Top JavaScript Development Trends

In its latest report Stack Overflow has ranked JavaScript as the first most popular and used front-end programming language again. It’s been holding its top position in this category for eight years in a row and it’s not a surprise. JavaScript is continuously improving and it offers software developers a wide range of tools and frameworks that allow building robust and effective apps quickly and easily.

In this article, we’ll look into JS new tech and discover the best trending JavaScript frameworks in 2021.

What Are the Current Trends in Javascript Development?

In 2021 JavaScript hit the top ratings of GitHub and Stack Overflow. Along with JavaScript its frameworks, libraries, and tools were also highly rated by world-leading reviewers this year. Let’s have a look at the most prominent JavaScript technologies praised by experts in 2021.

TypeScript

Since its release in 2012 TypeScript has only been growing in popularity as a viable alternative to JavaScript. Many software developers appreciate TypeScript for its simplified syntax. It makes JavaScript easier to code, read, and debug. Moreover, TypeScript works well for large-scale projects while JavaScript is a better option for smaller ones.

In Stack Overflow research, TypeScript is ranked the 2d most loved language, surpassing Python, C#, and JavaScript. In 2021 TypeScript will continue to be one of the most used programming languages for software development and gain even more influence in the front-end.

React

React is one of the most popular JavaScript frameworks for the past several years. Many software developers admire React for its super-fast virtual DOM, high flexibility, and ease of learning and use.

The State of JS in its recent report ranked React the second most satisfying, interesting, and used framework. Though, it doesn’t mean that React is losing its position. The same report claims that 64.8% of respondents will use this framework in their front-end development, and 19.1% are interested in adding it to their tech stack.

It’s expected that 2021 will be a good year for React as its npm package downloads reached the mark of 10 million in April, making 5 times more than AngularJS.

Svelte

Svelte is a new JavaScript framework that is quickly gaining popularity among front-end developers. First, it was released in 2016 and by 2020 was ranked as the most interesting and promising innovation among JavaScript frameworks.

There are 15% of front-end developers who actively use Svelve in their app development. The main advantages they mention that make Svelve so special are:

• • fast and lean web app development;
  • reusable components that can be integrated from other Javascript frameworks;
  • compact syntax;

• simple code splitting, and other features.

Although Svelte is a newcomer among JavaScript frameworks, front-end developers expect that it’ll have a chance to prove itself in 2021.

Vue.js

Vue js., a JavaScript framework, attracts especially much attention today. In September 2020, Vue.js creators issued its long-awaited release with top-notch features for front-end development.

Vue.js is one of the most remarkable JavaScript frameworks. It was ranked the 7th most used in front-end development. Vue.js is valued for its lightweight design, simplicity to use and customize, and easy integration with other frameworks, including React, Laravel, Express, Django, and many others.

In September 2020 Vue.js had its third release with:

• great improvements in its performance due to  its ‘compiler-informed virtual DOM’;
• a Composition API which alleviates work with large-scale projects;
• smaller bundle sizes and layered modules;
• TypeScript integration and improved support, and other features.

Vue.js creators spent 2 years building Vue.js 3.0 features before its stable release in 2020. There were more than 100 contributors, over 30 RFCs, 600 pull requests, and more than 2600 commits to the Vue.js 3.0 repository. In 2021, software developers continue testing Vue.js 3.0 new version. At the same time, older Vue.js version 2.7 will become LTS with a 1.5 years maintenance.

Why is Vue.js so special and how can it benefit your app development? Let’s have a closer look at some Vue.js features which make it a popular choice among software developers:

• utilizes a virtual DOM which makes content and page rendering faster;
• includes reusable UI components for quick web applications development and their simple maintenance;
• one-way data binding that accelerates and facilitates a data flow between components;
• supports third-party libraries for JS dependency injection (Vue Injector) for better code reusability and fewer coding errors;
• has official typings and decorators for those who prefer to use TypeScript to JavaScript with Vue;
• compact size and lightness in comparison to other frameworks, e.g. AngularJS;
• super user-friendly, to start with Vue beginners need to know only HTML, ES5, and JavaScript.

Top Javascript Frameworks and Libraries to Watch for in 2021

React.js, Vue.js, AngularJS, and other popular JavaScript frameworks have been dominating front-end development for several years already. However, there is always a chance of the emergence of disruptive technology or a framework that can completely change the rules of the game. Therefore, front-end developers have to stay up to date with the latest technologies and keep an eye on the new libraries and frameworks that appear in the market.

Here are the frameworks and libraries to watch for in 2021.

• Next.js is a front-end framework based on React. The main Next.js advantage is that it offers hot code reloading, automated code-splitting and routing, server-side rendering, and SEO management functionality. It’s super fast and provides a great user experience by rendering pages on the server side and performing static site generation.
• Gatsby – a React-based framework that works great for building e-commerce platforms, landings, PWAs, and other web solutions. Gatsby can boast of its security features, outstanding SEO, and fast data rendering. It utilizes the latest web technologies, such as GraphQL, ES6+ JavaScript, and many others.
• VuePress is a static site generator that runs on Vue.js. This minimalistic but powerful framework generates static HTML code for each page which runs as SPA after this page loads.
• LitElement – simple and light library that allows sharing components between frameworks and projects and creating a UI design system.
• RxJS library allows building asynchronous and event-based programs. It integrates with an extensive number of JavaScript libraries and frameworks. RxJS isn’t easy to use, though those software developers who learn RxJS better understand how to use a declarative programming style and improve their coding skills.
• Date-fns is a utility JavaScript library. It offers software developers a complete set of tools for managing JavaScript dates in browsers and Node.js.
• Vue Injector – an open-source dependency injection library created specially for Vue.js. It helps software developers to conveniently transfer data, create a service and a service factory, implement an event bus in their codes, and much more. It allows creating flexible and robust apps.

Summary

JavaScript continues to keep its leading positions in front-end development for eight years by now. Many software developers prefer this language for its simplicity to learn and implement, high speed, and the possibility to create rich interfaces. This programming language has a wide range of tools and frameworks that provide developers with various development approaches and help to build even the most complex functionalities.

Front-end developers should be aware of the latest quickly-changing JavaScript trends to quickly learn and add the most effective of them into their tech stacks. This will allow them to build successful and robust apps, applying the most powerful and practical development techniques. For practical insights, explore our JavaScript case studies to see how we’ve applied these techniques in real-world projects.