A New Javascript Framework? In This Economy?

6 hari yang lalu

After 20 years successful software, full-stack developer Yaniv Soussana is tired of complexity successful React-based JavaScript frameworks. So nan creator of nan app conversion instrumentality Wappaa did what developers thin to do: He built a caller framework, called Sigment.

“I wanted to create thing amended than React and Angular, because I’m already tired of each this — I wanted to create thing elemental for developers,” he said.

Sigment simplifies by exemption, which intends it does not:

Combine HTML pinch JavaScript;
Use JSX; or
Create a virtual DOM.

So erstwhile would you usage Sigment?

Well, for starters, if you’re fed up pinch React-based frameworks aliases don’t want to study React, it mightiness beryllium a bully option. The open root framework claims to person a maximum runtime capacity pinch minimal overhead, afloat power complete rendering pinch a API, zero-config improvement without transpilation, and fine-grained reactivity.

Let’s excavation in.

The Problem With Mixing HTML and JavaScript

React mixes JavaScript pinch HTML syntax (JSX), and, frankly, Soussana isn’t a fan. Sigment does not operation nan two, which he says makes nan syntax shorter and easier. This makes nan model much accessible to those who cognize vanilla JavaScript but don’t want to study React (which created and uses JSX).

That makes it imaginable for nan model to do much than build azygous page applications; it besides supports an HTML first-architecture, he said. Plus, Sigment supports move aliases incremental rendering.

“The developer tin create a mini website and past erstwhile nan personification starts to move, it will, connected time, connected nan fly, create nan caller constituent and everything,” he explained, adding it will besides put that constituent into nan cache for amended performance.

Why Sigment Doesn’t Use JSX

JSX stands for JavaScript XML. It’s a syntax hold that allows developers to constitute HTML-like codification straight wrong their JavaScript.

For context, React relies connected JSX syntax, arsenic do different React-based frameworks. Preact, Qwik and Solid JS besides usage JSX. With JSX, developers constitute JavaScript that generates HTML.

The rumor pinch JSX is it requires transpilation, aliases conversion, of nan code, positive further tooling specified arsenic Babel, Webpack aliases Vite. And while that feels declarative, it adds complexity to nan build process, according to Soussana.

Sigment relies connected Templates, which intends nan UI is written successful a specialized type of HTML that nan model motor understands. Svelte, by nan way, besides rather famously uses this approach, arsenic do Angular and Vue.

Instead of JSX, Sigment relies connected JavaScript tag functions. Instead of writing:

<div class="container">,

…a developer mightiness write:div({ class: 'container' }).

This results successful “lightning-fast” capacity and faster loop because nan codification is already valid JavaScript, according to Segment’s website. Also, because Sigment doesn’t usage JSX, developers tin create websites pinch axenic HTML and elemental syntax, Soussana told The New Stack. It besides intends nan model useful without creating a virtual DOM, he explained.

No Virtual DOM

I asked Soussana why he decided not to usage a virtual DOM, which is simply a lightweight, simplified transcript of nan “real” DOM; i.e., nan existent HTML elements connected nan screen. A virtual DOM acts arsenic a “drafting board” betwixt nan developer’s codification and nan existent browser.

Soussana pointed retired that Svelte and SolidJS besides do not usage nan virtual DOM.

“We are successful nan caller generation,” he said. “We don’t request nan virtual DOM anymore. It’s conscionable add[ing] much complexity and heaviness, and also, it takes much clip to compile.”

Instead, Sigment uses Signals. Angular and Qwik creator Miško Hevery erstwhile explained Signals arsenic a worth you spot successful a bucket. He compared this to a postulation bull that tells nan model erstwhile location is access. When a Signal is read, nan model sends a connection that personification publication nan worth and it past goes connected to nan adjacent value.

That makes nan capacity light, Soussana explained, adding that Sigment runs for nan first clip and past successful nan runtime, erstwhile nan personification needs something, it will render it and prevention it to nan cache. The adjacent clip nan personification needs something, it tin return it from nan cache.

No virtual DOM and nary JSX intends a smaller bundle size arsenic well, Soussana said, adding that this creates amended capacity and amended experiences for nan personification and developer.

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