Svelte & SvelteKit – Exploring a Different UI Paradigm

Note: This article was originally published on June 10, 2021. Some information may be outdated.

SvelteKit is the official application framework for Svelte. It builds on the ideas of Sapper but brings a more modern setup with better performance and flexibility.

Unlike frameworks like React or Vue, Svelte compiles your code at build time. That means less JavaScript in the browser and faster runtime performance.

Getting Started

To scaffold a new SvelteKit project:

npm create svelte@latest my-app
cd my-app
npm install
npm run dev

This sets up:

• File-based routing (routes are defined by the filesystem)
• Server-side rendering by default
• Svelte components with zero runtime overhead

Example Component

A simple counter component in Svelte:

<script>
  let count = 0;
  function increment() {
    count += 1;
  }
</script>

<button on:click={increment}>
  Clicks: {count}
</button>

This syntax is minimal and reactive out of the box.

File-Based Routing

To add a new page, just create a .svelte file under src/routes.

touch src/routes/about.svelte

The file about.svelte becomes accessible at /about.

Why SvelteKit?

• Less client-side JavaScript
• Built-in SSR and static site generation
• Simpler mental model
• Flexible deployment (static or dynamic)

SvelteKit projects can also integrate with TypeScript, environment variables, and endpoints easily.

Conclusion

SvelteKit brings a refreshing developer experience with good defaults, fast builds, and clear separation of concerns. It’s worth exploring if you're looking for something faster and simpler than traditional UI frameworks.