Web Tools #463 - JS Overkill, CSS Tools, Testing, Uncats

Every once in a while I come across a social media thread, article, or forum post that's presenting some kind of polarizing view on JavaScript.

One that caught  my eye recently was on Hacker News where the user is asking the question: Why is the web lately all about JavaScript? In this instance, the user is questioning the use of heavy DOM manipulation libraries or even server-side JavaScript for rendering all content, and questioning why natural back-end languages aren't used more.

The responses to the post are quite mixed but generally in favour of the concerns the user is expressing. The top comment in part says:

"JS isn't bad, it just feels like people think it can solve anything while not seeing issues it adds."

This is true. Now that the DOM is the closest it's ever been to a cross-browser API, I agree that developers should first try to solve problems with vanilla JavaScript rather than assuming every project should use React, Vue, or similar libraries.

Another user answers quite strongly against JavaScript:

"I think JS has actively harmed software development in the past 10 years. It's a bad language, designed and patched hastily that does not work well with humans nor machines."

He goes on to use callbacks progressing to Promises as an example. I don't think I agree with that, but I understand the frustration.

Another user says:

"I think this is largely because people are writing JS on the frontend, and it's easier to do SSR with the code you've already got, i.e. render JS on the backend too."

This user and some others point out the shift towards libraries like htmx, Hotwire, Stimulus, etc. (all of which I've featured in this newsletter before) as part of an improved JavaScript landscape.

Personally, I agree with the user who says:

"Mostly, I see the modern crop of JS frameworks as a breath of fresh air compared to what precedes them, though the complexity of what is imported when running an `npm install` is enough to give me pause and a wish for something more minimal."

In other words, we're in a good state right now, but maybe lighter approaches to the problems need to be taken more seriously. I think when people choose a simpler library like Vue over React, that's definitely a step in that direction.

Now on to this week's tools!