Top 5 JavaScript Frameworks to Increase Your Productivity

What is a JavaScript Framework?

Frameworks are the set of previously written codes that are used by programmers(also by developers) to make their tasks easier. They contain a set of various libraries which have prewritten code in them which can be used based on our needs. They play an important role in reducing the time taken for creating projects. JavaScript has been one of the most popular languages for web development. Frameworks in JavaScript make the process of building applications easier. By using frameworks, we can avoid the process of starting from scratch when building applications. They are very easily adaptable and they help in increasing productivity. We can also use libraries directly without frameworks. When using a library, we can decide where to use it but in the case of frameworks, it decides the position of a library. We can use a library or a framework accordingly.

JavaScript Frameworks Functionality

Frameworks are to be chosen according to our needs. There are many frameworks for serving multiple tasks. Many web applications have some of the features common in them. We can use frameworks in multiple web applications by the very fact that they have the pre-written code for these basic features. Thus, helping the programmers to avoid starting from scratch. A developer can refer to these frameworks and use them according to their need.

Need for a Framework

Using an appropriate framework plays a crucial and essential part in creating applications as it reduces the time and effort of a developer in developing applications. It mainly aims at making common activities easier. It enables the developers to develop unique features in their applications instead of rewriting the same old code. It is not a compulsion to use the frameworks but using them is advisable as they make tasks smoother and easier. It will not be an easy task for developing applications without using frameworks. Frameworks ensure all the security requirements when building applications.

Some famous frameworks 

There are many frameworks to build a web application. We can choose a framework according to our requirements. Let us discuss about some of the famous JavaScript frameworks.

1) Angular

• It is one of the best JavaScript frameworks.
• It gives very high performance. It is one of the most powerful and efficient frameworks.
• It is maintained by Google.
• It has a component-based structure.
• It is known as a framework that is capable of merging JavaScript with HTML and CSS. It is an excellent framework for front-end development.
• It detects errors instantly and gives appropriate options to modify those errors. Changes are displayed in the view.
• It can work across many operating systems.
• It is a complex and heavy framework. There might be little difficulties in learning it.
• Many websites use angular. Some of them are Upwork, Freelancer, Paypal, IBM, Samsung, etc.

2) Next.js

It is a JavaScript framework with which we can create static and dynamic websites.

• It is known for its server-side rendering.
• It has an auto-reload capability with changes in the source code of the application you’re making while using it.
• It is very compatible with the ecosystem of other frameworks.
• It has a feature that allows us to write the CSS code directly in JavaScript.
• It doesn’t need any initial configuration.
• It has a very less number of plugins.
• Many websites use Next.js. Some of them are Netflix, Uber, Starbucks, Hulu, Twitch, Magic Leap, Docker, etc. 

3) Vue.js

• It is called a progressive JavaScript framework.
• It is used in developing websites and apps.
• It is very easy for programmers to understand.
• It is very adaptable.
• It is a flexible framework with a small size.
• It has only a few plugins.
• It is not used in large scaling.
• Some of the websites using Vue.js are Facebook, Netflix, Google, Apple, BMW, Adobe, etc.

4) Ember.js

• It is a JavaScript front-end framework that helps in creating single-page applications.
• It is best used for building large projects and it can easily be used by large teams.
• It is very easy to maintain.
• Programmers face little difficulties in learning it as it is very complicated.
• It is quite slow and inefficient as compared to other frameworks.
• Some of the websites using Ember.js are Apple music, DigitalOcean, Linkedin, Accenture, OYO Rooms, Square, etc.

5) Cypress

• It is a JavaScript end-to-end testing framework.
• It tests anything that runs in a web browser.
• The writing time for tests of this framework is low when compared to other frameworks.
• It automatically takes the screenshots of test execution in case of failure of tests. This helps in debugging.
• It is written in Javascript and runs on a Node.js server.
• It is very easy to set up this framework.
• It enables us to conduct different tests even on highly interactive applications.
• We can operate this framework inside the browser.
• Some of the companies using the cypress framework are GoDaddy, Habx, Asos, Qxperts, Dolthub, Paypal, Twilio, etc.

Selection of a right framework

• The foremost thing you should do before selecting a framework is to list out the requirements you are expecting from a framework.
• Now you can search for the required frameworks as now you have the exact list of features that you expect from a framework.
• Go for a popular framework. A popular and complete framework includes good ideas. A large community comes up with ideas to upgrade the framework. They also help the developers new to the platform.
• The license of a framework plays a vital role. You should check whether the license of a framework is liberal enough to allow you to create private applications. 
• You should choose a framework that will be able to keep up with you; making the task of maintaining your application easier.
• A framework should be able to ensure the security of an application. You should do it to minimize the risk of your application.
• Proper documentation is very much essential for a framework. A well-explained document is a key to the success of a framework. So, always choose a framework with proper documentation.
• Always choose an active framework. So that it can fix the bugs in time and give regular updates.  

This was all about the frameworks of JavaSript. If you want to learn more about javascript, do check out the article and course on Codedamn of javascript.