As the volume and complexity of JavaScript applications continues to grow, the availability of third-party libraries and frameworks has also expanded. In this post, we take a look at some of the most popular options available today. We know how challenging it can be to choose one library or another, especially when there are so many on offer. Nevertheless, all these options can help you streamline your code and make your application more concise. Moreover, they also enable faster development and testing cycles. Let’s take a look at 9 essential JS libraries and frameworks that will make your life as a developer much easier!

React

Very few libraries are more popular than React these days. This particular library was developed by a team at Facebook. It’s an open source framework that’s used for building user interfaces. React is used for building high-speed user interfaces. Its virtual DOM is very fast. This means that React is capable of updating the UI without reloading the page. Today, React is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries for web applications. It has a lot of advantages and can be used in a wide range of situations. Nevertheless, React is often criticized for being too complex and having too many concepts.

Angular

One of the most popular frameworks in JavaScript has been Angular. It’s been the leading front-end JS library since its release in 2010. It is sponsored by Google and is used in several of their projects, including AdWords and Google Analytics. Unlike React, which is a view layer library, Angular is a full stack JavaScript framework. It allows you to create an entire application, including everything from the backend API to the frontend user interface. The best thing about Angular is that it has everything built-in. You don’t have to use other libraries to implement functionality like authentication and routing. You can simply use built-in Angular modules. However, in recent years, Angular has been criticized for being bloated and too complex. Google also recommends using a new version, which is more lightweight and focused on simplicity.

Vue.js

Vue.js was released in February 2014 and is one of the most recent and hottest libraries and frameworks currently available. It was created by the same person who created Laravel, an extremely popular PHP framework. Vue is often referred to as a simple and intuitive front-end library. It has a very small learning curve and can be used to create both simple and complex applications. Vue.js is great for creating user interfaces. It can also be used to create single page apps, although it’s not as good at that as React. Vue is also extremely lightweight and easy to set up. This makes it a great option for beginners and small teams.

Angular 2 and Angular 4

Angular 2 and 4 are the newer versions of the hugely popular Angular framework. Both are completely rewritten from the ground up, based on the new and improved Typescript language. Angular 2 is the first major release that is not backwards compatible with its predecessor. It uses the new web standard, ECMAScript 6 (also known as ES6), which is not supported by most browsers. Angular 4 is the newest version of the framework, released in 2016. It is backwards compatible with ES6, and was rewritten using Typescript. The first version of Angular is often criticized for being too complex. While it can be used to create solid applications, it also has a steep learning curve.

Meteor

Meteor is not a single JavaScript framework, but rather an open source full stack framework that allows you to build client and server applications at the same time. Meteor comes with a built-in database and can be used to create both websites and mobile apps. Meteor is a great framework if you have a large team and want to minimize the time spent on setting up the development environment. Meteor is a great option if you want to build quickly and don’t mind sacrificing a bit of flexibility.

Ember

Another framework that is worth mentioning is Ember. Ember is an open source JavaScript framework used for building web and mobile applications. Ember was initially released in January 2011 and is still very relevant in 2019. It has been used in many production applications, including Airbnb and GitHub. Ember is great if you want to build large and complex JavaScript applications. It has many features that make that process easier. However, it can be tricky to set up.

Durandal

Durandal is an open source JavaScript framework designed to simplify the process of creating single page applications. It’s used mainly for building apps that run on Windows. It has great documentation and a thriving community. Durandal is a great choice if you want to build an app for Windows. It’s easy to get started with and has a ton of functionality built-in. However, this framework also has some downsides. It’s not as widely used as React and Angular, so finding people to work on your project can be more difficult.

Conclusion

If you’re building a web application, then you’ll need a JavaScript framework. These pre-built libraries can help you save a ton of time and effort by providing you with everything you need to create a functional application. From the above list, we recommend you to choose React, Vue, or Angular. These three are the most popular frameworks out there and come with a ton of useful features. If you’re just starting out with building applications, these three are a great place to begin. You’ll be able to create functional and advanced apps without having to know everything about the ins and outs of JavaScript.