Front End Frameworks - spinningideas/resources GitHub Wiki
Frontend Frameworks
Overview
The frontend development landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Here are the top frameworks and libraries that are leading the way, each with their unique strengths and use cases.
React
Developed by Facebook, React is a flexible JavaScript library for building user interfaces. It's often recommended for large, complex applications, and is known for its strong community support, performance due to its virtual DOM, and a large ecosystem of tools.
Best For: Large-scale applications, complex UIs, teams with JavaScript expertise
Key Features:
- Virtual DOM for optimal performance
- Component-based architecture
- Extensive ecosystem and community
- Strong TypeScript support
- Server-side rendering with Next.js
Resources:
Popular Meta-Frameworks:
- Next.js - Full-stack React framework
- Remix - Web-focused React framework
- Gatsby - Static site generator
Angular
Developed by Google, Angular is a comprehensive framework suitable for enterprise-level applications. It offers a structured approach with features like two-way data binding and dependency injection.
Best For: Enterprise applications, large teams, complex business logic
Key Features:
- Full-featured framework with everything included
- TypeScript by default
- Powerful CLI and tooling
- Dependency injection system
- Strong testing capabilities
Resources:
Starter Kits:
UI Libraries:
Showcase:
Vue.js
A progressive framework known for its simplicity and ease of learning. It's often recommended for small to medium-sized applications.
Best For: Rapid prototyping, small to medium applications, developers new to frameworks
Key Features:
- Gentle learning curve
- Progressive adoption
- Excellent documentation
- Single-file components
- Strong ecosystem
Resources:
Starter Kits:
UI Libraries:
Meta-Frameworks:
Showcase:
Svelte
Gaining popularity for its performance, Svelte compiles code into highly optimized JavaScript, eliminating the need for a virtual DOM.
Best For: Performance-critical applications, smaller bundle sizes, modern web development
Key Features:
- Compile-time optimization
- No virtual DOM overhead
- Smaller bundle sizes
- Built-in state management
- Excellent developer experience
Resources:
Meta-Framework:
- SvelteKit - Full-stack Svelte framework
Emerging and Specialized Frameworks
Solid.js
- Fine-grained reactivity
- No virtual DOM
- React-like syntax with better performance
Qwik
- Resumable applications
- Instant loading
- Progressive hydration
Flutter Web
- Cross-platform development
- Dart programming language
- Flutter Resources
Framework Selection Guide
Choose React When:
- Building large, complex applications
- Need extensive third-party library support
- Team has strong JavaScript/TypeScript skills
- Require flexibility in architecture decisions
Choose Angular When:
- Building enterprise-scale applications
- Need a full-featured framework out of the box
- Team prefers opinionated, structured approaches
- TypeScript is a requirement
Choose Vue.js When:
- Rapid prototyping or MVP development
- Team is new to modern frameworks
- Need progressive adoption in existing projects
- Want balance between simplicity and power
Choose Svelte When:
- Performance is critical
- Bundle size matters
- Building modern, lightweight applications
- Want cutting-edge technology
Additional Resources
General Resources
State Management
React:
- Redux - Predictable state container
- Zustand - Small, fast, and scalable state management
- Jotai - Primitive and flexible state management
Angular:
Vue:
Svelte:
- Built-in stores - Svelte's native state management
Testing
Unit Testing:
E2E Testing:
- Playwright - Fast and reliable end-to-end testing
- Cypress - Fast, easy and reliable testing for anything that runs in a browser
Component Testing:
- Testing Library - Simple and complete testing utilities
- React Testing Library
- Vue Testing Library
- Angular Testing Library