Ah, jQuery — the library that powered a generation of web apps.
In the early 2010s, it was nearly impossible to build a frontend without it. DOM manipulation, AJAX calls, cross-browser compatibility — jQuery was the go-to solution. Fast forward to today, and modern JavaScript frameworks like React, Vue, and Svelte dominate the landscape.
So, is jQuery dead?
Not Exactly.
While it's no longer the star of modern frontend development, jQuery is far from dead. In fact, it still ships with WordPress, is used by countless legacy apps, and continues to have millions of downloads per week on npm.
Here's why jQuery is still alive:
- Legacy Systems: Thousands of websites still run on jQuery. Rewriting them from scratch isn't always feasible.
- Simplicity: For quick scripts and small projects, jQuery still offers a fast way to handle DOM manipulation.
- Developer Familiarity: Many developers — especially those maintaining older projects — are comfortable with it.
But Here's the Catch:
-
Modern JavaScript has caught up. With
querySelector,fetch,classList, and more, the main reasons for using jQuery are now natively supported. - Frameworks Rule: Component-based frameworks and reactive libraries make jQuery's imperative model feel outdated.
- Performance & Bundle Size: In performance-sensitive apps, the extra weight of jQuery is hard to justify.
TL;DR
jQuery isn't dead — it's just retired from the spotlight.
It’s a legacy tool that still works, but if you're starting a new project in 2025, it’s probably best to skip it.
What do you think? Are you still using jQuery in any of your projects? Let me know in the comments! 👇
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