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Hazmi Irfan
Hazmi Irfan

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A Front End developer building a project without using a Front End framework

When I decided to built my new side project[1] . My mind quickly think of what stack should I use. I love Elixir so my Back End is sorted using Phoenix Framework. But what about Front End?

Should I use React? A language that I have used for work everyday for this past few years?

Or should I use a new framework? Svelte seems interesting and I like Elm because of it functional programming.

But being the only developer for this project, I decided that separating the Front End and Back End would only add to the effort and complexity. One that I did not needed at this time.

That lives me with only 1 option. Using the Phoenix template render. Or specifically, Phoenix LiveView.

I know it can handle real time interaction but I am more interested in the complexity side. Is it easier and faster than using a Front End framework?

After building my project, I can say yes. It is faster and easier than using a Front End framework. Provided that you are the only developer for the project. How much faster? I built the prototype of my website in 3 days. I think if I were to built it with React, it would take more than a week.

[1] Inoffice

Top comments (2)

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lionelrowe profile image
lionel-rowe

Nice to see a review of LiveView from a practical development speed point of view. Out of interest, how familiar were you already with Elixir, Phoenix, and LiveView versus your React knowledge?

Also, I thought this post was going to be about vanilla JS. Arguably LiveView is still a front-end framework... It's just a front-end framework that happens to live on the back end 😆

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tehaisperlis profile image
Hazmi Irfan

I have ~4 year experience of working as React Developer and 1~ year working on side project using Phoenix.

Now that you mention it. I think your right. It can be considered as a "view" library like React.