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Gazi Nahian
Gazi Nahian

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Why I Love Svelte: A Developer’s Perspective

Hey fellow developers,

If you’re a web developer, you’ve probably heard of Svelte
the modern framework that’s rewriting how we build user interfaces. Unlike traditional frontend frameworks, Svelte compiles your app into highly optimized JavaScript at build time, delivering lightning-fast performance with minimal runtime overhead.

And with SvelteKit, it’s not just UI anymore. It’s a full-stack framework that handles routing, server-side rendering, API routes, static site generation, and more — all while keeping things simple and fast.

My Svelte Journey

I’ve been working with Svelte for over six months, from just before Svelte 4 through Svelte 5. Honestly, it’s been one of the most refreshing developer experiences I’ve had.

Why? Because Svelte doesn’t trap you in heavy ecosystems or rigid patterns. It’s just clean JavaScript, enhanced by features like:

  • Reactive variables that feel natural
  • Scoped CSS with zero fuss
  • Built-in animations
  • Simple state management without extra libraries
  • Full-stack power through SvelteKit

It really feels like it was built for developers — focused on speed, simplicity, and productivity.

What Makes Svelte Different?

Unlike React or Vue, which use virtual DOMs, Svelte is a compiler. It transforms your components into plain JavaScript that updates the DOM directly. This means:

  • Smaller bundles
  • Faster performance
  • Less runtime complexity

SvelteKit: Full-Stack Made Simple

Think of SvelteKit as Svelte’s big sibling — a full-stack framework similar to Next.js. It includes:

  • File-based routing
  • Server-side rendering (SSR)
  • Static site generation (SSG)
  • API routes
  • Deployment adapters for platforms like Vercel and Netlify

This makes building modern web apps — frontend and backend — a breeze.

Who’s Using Svelte?

Svelte isn’t just a niche tool — it’s gaining traction among some of the biggest names in tech. According to this LinkedIn post by Eldad Fux, companies like Apple, IKEA, and others are using Svelte in production.

This proves Svelte is production-ready and trusted by industry leaders.

React vs Svelte: State Management Made Easy

Check out how simple managing state is in Svelte compared to React:

React:

import React, { useState } from 'react';

function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  return (
    <button onClick={() => setCount(count + 1)}>
      Clicked {count} times
    </button>
  );
}

export default Counter;
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Svelte:

<script>
  let count = 0;
</script>

<button onClick={() => count++}>
  Clicked {count} times
</button>
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Svelte’s reactivity is automatic — simply update the variable, and the UI updates instantly. No hooks or setters are needed. Plus, with Svelte 5, you can take advantage of runes, a powerful new feature that adds even more flexibility and magic to reactive programming.

Why Svelte Stands Out

  • No virtual DOM overhead — direct DOM updates for better speed
  • Readable, minimal code with built-in reactivity
  • Fast load times thanks to smaller bundles
  • Built-in animations without extra dependencies
  • SvelteKit seamlessly handles frontend and backend

Developer Experience Matters

What I love most about Svelte is how it improves the developer experience. When coding feels smooth and intuitive, your work becomes more enjoyable — and the apps you build get better.

With clean syntax and minimal boilerplate, Svelte lets you focus on solving problems instead of wrestling the framework.

Final Thoughts

After working with React and Svelte, Svelte is the first framework that truly feels intuitive and empowering. Big names like Apple, IKEA, Cloudflare, and Stack Overflow use it in production — it’s not just hype.

If you haven’t tried Svelte yet, give it a go. You might just fall in love.

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