It has now been accepted by all major browsers as a standard method for enhancing the functionality of web pages and, more recently, online applications. The years since JavaScript's development have allowed it to mature into a robust programming language. Its once-exclusive web use has expanded to include virtually every other environment, even outer space.

JavaScript was never intended to become the backbone of today's web development. Actually, it took less than two weeks to develop the language, and it was originally intended for something else entirely. Today, among 1.8 billion websites in the world, approximately 98% of websites use JavaScript as a client-side programming language, which shows its increasing popularity.

What is JavaScript Framework?

A JavaScript framework is a group of JavaScript libraries that web developers can use to save time by using code that has already been written.

Users can make strong web apps without JavaScript frameworks, but it can be very helpful to use tools like a template that handles basic programming patterns. When you use frameworks to build an app, you don't have to write the same code for the same features over and over again. Instead, you can take those features out of the framework libraries and keep going.

JavaScript is known to be one of the most popular languages for both front-end and back-end web development. The JavaScript framework gives developers a head start with a lot of ready-made modules and features they need to make JavaScript apps.

JS has broken new ground when it comes to making dynamic websites and web-based apps. The foundation is provided by JavaScript, and the JS frameworks are used to make things look nice.

Consider this illustration of use-cases of JavaScript frameworks:

Source

Why Do Developers Love JavaScript Framework?

Unlike any other programming language, it was built with model/view separation in mind. Object-Oriented Programming ideas are easy to use and are familiar with JavaScript, which is used for web programming. It adds a lot of dynamic features to web pages and makes them easier to use and more interactive.

Creating web apps and websites can take time from the beginning to the end. But JavaScript frameworks use the fact that most websites and web apps have the same set of properties to their advantage. JavaScript frameworks run pre-written JavaScript code that makes routine programming features. This makes the whole development process much easier.

Stack Overflow conducted a developer survey in 2022 to explore more about tools developers use, how they learn them, and what they think about them. The survey found that JavaScript was the language that was used the most.

Source

Moreover, Websites with JavaScript frameworks can have features like smooth scrolling and the ability to drag and drop elements. Even now, browser makers are racing to see which can handle JavaScript the quickest. Google Chrome is the most popular browser because of how rapidly it renders JavaScript.

Top 10 JavaScript Frameworks in 2023

1. Node.js

Node.js is an open-source, cross-platform JavaScript runtime environment for servers. The event-driven framework can be used to drive asynchronous I/O. It's compatible with the JavaScript Runtime and demonstrates JAVA-like characteristics, including threading, packing, and loop formation.

One of the most widely used implementations of server-side JavaScript is called Node.JS, or simply Node. Large-scale platforms for organizations like NASA and eBay have been written in Node. Node can take advantage of Javascript's ability to run code in a non-deterministic order to build scalable web apps, chat systems, and multiplayer games. For this reason, Node is also utilized by both Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services.

Consider this survey conducted by Stack Overflow that screams the popularity of this amazing javascript framework:

Features:

1. Single-threaded: It is operated on Single Threaded Event Loop Model architecture.

2. Asynchronous: Allows parallel programming.

3. Event-driven: User events, such as mouse clicks or keypresses, can execute programs.

4. NPM: The Node Package Manager, also known as NPM, is the most comprehensive online repository for the Node.

2. React.js:

With Facebook's release of the ReactJS framework, interest in JavaScript skyrocketed. Its JavaScript library is praised by programmers for being declarative, efficient, and open source, making it ideal for creating dynamic, feature-rich, and user-friendly front-end web applications.

To put the confusion about React JS's true nature to rest: Is it a library or a framework? While React is a collection of modules, React.js is a framework for the Java programming language that offers a whole ecosystem of libraries to aid developers.

Features:

1. Declarative: Makes websites and mobile apps with interactive and dynamic user interfaces (UI).

2. Virtual DOM: Every DOM object has a "virtual DOM object" that makes a virtual copy of the original DOM and acts as a DOM object's representation.

3. Handling events: React has an event system that works with the W3C object model and is fully compatible with it. It also gives a native event an interface that works in all browsers.

4. JSX: JSX is a syntax for markup that is similar to HTML. JSX makes it easier to write React components because the syntax is almost the same as the HTML that is put into a web page.

3. Angular.js

AngularJS is the best when it comes to making single-page applications. Web developers prefer AngularJS over other development frameworks because it puts a lot of emphasis on code quality standards. Angular.js is used by top companies like Snapchat, Gmail, Amazon, Udemy, and Forbes to build their websites.

Features:

1. Progressive Web Apps: It uses modern web platform features to provide app-like experiences that work well offline and don't need to be installed.

2. Desktop: Desktop apps for Mac, Windows, and Linux can be made with the same Angular techniques as those for the web, plus the ability to use native OS APIs.

3. Code Generation: Angular turns templates into code that is highly optimized for JavaScript virtual machines, which gives hand-written code benefits.

4. Code Splitting: The new Component Router makes it easy for Angular apps to load quickly by automatically splitting the code.

4. Vue.js

It's safe to say that Vue is the most flexible JavaScript framework out there right now. Furthermore, it is the most accessible framework for both programmers and non-programmers alike. Vue is flexible and simple enough for non-experts to use. There comes a time for almost every HTML developer when they need to do a difficult task that the language simply cannot support. Vue enters the scene at this point.

It's a little framework that packs the power of much larger ones. If you have experience with other front-end web frameworks, you could probably pick up Vue in a week or two. But you can get started with as little as you need if you don't have any.

Features:

1. Virtual DOM: Vue.js utilizes a virtual DOM, a clone of the principal DOM element.

2. Data Binding: This feature makes it easier to change the values of HTML attributes or give them new values.

3. CSS Transitions and Animations: Vue has several ways to add a transition to HTML elements when they are added, updated, or removed from the DOM.

4. Template: Vue.js has HTML-based templates that connect the DOM to the Vue.js instance data. The templates are turned into functions called Virtual DOM Render.

5. Ember.js

Ember.js is a powerful open-source JavaScript/HTML5 MVC application framework for building scalable single-page apps with a desktop feel. This framework uses a tool called "Handlebar" that helps make dynamic HTML templates. It also uses the MVC framework and the jQuery libraries.

Ember.js is recommended for projects that need a web app with an interface and feel like a desktop app, along with a single-page website where everything happens. Ember.js does a great job when compared to other JS frameworks on these types of projects.

Features:

1. HTML and CSS: At its core, it has HTML and CSS, which are part of the development model.

2. Instance initializers: Ember gives classes instance initializers.

3. Routes: Ember.js has core features called routes that are used to handle the URL.

4. Debugging: For debugging Ember applications, Ember.js has a tool called Ember Inspector.

Meteor

Meteor can be used in many different ways, and it is used in a big part of software development. Back-end development, database management, business logic, and rendering of the front-end are all ways to use it. It is a web framework built on a model called "isomorphic" (i.e. it seamlessly renders pages on both server and client-side). This framework is made with Node.js and can be used to make web apps and mobile apps that work on both iOS and Android.

Features:

1. Full-Stack Solution: Meteor is a full-stack solution for building and deploying web applications. On the production server, there are features like automatic CSS, responsive templates, and JS minification.

2. Development Ecosystem: Meteor.js is an Isomorphic Development Ecosystem that is free to use (IDevE). It makes it easier to build real-time web apps from scratch because it has all the front-end and back-end parts you need.

3. Isomorphic JavaScript Code: The same code can be used on the front-end, the back-end, and in mobile and web apps. It saves developers from having to install and set up different module managers, libraries, drivers, APIs, and more.

Polymer.js

When Google first unveiled Polymer.js in May 2013, it was a revolutionary step forward in web development. The Polymer library was created to simplify and speed up the creation of cutting-edge web applications by providing developers with high-quality, reusable building blocks. The web components included with Polymer.js can be utilized as-is or as a starting point for your own unique designs.

Polymer asserts that it "returns elements to the center of web development" by taking a "back-to-nature" approach. Developers can make their own HTML components and use them in complex, scalable, and easily maintained web applications.

Features:

1. Polyfills: Polymer has polyfills that can be used to make custom and reusable parts.

2. Reusability: Polymer is used to make widgets that can be used over and over in web documents and apps.

3. Ease: Google's material design is used by Polymer to make it fast and easy to make mobile apps.

4. Flexibility: Custom elements are spread across the network, and users can use them with the help of HTML Imports.

8. Backbone.js

Backbone.js does what its name implies by making it easier to manage and update your JavaScript code. To put it simply, Backbone is a framework that relies heavily on Models and Views (with the other two "V"s being for "View Controllers" and "View Observers"). Classic MVC architectures have a controller component, which is denoted by the letter C. In the past, a controller's response to a user's actions would be to communicate that action's state change back to the corresponding model or view. But with MV* frameworks like Backbone, the view itself takes care of the controller's duties.

Features:

1. Single-threaded: Neither Node.js nor event looping use more than one thread at a time.

2. Highly scalable: Node.js uses an event mechanism that lets the server respond in a way that doesn't block other requests. This makes it highly scalable.

3. Buffering: Node.js greatly cuts down the time it takes to process audio and video files when they are uploaded. It doesn't store any data in a buffer, and it sends data to the app in chunks.

4. Open source: Since Node.js is open source, the community has come up with some amazing models that can be used to give Node.js applications more features.

9. Aurelia

A cutting-edge open-source UI framework, Aurelia JS is ideal for creating both online and mobile applications. Because of the framework's improvements, developers can get even more mileage out of their JavaScript code.

To use Aurelia, you don't need to add any unnecessary lines of code, keywords, or tags because it is a lightweight framework. Simple JavaScript code, when run through Aurelia, will yield more complex features than you could have imagined. Because of its efficiency and flexibility, Aurelia has become an indispensable tool for JavaScript-reliant app developers.

Features:

1. Web Standards: It is one of the modern frameworks with the cleanest code. It only talks about web standards and doesn't talk about anything else.

2. Extensible: The framework makes it easy to connect to other tools.

3. Commercial Support: This framework has support for business and commerce.

10. Mithril.js

Client-side JavaScript framework Mithril is popular for usage in creating Single Page Applications. The framework is easier to construct because no functions are inherited from a superclass. It's lightweight, quick, and pre-packaged with useful features like routing and XHR.

Features:

1. Architecture: There are no base classes to extend from in Mithril. When core MVC patterns are used, there are no hidden costs in terms of performance.

2. Small API: Mithril has a small API, so you don't have to build functionality for every possible case.

Bottom line

Now that you know about the top 10 JavaScript frameworks, you should now be able to think about the context in which you'll be deploying the framework before choosing one. Think about the layout and functionality of your project before settling on a development platform. The next step is to educate yourself on the framework's intricacies and functionalities.

Learning which JavaScript framework is best suited to your needs and what to look for in an evaluation is equally crucial. You should now have a solid understanding of the various testing frameworks available for JavaScript. We've established that the market does not offer a universally applicable framework. Look at the needs and strengths of your team to determine who might be the best fit.

You see, only you can determine what the best JavaScript framework for your upcoming project is. Above all, what are YOU best at? Once you know your area of interest and expertise, then you can look for companies where you can earn and polish your skills simultaneously, like Remotebase, which believes in training their developers with FAANG engineers and engaging with developer communities to rank them among the top 1% talent working under Silicon Valley Projects.

Moreover, Remotebase aims to benefit its developers with the comfort of their homes while working with global clients, that not only increases productivity but also gives them enough space to keep learning new skills.

Top JavaScript Frameworks: FAQs

1. How many different JavaScript frameworks are there?

There are at least 24 JavaScript frameworks, like Vue.js, angular.js, node.js, react.js, and many more.

2. What are the most used JavaScript frameworks?

Vue.js, angular.js, react.js, Vue.js, Meteor.js, express.js and many more are the most popular JavaScript frameworks.

3. Is it possible to build web apps without using JavaScript frameworks?

Yes, although it is possible to do so, it consumes a lot of time and effort as compared to using a JavaScript Framework.

4. Which JavaScript framework is the easiest to learn?

One of the most important frameworks is Vue.js. This is because it is easy to learn and put into practice with little work. Vue works with both JavaScript and TypeScript, which makes it a smart framework to use.

5. How do JavaScript frameworks like React.js and Angular.js compare in terms of performance and scalability?

Both React.js and Angular.js have their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to performance and scalability. React.js is known for its virtual DOM implementation, which offers efficient updates and rendering, making it suitable for large-scale applications with dynamic user interfaces. On the other hand, Angular.js provides a more opinionated framework with built-in tools for managing complex applications, which can aid in scalability but might introduce overhead in certain scenarios. Benchmarking tests and case studies comparing the performance of React.js and Angular.js in different contexts could provide valuable insights for developers making technology choices.

6. What are some specific use cases or industries where certain JavaScript frameworks excel?

JavaScript frameworks like React.js are often favored for building interactive user interfaces in web applications, particularly in industries such as e-commerce, social media, and gaming, where real-time updates and dynamic content are crucial. Angular.js, with its comprehensive tooling and architecture, finds popularity in enterprise applications requiring robust structure and maintainability, seen in sectors like finance, healthcare, and enterprise resource planning. Understanding these use cases can help developers align their technology choices with the requirements of their projects or industries.

7. What are the current trends or emerging developments in the JavaScript framework landscape?

In recent years, trends in the JavaScript framework landscape have included the rise of lightweight frameworks like Svelte.js, which prioritize performance by moving much of the work to compile time. Additionally, there's been increased emphasis on server-side rendering and hybrid frameworks like Next.js, allowing developers to build full-stack applications more seamlessly. Progressive web applications (PWAs) have also gained traction, influencing the development of frameworks that offer better support for offline capabilities and mobile-first design. Keeping an eye on these emerging trends can help developers stay ahead in the ever-evolving JavaScript ecosystem.

Ready to take the next step in your developer career?

Join the top 1% remote developers at Remotebase.