Modern Frontend Technologies: Svelte, SolidJS (and ReactJS?)

Hello! In this article, I'll be exploring two unique frontend frameworks: Svelte and SolidJS. These frameworks have caught my attention because of their special features and improvements compared to more traditional ones. I'll highlight their key features and strengths. I'll also talk about ReactJS, a popular framework that we also use in the HNG Internship program. Let's get started!

Svelte

Svelte is a JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. Unlike traditional frameworks such as React or Vue, which do most of their work in the browser, Svelte shifts that work into a compile step that happens when you build your app. Instead of using a virtual DOM, Svelte compiles your code to efficient vanilla JavaScript that updates the DOM when the state of your app changes.

To create your starter app template, run the following terminal commands:

npx degit sveltejs/template moz-todo-svelte
cd moz-todo-svelte
npm install
npm run dev

Key Features of Svelte

1. No Virtual DOM: Svelte compiles components into highly efficient code that directly manipulates the DOM.

2. Reactive Declarations: Svelte uses a simple approach to reactivity. State management in Svelte is achieved through simple assignments, making it intuitive and straightforward.

3. Built-in Optimizations: Svelte provides several built-in optimizations like scoped styles, dead code elimination, and more, right out of the box.

Strengths of Svelte

1. Better performance: Svelte applications can be faster because they operate without a virtual DOM, which eliminates the overhead of comparison checks found in other frameworks.

2. Smaller bundle size: The compiled output of Svelte applications tends to be smaller, leading to faster load times.

3. Simplicity: Svelte syntax is clean and easy to understand, making it a great choice for beginners and experienced developers.

SolidJS

SolidJS is a declarative JavaScript library for creating user interfaces, similar to React but it achieves fine-grained reactivity without using the virtual DOM. This approach ensures efficient and predictable updates in applications.

You can get started with a SolidJS template using:

npx degit solidjs/templates/js my-solid-project
cd my-solid-project
npm install

Features of SolidJS

1. Fine-Grained Reactivity: SolidJS keeps track of which parts of your app use which pieces of data. When the data changes, only those specific parts update, making it very efficient. Unlike React, which re-renders entire components and updates the DOM by comparing differences, SolidJS directly updates only the necessary parts of the UI.

2. JSX Syntax: SolidJS uses JSX, making it familiar to developers with experience in React.

3. Compile-time Optimizations: Similar to Svelte, SolidJS performs compile-time optimizations to generate highly efficient code.

Strengths of SolidJS

1. Performance: SolidJS's fine-grained reactivity can lead to highly efficient applications, performing better than more traditional frameworks in benchmarks.

2. Developer Experience: The use of JSX and a React-like API makes SolidJS a great choice for developers transitioning from React.

3. Flexibility: SolidJS provides a high degree of control over state management and rendering, enabling developers to tune their applications for better performance.

Choosing Between Svelte and SolidJS

Svelte and SolidJS each have their strengths. Svelte simplifies development with straightforward syntax and efficient compilation. Meanwhile, SolidJS offers a React-like experience with fine-grained reactivity and efficient DOM updates. Your choice depends on what suits your project best and your familiarity with each framework.

Final Thoughts

In this article, I've explored two exciting frontend frameworks: Svelte and SolidJS, each with unique strengths. However, in the HNG Internship program, we primarily use ReactJS because of its versatility and large community support. While ReactJS offers strong features, like any framework, it has challenges such as managing state and server-side rendering (SSR), and relies on tools like Redux and Next.js to address these issues. I'm eager to learn more about ReactJS, enhance my skills through practical projects, and collaborate with others at HNG.

To learn more about the HNG Internship program and how it can accelerate your career in tech, visit HNG Internship. You can also find and hire elite freelance talent at HNG Hire.