Think of Netflix, Instagram, Facebook, and Zomato; what is the one thing they all have in common?
They all have clean, simple, and aesthetically-pleasing interfaces that make their users completely enjoy the flawless experience. But how do they create a seamless user experience?
Simply, by leveraging the power of frameworks that allow them to create an unforgettable user experience.
No matter how complex and cloudy functions run on the backend, what matters is how your users experience when they interact with your website or apps.
But the real struggle starts when looking for the best and top front-end frameworks that provide exceptional usability and functionality.
In this article, we shed light on the most popular front end frameworks that allow you to choose the one which meets your business requirements, here are our recommendations-
1. React
React, also known as React.js, is a renowned front-end JavaScript library for creating intuitive user interfaces and associated components. In 2011, React was created by Jordan Walke, a developer at Facebook. It gained popularity in 2013 when it became an open-source framework.
The big Giants such as Walmart, Tesla, PayPal, and Netflix, their front-end development teams use React, which ensures the reliability and robustness of this tool. It is recognized as one of the top front-end frameworks because of its excellent functionality, code maintainability, and virtual DOM (Document of Model).
So if you are someone who is looking for an ideal framework that can help you anticipate high traffic and a stable platform to manage, React is a prominent solution.
Advantages
• Easy to learn
It is a straightforward and easy framework who are familiar with front-end JavaScript.
• Fine Usability
The Incredible advantage of React web UI framework is that it is cross-platform, the code is easy to read, and it has a low threshold, which suggests that it can allow building a website or an app quickly.
• Incredible Facebook support
Nothing can be better than having robust support from a company like Facebook. Hence, this framework can be a good solution for creating websites or apps.
• Intuitive version control
It allows to run old code smoothly and effortlessly in each new version, and therefore, it provides users to update without hassle.
• Easy access
It can be used worldwide, so you can get tons of knowledge-based content around the internet that helps you fix the problem.
Limitations
• JSX complexity
During the initial phase of learning React, it cannot be an easy task for the developers to gain the insightful concept of JSX.
• Poor quality documentation
It is not easy to maintain proper documentation because the components update at high speed.
When can React be used?
1. React can be used to build scalable single-page applications.
2. It is a kind of easy-to-use and user-oriented framework that helps create an interactive interface with limited time, like progressive web apps (PWAs). The reason is simple; this framework allows you to reuse the components.
3. You can rely on this framework while building a complex project that includes many blocks like navigation, menu, navigation panels, and buttons as it has Virtual DOM.
When should you avoid using React?
JSX is not easy to learn; therefore, you should ignore using React if you are new to this. Moreover, if you don't have a competent knowledge of JavaScript, it's not recommended option.
Features
1. Secure and stable code
2. Virtual DOM
3. Enhanced performance and speed
4. Effectively compatible with diverse libraries
5. Faster debugging
6. Unidirectional data binding
7. Impeccable flexibility across mobile and web
Real-time React use-cases
1. The majority of components of the Airbnb application are built using React.
2. Yahoo mails user interface uses react for high-end modulation.
3. React can be used by renowned companies like Netflix, PayPal, Uber, Microsoft, eBay, LinkedIn, and Google.
2. Angular
Angular is one of the powerful user interface frameworks created by Google in 2010 to narrow the gap between technological advancement and traditional concepts.
It is a typescript-based development platform with a diverse collection of well-integrated libraries and allows the development of scalable applications, making it an excellent Web UI framework.
Advantages
• Great flexibility
It is a kind of one of the top front-end frameworks due to its cross-platform nature, which can help you compile and execute applications across different environments or at the server-side by leveraging third-party libraries such as NativeScript.
• Real-time synchronization
It is one of the user interface frameworks that reduce the chances of error due to the default two-way data binding property, which allows real-time synchronization.
• Customization
You can reuse and customize the components in other angular projects made from another framework.
• High performance
Due to its ahead-of-time compiler, it can turn HTML and TypeScript code into structured JavaScript at the time of development.
Limitations
• Difficult to learn
The angular framework is harder to learn than React due to confusing documentation.
• Heavy Framework
Angular is a heavier Framework than React due to its complexity which can negatively impact dynamic apps and requires code optimization.
When can Angular be used?
It is the best UI framework to develop enterprise-level web apps with complex infrastructure. It can also be used for multi-page apps having dynamic content and progressive web apps.
When should you avoid using Angular?
It cannot be a good fit for small-scale web apps having simple syntax and static content. In addition, it is not an SEO-friendly framework, so if you are looking for SEO Optimization, it is not a good alternative.
Features
1. Offers great flexibility
2. Google long term support
3. Cross-platform and MVC architecture
4. Hierarchy dependency injection
5. Two-way data binding
6. Ease in maintaining
Real-time Angular use-cases
1. One of the best examples is the YouTube version of PlayStation 3.
2. The Guardian used Angular to build a system that can handle unlimited scrolling of search results.
3. Some of the companies that leveraged this Framework are Forbes, Gmail, Blender Upwork, Microsoft Office, and Xbox.
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3. Vue.js
It is the kind of Web UI framework that combines React and Angular. It was made in 2014 by Evan You and has provided two-way reactive data mining without any need for additional libraries. It is a simple framework that overcomes the angular framework's challenges, and its APIs help solves large-scale tasks.
Advantages
• Virtual DOM
It is a default feature of an abstraction of traditional DOM, which provides significant optimization of app performance.
• Easy to learn
If someone knows JavaScript, HTML and CSS can quickly learn the framework syntax of Vue.js.
• Third-party integration
It is one of the top front-end frameworks which can easily integrate with other libraries.
• High performance
It is a fast and scalable tool due to its small size and simplicity.
Limitations
• Linguistic challenges
The problem with the Vue component is that most are written in Chinese, which can act as linguistic challenges for developers belonging to other regions.
• Small community
As this framework is relatively young compared to Angular and React, and not gaining that level of usage.
When can Vue.js be used?
Vue.js can be used in small and large-scale web & mobile apps, complex single-page apps, and PWAs.
When should you avoid using Vue.js?
It cannot be suitable for large projects if the developers don't have competency in this framework. Moreover, the lack of a supportive community can become a big drawback if you need help with the complexity.
Features
1. Virtual DOM
2. Easy to understand
3. Simple syntax and integration
4. HTML-based templates
5. Organized documentation
6. Built-in CSS transitions and animations
7. Vue-routers (offers seamless navigation between pages)
Real-time Vue.js use-cases
1. Alibaba used Vue.js as its go-to front end platform.
2. IBM Hybrid Cloud Design made use of Vue.js due to its component-based structure.
3. Some examples that used Vue.js frameworks are Behance, Gitlab, Xiaomi, and 9gag.
4. jQuery
This web UI framework is an oldster frontend framework. It was released in 2006, and its relevance, easy usability, and simplicity make it stand out from other competitors.
Over 41 million websites use it, and its cross-platform library makes client-side HTML scripting easier.
Advantages
• Simplicity
The tool is easy to use, and the framework can be learned easily.
• Browser Compatibility
Due to its compatibility, you can use this framework with the choice of your browser.
• Mobile enablement
Due to its recent improvements, it can be well suited for responsive web solutions.
• Vast community
Since this web UI framework has been used for many years, it has formed a reliable community.
Limitations
• Low performance
Its operating speed is relatively low, which decreases the overall performance.
• Outdated API
The framework has outdated DOM APIs. Even with modern browsers, you can perform the same work quicker than jQuery.
When can jQuery be used?
It can be used to develop lightweight and straightforward dynamic applications.
When should you avoid using jQuery?
It cannot be used in building large-scale web solutions because it requires a ton of extra codes to write.
Features
1. DOM, CSS & HTML manipulation
2. Animation and effects
3. Extensibility through plug-ins
4. JSON parsing
5. AJAX
6. Utilities
Real-time jQuery use-cases
1. Uber's technology stack has incorporated jQuery.
2. Quora has integrated the jQuery Framework to improve its graphical interface.
3. Other companies like Microsoft, Twitter, Fiverr, Trello, Uber, SurveyMonkey, WordPress, and GeeksforGeeks use jQuery for their web development projects.
5. Ember.js
It is an open-source JavaScript web UI framework that helps ambitious developers to develop scalable cross-platform applications. It is a Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) and architectural pattern-based framework that can help develop single-page web apps.
Advantages
• Two-way data binding
It helps in automating updating the values in associated components and templates.
• Reusability
It is one of the user interface frameworks in which the app created by it is reusable.
• Command-line interface
It allows to efficiently create new entities and incorporate them into the development process by leveraging utility with code generators.
Limitations
• Hard to learn
The Ember syntax is difficult to understand.
• Small community
This framework is not prominently popular.
When can Ember.js be used?
It can be used for mobile and large-scale web projects.
When should you avoid using Ember.js?
It is not suitable for small, simple projects because it is a kind of heavy framework.
Features
1. Two-way data binding
2. Server-side rendering
3. URL-focused approach
4. Native testing & debugging tools
Real-time Ember.js use-cases
1. LinkedIn used Ember.js to improve its UI/UX.
2. It helped Netflix for becoming more modern and scalable.
FAQs
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What is a front-end framework?
It is specifically a bundle of pre-written, standardized JavaScript code to build a front end with which a user can interact when visiting your website or app.
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Which is the easiest framework?
React is one of the easiest because it has a low learning curve.
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Why are frameworks helpful?
By using frameworks, you don't need to do everything from scratch, and hence it can save money, time, and effort.
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Which framework is widely used?
According to Statista, 40.14% of software developers are using React.js, and hence it has become one of the most popular front end frameworks.
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Which is the simplest web framework?
Vue.js is the simplest because it is easy to learn and use. In addition, it provides dynamic functioning and is SEO-friendly.
Key takeaway
Talking about the top frontend frameworks, React, Angular, and Vue.js has gained the highest position in the competitive marketplace. These frameworks are popular because of the vast community support due to their seamless flexibility and intuitive features.
If you are looking to build an exceptional app or website, we provide bespoke UI/UX design and development services.
Originally Published: https://www.zenesys.com/blog/5-best-front-end-frameworks