Many tech experts predict that in the future, software developers will move to framework-agnostic components, allowing them to bypass framework limitations. Yet, here in 2023, JavaScript frameworks continue to hold a pivotal role in web development. Alongside the technical aspects, managing the contract lifecycle management becomes crucial, especially when collaborating with different stakeholders and ensuring all agreements are streamlined.
In essence, there exist 24 frameworks, but only 10 of them truly stand out. Let’s cover these frameworks in detail. Just as these frameworks are essential for global web development, tools like clm software have become crucial for businesses to manage their contracts efficiently.
1.Angular
Starting our list is Angular, one of the most popular and robust JS frameworks for building dynamic applications. Developed and maintained by Google, Angular has a strong community and a rich ecosystem of tools and libraries you can trust.
It offers a component-based architecture, making it easy to create reusable UI components and manage complex application states with ease. Angular’s two-way data binding and dependency injection system are some of its standout features, allowing for efficient development and testing. When hiring a no-code agency, you can accelerate the development process by 10X times compared to the traditional JS development.
Developers who are well versed in Angular earn $59.22 per hour at least, which makes it one of the most lucrative skills in the web development job market.
Strengths
- Extensive ecosystem of tools and libraries;
- High-quality code generation;
- Elegant programming style;
- Powerful command-line interface for fast web development.
Cons
- It’s got a high learning curve;
- Beginners might find its syntax and concepts quite complex;
- Compared to many other frameworks, this one has a rather large bundle size.
2.Vue.js
Next on the list is Vue.js. This framework has Chinese origins, which is perhaps why it has not been used by Western developers up until 2014. However, since then, it’s never lost its popularity. Now, Vue.js has become a global sensation in the world of development and one of the most favorite frameworks of developers for building modern web applications.
When it comes to features, Vue.js is known for its progressive framework architecture. Aside from that, it stands out for its reactivity system, which simplifies state management by automatically reflecting all data changes in the UI. Not less important is the fact that it’s quite easy to use, making it accessible for developers of all skill levels.
Strengths
- Easy to use, making it ideal for beginners;
- The gradual adoption approach allows for seamless integration into existing projects;
- Simple code structure;
- Vast community support;
- Flexible and versatile.
Cons
- Smaller ecosystem compared to some other frameworks, though it’s continuously expanding;
- May not be the best choice for extremely large and complex projects due to its focus on simplicity.
3.React.js
This list wouldn’t be complete without React.js, another tech giant in the world of web development. Developed by Facebook, this JavaScript framework remains a dominant force and even surpasses Google’s Angular framework in many aspects.
First off, it beats Angular in terms of flexibility. And it is also much more susceptible to inconsistencies after updates, allowing web developers company to adapt and evolve their web applications with greater ease. Aside from that, Reach boasts an extensive ecosystem of tools and libraries so it can be used for a variety of advanced projects. For example, React Native is one of the most notable React’s frameworks, and if we compare React Native and Flutter (another cross-platform technology), it turns out that the first option is more popular among the modern developers
No wonder over 81.8% of devs use React, according to Radix statistics, and 47.2% are planning to switch to it in the near future.
Strengths
- High level of flexibility;
- Stable operation;
- Can be combined with any other JS framework;
- A vast ecosystem of libraries and tools.
Cons
- It can be quite challenging for new developers;
- The documentation is not detailed enough;
- Requires the use of additional tools to unlock the full coding.
4.Ember.js
Despite being one of the oldest frameworks, Ember.js is widely used in the world of development up to these days, and here’s why. Unlike most other frameworks, this one is strictly organized. This makes it ideal for developing complex apps with lots of variables and making changes to them without the worry of them affecting the rest of the components.
In addition to high stability, Ember.js is known for its rapid performance. It boosts immediately and sustains fast loading times for web applications. Unfortunately, it’s not very flexible and it’s not the easiest to master for beginners. However, if you nail it, you can secure yourself a good job since the demand for Ember is pretty high.
Strengths
- Perfect for large-scale and complex applications;
- Includes clear, well-structured documentation;
- Vast community support;
- High scalability.
Cons
- It’s not flexible and it’s necessary to strictly follow Ember’s conventions;
- It’s quite difficult to master.
- It’s not as lightweight as some other frameworks.
5.Preact
As you can decipher from the name, this framework is React’s subset that has all of its core functions except for a few functionalities. However, unlike React, this framework is much more lightweight (it weighs only 3kb), which renders it blazing-fast speed.
Preact uses the same component-based approach with virtual DOM as React and can be used with any of the packages of React. Therefore, quite often, developers resort to Preact instead of React for the production of apps in mobile and resource-constrained environments.
Strengths:
- Lightweight size;
- Fast performance speed;
- A powerful CLI;
- Compatibility with React’s packages.
Cons:
- Unlike other JS frameworks, it doesn’t support propTypes;
- It doesn’t support createClass.
6.Node.js
If you’re looking for a powerful framework to use for the backend, you should pay attention to Node.js. This framework uses the V8 JS engine, which means it can execute code outside of the browser. What’s more, it has a non-blocking, event-driven architecture that allows it to handle a large number of connections, ultimately leading to highly scalable apps.
These capabilities make Node.js particularly good for real-time applications like chat apps, online gaming platforms, and IoT systems. As developers continue to explore the capabilities of these frameworks, some are even leveraging them to build a digital wallet, expanding the scope of what can be achieved. Add to this a vast ecosystem of libraries and packages available through NPM, and it’s easy to see why Node.js ranks high in the best web frameworks surveys.
Strengths:
- High-scalability;
- Versatile use for server-side applications;
- A vast ecosystem of libraries and tools;
- Can be used for both the backend and frontend, leading to a reduction in development costs.
Cons:
- The steep learning curve for newcomers;
- Handling CPU-bound tasks may require additional measures;
- Not the best choice for CPU-intensive applications.
If you’re considering Node.js for applications that require top-notch performance, particularly on the frontend, it’s essential to be aware that handling CPU-bound tasks might necessitate additional measures. To optimize your frontend performance, especially in terms of page loading speed and user responsiveness, you can explore techniques discussed in this comprehensive front-end performance testing guide. It covers various aspects of front-end performance testing and optimization, providing insights that can enhance the user experience of your Node.js-based applications.
7.Svelte
Although Svelte isn’t very well-known at the moment, it’s one of the JS frameworks that’s predicted to grow in popularity in 2023 and beyond. Rich Harris, the creator of this framework, set out to develop a framework that could be the only tool developers would ever need to write code. Moreover, the app and the framework can exist independently.
This way, unlike many other existing technologies where you need to write code for both the application and the framework, with Svelte, you just need to create a code for the application. As a result, the code appears shorter and smaller in size, contributing to faster loading speeds.
Strengths:
- Ideal for developing independent web applications;
- Lightweight;
- Low learning curve;
- Fast code creation.
Cons:
- Because it’s a new thing in software development, its community isn’t very large;
- Has a rather scarce set of features.
Mithril
Mithril, another lesser-known but promising JavaScript framework, deserves a mention on this list. It’s often praised for its simplicity and minimalism, which can be particularly appealing to developers looking for a lightweight alternative to larger frameworks.
One of the Mithril’s standouts is its small size, weighing in at just 10kb. This makes it a great choice for projects where a compact bundle size and fast loading times are crucial. Despite its minimalistic approach, it doesn’t tail behind more heavyweight frameworks when it comes to handling complex SPAs.
Mithril also follows a virtual DOM architecture, similar to React, which helps optimize overall performance. It offers a simple and intuitive API, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced developers.
Strengths:
- Easy to learn for beginners;
- It’s a rather small size;
- Comes with detailed documentation;
- Offers a high level of flexibility.
Cons:
- As it’s only recently started to gain traction, it’s not widely used among teams;
- It’s only small when zipped.
9.Express.js
According to multiple polls, those developers who have used Express.js once all say that they would come back to it again. This popularity is explained due to the tool’s combo of flexibility, ease of use, and high performance.
The great thing about Express.js is that it houses immense capabilities despite its rather small size. In fact, it has everything you’d need to develop a web or mobile application. On top of that, this technology allows for setting up a middleware, which simplifies handling tasks like authentication, routing, and error handling.
Express.js is particularly well-suited for building RESTful APIs and web services, making it a popular choice for backend development in modern web applications.
Strengths:
- Seamless integration with other systems and solutions;
- Quite easy to get the knack of;
- Fast development;
- No need to switch between languages to develop apps and set up servers.
Cons:
- Understanding of middleware plugins is required;
- The template code may add complexity to the process.
10.Aurelia
Though last on the list, Aurelia shouldn’t be underestimated. This framework presents developers with a fresh perspective on web application development, emphasizing simplicity, modularity, and convention over configuration.
Aurelia has earned its place on this list for several compelling reasons. Foremost among them is its alignment with emerging trends through its modular system. In addition, it offers robust support for ECMAScript editors, making it a versatile choice suitable for a wide array of applications. Besides that, it has a rather gentle learning curve.
Strengths:
- Versatile framework, suitable for a wide range of applications;
- It’s very easy to learn.
Cons:
- Its community is rather small.
Bottom Line
Now you know which JavaScript frameworks continue to hold the top positions in 2023 and beyond. As you’ve seen, each of them has its own pros and cons so, before you single out one particular technology to work with, think about what kind of projects you’re working with (or would like to work with) most of the time to choose the correct solution. Consider whether your development needs are primarily centered around web applications or if you’re also looking to leverage these frameworks on your campus for educational purposes.