Using front-end frameworks for web app development is a necessity. They allow developers to create accessible, interactive, and responsive UIs by offering a variety of tools, libraries, and components. These frameworks not only help you out with development tasks which saves your time but also enhance the overall app performance.
This post discusses the best front-end development frameworks that developers can use in 2024. You can have a look at their pros and cons along with the conditions in which you should or should not use them.
Top front-end frameworks in 2024
1. React
Facebook created the React framework and it is currently maintaining it. As per the reports from Stack Overflow, around 40% of developers use React. Facebook constantly upgrades its open-source framework by adding new features to it which helps solve maintainability issues of the code.
What makes React unique is its Virtual Document Object Model. The framework can work seamlessly in integration with other libraries for API interaction, routing, and state management.
If you are working on an application that is expected to have high web traffic and requires a stable platform to manage it then React is the front-end framework to opt for. Popular companies such as Netflix, Uber Eats, Pinterest, and Facebook used React to build their websites.
Pros
You can make changes to the code using React without ruining the original flow.
React’s Virtual DOM ensures that your app is consistently performing up to expectations.
React provides various reusable components for app development.
Cons
Proper documentation is hard to find as React is updated more often.
For beginners, understanding the JSX from React is a tough nut to crack.
Use cases
Complicated projects that involve various components and blocks that go through states such as active/disabled, active/inactive, and variable/binary could benefit from using React. But if the developers aren't capable of programming completely on Javascript then React might not be the best option for you.
2. Angular
Google developed and managed this TypeScript-based framework called Angular. The front-end framework was created to bridge the gap between conventional notions and the increasing demands of technology.
Angular offers a lot of unique features. One of them is two-way data binding which allows the components of your app to share data in real-time. Developers can use this feature to listen to events and update the values of the parent and child components simultaneously.
Between the View and the Model, the Angular framework has established real-time synchronization. It is to say that changes made in View would be reflected immediately in the Model and vice versa.
Angular offers capabilities for developing single-page and multipage applications along with mobile and web apps. Top companies such as Xbox, Forbes, and BMW use Angular to empower their websites.
Pros
Angular directives allow the developers to be innovative with document object models and use HTML to generate rich content.
Developers can leverage the framework to build interdependent components of code. Dependency injectors help decouple such components.
The built-in functionality of Angular ensures real-time model-view synchronization
Cons
Dynamic Angular apps are often observed to be unable to perform well.
The framework comes with a variety of built-in features and functionalities and learning to use them all is quite challenging.
Use cases
If you are working on large or enterprise-grade apps then Angular is the perfect fit for you. But if you are working in a small team that is building a simple app then using Angular would just complicate things.
3. Vue.js
VueJS is a simple front-end framework. It is said that this JavaScript-based progressive framework was created by combining the best features of all existing front-end frameworks.
The two main features of VueJS are component-based programming that provides two-way data binding and Document Object Model or DOM. These features eliminate all the complexities that developers face while using Angular.
Progressive web apps, web, and mobile apps can be built using VueJS framework. Xiaomi, Alibaba, and many more leading organizations use VueJS.
Pros
VueJS can help you build both simple and complex dynamic apps.
Comprehensive documentation is available that helps you with VueJS development.
Cons
There is a huge language barrier as most of the plugins VueJS offers are written in Chinese.
The framework is currently in a developing stage. So there isn't much community support available.
Use cases
If you have to create a single-page app with robust features right from scratch and integrate it with existing server pages then VueJS is the best available option. However, when working on large projects, it is recommended to avoid using VueJS.
4. jQuery
jQuery has withstood the test of time as it was initially launched in 2006. The framework is pretty simple and easy to use. If you need to write an extensive Javascript code, jQuery can help you get things done with minimal effort.
jQuery is still in the developing phase which means it is improving and becoming better with each passing day. In general, jQuery is just a library that developers can leverage to manipulate DOM and CSS for optimizing the website’s interactivity and functionalities.
Microsoft, Twitter, and SurveyMonkey are among the long list of companies that use jQuery.
Pros
jQuery is a very simple framework. Even if you have very little programming knowledge, you can start working with jQuery right away.
You can deploy a variety of dynamic apps using jQuery. Its flexible DOM allows you to add or remove components.
Cons
The interface of jQuery is lightweight which can be problematic in the long run.
Alternative options of this framework that are available in the market are capable of offering much better performance.
Use cases
jQuery is a great option for building JS-based desktop apps and delivering perfect website searchability and interactivity. jQuery is known to always access the DOM directly which can slow down the app's performance. So it is advised to not use this framework to develop complicated UIs.
5. EmberJS
EmberJS is a productive framework that helps create modern web apps. Everything you need to create elegant user interfaces will be catered to by this JavaScript-based framework. In terms of two-way data binding and component-based functionality, Ember is similar to Angular.
The purpose behind building this framework was to keep up with the increasing demands of modern technologies. Developers can use Ember to create multifaceted web and mobile apps as its design is effective at handling all the concerns. Although the framework is relatively new, Ember has gained quite a fan following among the developers community.
Ember has a rather rigid and conventional structure which makes it quite a difficult web UI framework. Trending applications like LinkedIn, Apple Music, and Tinder use the Ember framework.
Pros
Documentation is good
The framework is well-managed
Allows rapid development
Cons
Works well for small applications only
The framework comes with a difficult syntax
Updates are quite slow in EmberJS
Use cases
If you are tasked with developing a feature-rich single-page web app or a complex application then Ember is the right choice. But if you are working in a small team or on a small project then using Ember can overwhelm you as developers need to operate under a strict context of features.
Conclusion
The decision to pick a frontend framework depends on various factors such as the desired design for your website or application, your targeted audience, and your business goals. Therefore, you need to stay up-to-date on the recent developments in these segments. Picking the right framework means taking the first right step towards attaining your goals.
Here, we discussed the best front-end development frameworks available in the market. But technology always keeps evolving So there are chances that we may see the emergence of new contenders in the field vying for top positions.
Meanwhile, the existing frameworks are spreading their roots far wide and far deeper in the market with frequent updates and introduction of the latest features. So, it's always better to study your options and make an informed choice by aligning their features against your project requirements to see if they are capable of fulfilling them.