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Stop Chasing New JavaScript Frameworks: Build with Fundamentals Instead 🏗️

Matt Lewandowski on March 20, 2025

If you've been a web developer for more than five minutes, you've seen this pattern: every few months, a shiny new JavaScript framework emerges, pr...

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hhvdblom • Mar 20

I write Javascript for more then 20 years. Did jQuery and Angular. But now Javascript with ESM is good enough to program even big web apps with plain Javascript.

Tracy Gilmore • Mar 20

We must remember the golden rule: Just because you can (write it in JS) doesn't mean you should.

keyr_syntax • Mar 23

To program big web apps, Typescript is best.

R. van Twisk • Mar 26

Not typescript, but making modules loosely coupled is best. We work with hundreds of people on a single app. It does work when done right.

Danny Engelman • Mar 21 • Edited

comment: We must remember the golden rule: Just because you can (write it in JS) doesn't mean you should.

Maybe the golden rule should be: If you can write it in less bloated JavaScript, maybe you should:

// one helper function every Framework also uses
const createElement = (tag,props={}) => Object.assign(document.createElement(tag),props);

// define <my-counter> Web Component
customElements.define( "my-counter", class extends HTMLElement {
  constructor( count = 0 , increment = 1) { // Web Component can be extended with different initial state
    super() // sets AND returns 'this' scope
      .attachShadow({mode:"open"}) // Optional!! sets AND returns this.shadowRoot
      .append( // not in IE Browser, old geezers use appendChild, append can do more
        this.button = createElement("button", {
          innerHTML: `Clicked <span>${count}</span> times`, // only change that span!
          onclick: e => this.button.querySelector("span").textContent = count += increment
        })
    )        
  }
})

live JSFiddle:

Foluso Adebisi • Mar 21 • Edited

Maybe the golden rule should be: If you can write it in less bloated JavaScript, maybe you should.

With this "Golden Rule" in mind, something becomes very evident in the article. Of all the sample codes in there (i.e React, Vue, and Svelte), Svelte seems the most concise; and isn't bloated at all. It has everything going for it, except the compilation; which I think is a good tradeoff for peace of mind!

Danny Engelman • Mar 21

I did a project with early online IDE Svelte.

I wanted to run it again the other day... alas I ended up in upgrade hell, it doesn't run any longer in Svelte 5

I am sticking with native; 100% sure there won't be any unwanted upgrades in the next 30 JavaScript years.

Alexander • Mar 22 • Edited

If you stop chasing frameworks you will never get a position nowadays!

For self projects using raw solutions saves time. But I regret that my released apps written in vanilla Java with old architecture styles, and I don't have time to recreate whole projects that fully accomplish their functionality.

I am old android developer & java backend dev, and ex vanilla JS dev. Nobody cares that I know under the hood in different areas, they only need frameworkers with 5+ experience on each framework!

apex jnr • Mar 24

I need 5 years experience on the newest framework, i need it now!

Louis Liu • Mar 26

That's true. Good look resume is better than solid experiences😭.

Alois Sečkár • Mar 21

I admit I am a Vue "fanboy", but how the hell are the mentioned "trade offs" negative? You learn a little bit specific syntax and you are forever good to go to create awesome web projects. Not talking about the fact you DON'T have to use SFC (you can even stick with JSX, if you are used to from React) nor the "specific state libraries".

I am getting your point that one framework is not always the best option for everything (every sane person from then community actually does), but the reasoning should be better.

Also other point of view - being able to produce solutions quickly in one technology and ecosystem you know good and deeply is probably more efficient in general than seeking the most optimal solution and constantly jumping from one to another stack or even write your own vanilla solutions.

I am aware of well documented cases when simply changing landing page from a bloated framework solution to pure html+css+js handmade solution meant an immense savings in respose times and bandwith, but it is not always the case.

Alex Lohr • Mar 24

Actually, many of these newer frameworks make a lot of sense - for a certain use case. Learning about the distinctions is not wasted time. Rewriting your app may be, unless the framework it is written in becomes an issue.

For example, I spent the better part of two years rewriting a durandall app part by part in react, because durandall was no longer maintained and had severe security issues.

If it's not a web app, you might not need a framework. Using the right tools saves time.

José Pablo Ramírez Vargas • Mar 21

Just a remake of:

Why the Latest JavaScript Frameworks Are a Waste of Time

Leon Martin ・ Mar 14

#javascript #react #node #programming

Did you credit this other author?

James Real • Mar 24

Oh no. The editorial police have arrived.

José Pablo Ramírez Vargas • Mar 24

Oh no, the smarty pants guy arrived.

C K • Mar 21

100%

I'm old school, I still just use plain JavaScript.

Ever since ES6+, features like let, const, arrow functions, and async/await for easier asynchronous handling...I just didn't see the need. With built-in APIs, performance improvements, and ES modules, JavaScript is now more powerful and less reliant on heavy frameworks.

Chidera Humphrey • Mar 21

Nice read, Matt

I have always advocated learning the fundamentals and sticking to a core set of tech stack.

I like your idea of being aware of trends but using proven tools for serious work.

And most people moving from one framework to another only see performance gains of ~20ms. Nothing much really.

Shaktijeet Sahoo • Mar 21

Completely agree with this, and I am speaking from my mere 3 years of experience as a web developer.

Stick. To. What. You. Know. Best.

But not when you're learning and actively looking for a job or looking forward to creating your own products. Because by having a vague idea of the problems a framework solves and creates, you can choose what is best for your needs.

Dominik • Mar 21

The main reason behind the abundance of frameworks is that every developer eventually builds their own toolbox—consisting of libraries, patterns, and abstractions—which naturally evolves into a framework over time. The fact that so many frameworks exist proves that JavaScript provides the flexibility to enable this evolution. I would be more concerned about developers who never create their own framework, as abstraction and the pursuit of efficiency are natural—not just in software development, but in human nature itself.

Michael Moranis • Mar 21

I'm a developer at the beginning of my career and recently I was building projects using the basics, HTML CSS and JS, and while I was remembering the basic concepts, certain React features came to mind, then I realized how certain things work with frameworks and using only the basics, it was incredible!!

Tobias Uhlig • Mar 21

@mattlewandowski93 The frameworks you mention are extremely similar, focussing on writing html (JSX, templates). E.g. it does not matter too much if you use react or vue.

Architecture is a pain point in both of them: you can not define abstract configuration based components (which are separated from the DOM), there are no view controllers (separation of concerns, to not drop business logic into components), no baked in nested hierarchical state providers.

All of them focus on "apps" for one time users, e.g. nextjs with SSR => great performance to get the first page, navigating around, streaming html => way more traffic & costs than needed. All of them end up in npm dependency hell.

None of them has multi-window support (without native shells).
None of them follow the "off the main-thread" paradigm (way beyond multi-threading).
None of them has an instant dev mode, which runs with zero builds or transpilations (this boosts productivity, you could write entire apps inside the console, grab instances, change component configs).

For apps with returning users, we can do a lot better.
For apps with complex enterprise forms, we can easily go for nested lazy-loaded forms, which don't even need a state provider and can validate unmounted fields.

So, at the end of the day, choose the technology which best fits your project needs.

Since you are probably not aware of it, you might want to study the following google gemini deep research:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tobiasuhlig_google-gemini-deep-research-neomjs-deep-activity-7308512714778152965-vyDg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAWs5_ABeQERL3786GiagFEpVx_aoUvfDcI

Best regards,
Tobias

P.S.: As a framework author, I can not be silent when the message basically says "ignore new tech".

Angelo Mandato • Mar 22

Yes sometimes using something like React for a simple submission form is like using a sledge hammer to poke a hole in a sheet of paper.

I have a different take, and always have. These are all just tools in your toolbox, depending on the job you pull the right one out. To ever say one way is best is foolish. Ask a car mechanic, do they always use sockets with a ratchet, the answer is no. Sometimes they use an old school wrench, sometimes a ratcheting wrench, sometimes a crowsfoot, or even a flare wrench. Once you free your mind like this you will not think of yourself as a React or Vue, or XYZ developer, the sooner you will think of yourself as a Software Developer who knows how to get crap done. And that's what matters!

Brittian Warner • Mar 21

Your negative for Svelte about the compile step doesn’t really make sense IMO. In fact, I would argue it’s a better pattern and a +1 for why frameworks are nice. I like the sentiment of the article though and agree fundamentals are always key. Maybe the real solution is which framework is best for keeping with the fundamentals?

James Oduor • Mar 22

I cannot emphasize further. This approach is as practical as it suggests and will help developers across the board better manage the their environment with confidence. Thank you for this piece @mattlewandowski93

mksunny1 • Mar 22

Great post, Matt! I completely agree that a strong grasp of JavaScript fundamentals is essential. Too many developers rely on heavy frameworks without understanding what’s happening under the hood. That’s one of the reasons I built Deleight, a lightweight alternative that keeps things fast and minimal while still making development smoother. Instead of reinventing everything, it enhances vanilla JavaScript in a way that feels natural. I’d love to hear your thoughts on projects that strike a balance between fundamentals and convenience!

Gustavo Alexandrino • Mar 21

Liz Gravat • Mar 21

AI generated image followed by an essay. 100% this entire article is ai generated. i aint reading allat, ima just stick with react

James Real • Mar 24

Okay, Mrs All knowing. Calm down. We don’t care what you do.

Frédéric VENOT • Mar 21 • Edited

That's what I keep saying for years. Framework are just trendy things and waste of time. You spend more time trying to find workarounds for the framework limitations or trying to understand its weird logics than actually provide a efficient work.

Nobody care about performance anymore.

Afisunlu Dapo • Mar 23

Angular stole a whole one year from my life. I have now recovered by fallen back to VanillaJS and my life is now better. As a beginner, I never new in-depth Typescript knowledge is required to learn Angular properly.

Godwin 'Kachi • Mar 21

Had a good read...

Thanks for saying it the way it should be said.

intermundos • Mar 23

Another meaningless post on tools.

Learn your case and needs, find and master proper tool for it. Enjoy the ride.

Aaron Rohrbacher • Mar 26

Sing it from the rooftops! Thanks for this piece. As a back-leaning fullstacker, I continue to be blown away at how dependency-ridden and just plain complicated some of the simplest tasks in front end development have become. By way of the react, vue, angular, etc. flavor-of-the-week "ecosystems," of course. I love react in the right use cases, but it shouldn't cost GBs to write a date on a webpage... Ultimately in JavaScript anyway hah!

Stephen Paul Hassall • Mar 21

Frameworks are just extra layers of complexity we can do without. Long ago, using JavaScript to make web sites was a nightmare, so frameworks came along to fit the problem. Now that JavaScript has made countless improvements over the years, all those frameworks are now no longer required.

Great article.

John Cowan • Mar 22

On the contrary, they are required in order to segment the labor market for the benefit of employers. If (to make up some numbers) there are 8 frameworks in use but the average dev knows only two, then 80% of applicants can be rejected without further examination.

Ali AbdElbagi • Mar 20

Thanks for helping..

i need advice ..I'm coming from vanilla js and start learn React js

José Pablo Ramírez Vargas • Mar 21

The advice: Learn React for job stability, but learn SolidJS or Svelte to learn the best there is.

Ali AbdElbagi • Mar 21

Thank you for the advice ..

Uyi Osunbor • Mar 21

I don't really like plain JavaScript but I do like react because of its component given structure there is no way I'll trade it off for another framework

nadeem zia • Mar 21

Good information provided with good points

Deepak Bhardwaj • Mar 21

You are clear and sharp in your points.

Veilgen Security • Mar 24

This article perfectly captures the reality of the JavaScript ecosystem. Chasing every new framework can be exhausting, and focusing on fundamentals is a much more sustainable approach. Great insights

theking2 • Mar 24

Sometimes framework progression forces you to do rewrites (AngularJS to Angular2+, Vue2 to Vue3)

Elex • Mar 24

Does the Shiny Object Syndrome apply to this type of hype that people are after, not being able to focus on the very thing that will help their foundation in terms of programming?

Olaoye kunle • Mar 22

Wow. This is really insightful. One can hardly keep up with the trend when it comes to how framework evolves this day.

Jules MUKADI • Mar 22

I support you
But if I understand correctly, you're saying it's better to code without a framework?

Michael Noël • Mar 24

Whatever framework or library is popular, is mainly because companies poor millions of dollars into development. It's harder to start from scratch then to continue with the current stack.

SC Avangard • Mar 22

Thanks for the information

Lucian DEV • Mar 20

Good points 👍

Huỳnh Trung Cảnh • Mar 24

yes

James Kingston • Mar 24

I love using angular js personally, but your article seems written by AI

Guruprasad Kulkarni • Mar 22

Agreed, that's what Adam Bien also suggests and with CDN your code runs blazing fast and developer experience is amazing because there's no build step Browsers understand JS CSS and of course HTML

Friday candour • Mar 21

New frameworks are not bad don't make it look like that.

Mauricio • Mar 25 • Edited

I got better one than all of them put together, goto alltechneeds.com