When a user lands on a website and starts interacting with different functionalities and elements. The front-end encompassing design and interactive elements create a long-lasting impression. And for its flawless construction, you need top-notch web development possible via frontend frameworks. So, in this blog, we have compiled a list of the best frontend frameworks for web development and their advantages and disadvantages to help you choose the finest one. Without further ado let’s get started with the initial introduction of frontend frameworks.
What are Frontend Frameworks?
It is the collection of tools or pre-written code libraries that facilitate the development of user interfaces efficiently for web apps.
Benefits of Frontend Frameworks
The frontend frameworks for web development help the developers in the creation of dynamic interfaces with high interactivity.
- Development of responsive design.
- Highly optimized designs for multiple devices.
- Automation of repetitive tasks (modification, & compression, etc.)
- Efficient management and updating of code.
Keeping these benefits in mind let’s see the 11 best frontend frameworks for web development so that you can select the one that suits your needs.
Top 11 Frontend Frameworks
There are tons of front-end development frameworks for web development, but we are jotting down the top 11 with their advantages and disadvantages to help you make a better decision.
1. Vue.js
Vue.js is one of the simplest, versatile, and straightforward frontend frameworks. It is component-based and offers visual DOM and 2-way binding. Facebook’s team was the one behind the creation of it.
Advantages of Vue.js
Some of the benefits of Vue.js includes:
- It is supported by TypeScript.
- Provides flexibility to design app structure.
- Simple syntax.
Cons of Vue.js
Some of the disadvantages of Vue.js includes:
- Unstable components.
- Small community.
- Lack of plugins.
- Applicability to larger projects is limited.
Uses
Vue.js is best for projects that demand greater flexibility.
2. React
The next one in the frontend frameworks list is React which allows the developers to build interactive UIs effortlessly. Originally developed by Facebook’s team, it allows the developers to make changes easily. It has a Virtual Document Object Model (DOM) with superb functionality and is used for single-page apps. It is one of the famous frameworks for app development and comes in quite handy when a project requires the development of an interactive user interface within a short time.
Advantages of React
Some of the main benefits of React includes:
- The reusability of components makes it easy for developers.
- Advanced and super useful developer tools.
- Supports consistent performance with the use of Virtual DOM.
Cons of React
Some of the limitations of the React includes:
- It only gives front-end solutions.
- It is difficult for beginners.
- Constant updates make documentation hard.
Use
Developers use Race for the development of single-page apps with interactive interfaces within strict deadlines.
After React, the next we have in the bucket is Angular which is another awesome framework. The thing similar between React and Angular is that they both are component-based and support efficient rendering which often fuels the question of React vs Angular in the minds of developers. But let us tell you further about Angular to help you!!
3. Angular
The Angular framework is in high demand because of the real-time synchronization between the view and the model (unlike React it is unique with its two-way data binding feature). Based on TypeScript, it was developed by Google and was officially launched in 2016.
Advantages of Angular
Some of the advantages that make it one of the most popular frontend frameworks are:
- Minimizes the amount of code as prominent features are already present.
- Separates the components from the dependencies.
- Reusable and easy-to-manage components.
- Vibrant and vast community.
Cons of Angular
With advantages, the limitations of Angular include:
- Complex to learn because of multiple built-in features.
- Dynamic applications can show lag sometimes.
Use
You can hire dedicated Angular developers for enterprise app development as they are adept in developing a robust architecture that allows the app to scale.
After Angular, the next web frontend framework is EmberJs which resembles Angular a lot.
4. EmberJs
EmberJs started in 2011 and is one of the toughest frameworks with two-way binding and component-based functionality. Giants like Apple and LinkedIn use it mainly because it enables developers to build mobile and web apps efficiently.
Advantages of EmberJs:
This framework is awesome because of its benefits given below:
- It is one of the most efficient front-end frameworks.
- The EmberJs has two-way data binding.
- Despite updates, the older versions of apps work flawlessly.
Cons of EmberJs:
Some of the constraints you can face whilst using EmberJs:
- Steep learning curve and complex syntax.
- It is not very suitable for small applications.
Use
It is best for apps with rich user interface thus right for modern applications.
5. Svelte
Svelte is one of the best frontend frameworks launched in 2016 and provides an easy-to-use platform. It is a compiler that puts all codes as one compiled step instead of posting in the browser.
Advantages of Svelte
The advantages that make it one of the top choices are given below:
- It is an SEO-optimized front-end framework.
- Svelte is lightweight, responsive, and scalable.
- It has a feature-focused architecture which gives the option of minimal coding.
Cons of Svelte
Some limitations of Svelte are given below:
- Limited technical support & lack of tooling.
- Small community of developers.
Use
Svelte is suitable for small projects and ideal for beginners due to its simple syntax.
6. jQuery
jQuery is simple and reduces the requirement of extensive JavaScript codes. Fundamentally a library, jQuery is used to optimize the interactivity and functionality of the website. It also allows the developers to build native mobile apps plus it’s compatible with any browser.
Advantages of jQuery
Some benefits of jQuery are given below:
- DOM is flexible & facilitates dynamic content.
- Allows the development of dynamic apps.
- You can add or remove components easily.
Cons of jQuery
The cons of jQuery are as follows:
- It facilitates the slow development of dynamic apps.
- jQuery is lightweight which leads to problems in the long run.
Use
jQuery is used to build desktop-based JavaScript apps.
7. Backbone.js
Backbone.js is an open-source framework developed in 2010 and is popular for creating small-scale web apps. It keeps the app logic and UI separated and allows the development of projects that require different types of users.
Advantages of Backbone.js
Some of the features that make it one of the frontend frameworks are:
- Backbone.js is one of the fastest JavaScript frameworks.
- Easy to learn and lightweight.
Cons of Backbone.js
Some of the limitations of the Backbone.js includes:
- There is no readymade structure.
- The developers must write boilerplate code to communicate for view to model and vice versa.
Use
It enables the developers to develop client-side models and reuse the code. Hence, it supports the constant synchronization with the server.
Now in our best front-end frameworks list is Ember.js which also offers two-way data binding like Angular.
8. Ember.js
Ember.js is component-based and is efficient in building complex web and mobile apps. It was developed in 2011 keeping in view the demands of modern technologies. Despite being difficult and under-discovered, it is a well-developed and fully packed Package ecosystem for all developer needs.
Advantages of Ember.js
The framework is dynamic and offers the following benefits:
- It is efficient and provides two-way data binding.
- Emberjs is well organized with full documentation.
Cons of Ember.js
A few shortcomings of Ember.js includes:
- Difficult syntax and small community.
- Slow updates and heavy framework for small apps.
Use
Ember js is a complete frontend solution for large-scale projects because of two-way binding. It is best for the development of modern apps with rich interfaces.
After Ember JS, we have Semantic UI, a relatively new but well-known frontend framework.
9. Semantic-UI
Semantic UI is among the popular frontend frameworks for web development because of its simplicity and usability. It provides a streamlined development process with tons of third-party libraries, and it stands because of its intuitive user interface
Advantages of Semantic UI
Semantic UI offers several advantages for web development.
- It has simple and organic codes.
- Semantic UI contains responsive & UI-rich components.
- You can create code once and share it with several other apps.
Cons of Semantic UI
The limitations associated with Semantic UI are given below:
- It can be slow for larger apps.
- Semantic UI has a small community.
- It has less flexibility.
Use
It is best for the development of a lightweight, responsive, and flawless user interface. The next we have after Semantic UI is Foundation which is ideal even for beginners.
10. Foundation
The Foundation has dynamic and advanced features that offer excellent GPU. It offers lightweight sections for mobile apps and heavy sections for other devices.
Advantages of Foundation
The benefits which make it a good frontend framework are given below:
- The foundation has flexible grids.
- Allows the development of flawless designs.
- Offers customized user experience for different devices.
Cons of Foundation
With fewer community forums let’s see its other disadvantages.
- It is hard to learn for beginners.
- Less popular than its competitors.
Preact is the next among the list of our frontend frameworks and it can be a suitable alternative to React.
11. Preact
Preact is a lightweight, and efficient JavaScript framework and offers modern API and functionalities. It is efficient due to its size and renders the fastest virtual DOM library.
Advantages of Preact
Other than using React-style elements its other advantages include:
- Preact enhances performance during app development.
- It is portable as well as embeddable.
- Robust CLI for swift creation of new projects.
- Best with many libraries in the React ecosystem.
Cons of Preact
Preact also has some limitations that include:
- No context support.
- Not at all compatible with the React prototype.
Conclusion
Now you have the list of the top 11 frontend frameworks for web development and all you have to do is select the frontend framework that guarantees to elevate your project. The three aspects that you should consider before you make your choice are project size, budget, and scope. Lastly, you can jot down your project needs and match them with features, and we hope this will make your quest to find the best front-end framework easy. The nandbox App Builder offers an intuitive platform for creating powerful mobile apps with ease, making it an excellent choice for developers looking to build frontend applications.