Chasing the dragon - Javascript

The JavaScript ecosystem has evolved rapidly, constantly pursuing the next big innovation. While this drive for improvement is admirable, it has led to some challenges that developers face daily. Let's explore some of the complexities in modern JavaScript development.

Node.js

Node.js aimed to unify server-side and client-side development - what could be better than having one language to rule them all, both server and clientside. Trouble is it hasn't worked. The event-driven, non-blocking I/O model can be tricky to master, sometimes leading to callback management issues. Its single-threaded nature also means careful consideration is needed for CPU-intensive tasks. And you can't use it without NPM dependency hell.

NPM

Remember when we thought having a package manager was a good idea? Now we're drowning in a sea of dependencies. NPM has become a dumping ground for millions of packages, many of which are poorly maintained, insecure, or just plain useless. Your simple "Hello World" app now comes with 500MB of node_modules. It's absurd.

React

React has revolutionized UI development, but it comes with a steep learning curve. JSX, virtual DOM, hooks, and various design patterns require significant investment to master. This complexity can be daunting for newcomers and time-consuming even for experienced developers.

Build Steps

JavaScript development often involves multiple build steps. Tools like Webpack, Babel, Vite etc are powerful but add layers of complexity to projects. Keeping these tools and their configurations up-to-date can be a challenge.

SEO

Despite advancements in web crawlers, SEO remains a crucial consideration for many projects. Techniques like server-side rendering and static site generation add complexity to solve SEO challenges, requiring additional planning and implementation effort. SEO problems couldn't be more true for SPAs.

TypeScript

TypeScript adds static typing to JavaScript, which can catch errors early and improve code quality. However, it also introduces additional complexity and a learning curve. Integrating with third-party libraries and APIs can sometimes be challenging.

HTMX

HTMX aims to simplify web development by leveraging server-rendered HTML, but it shifts some complexity to the server-side. This approach may not be suitable for all projects and can lead to increased server load, and it still doesn't solve the accessible web component problem.

Javascript over the wire

Projects like Livewire attempts to abstract away JavaScript for PHP developers, which can be helpful but also obscures some of the underlying processes. This can make debugging and optimization more challenging in certain scenarios. It also locks you into a server side domain language and because everything is sent over the wire, your app can feel slow, slower than a client side solution. The same is true for projects like stimulus hotwire and Phoenix Liveview.

In conclusion, the JavaScript ecosystem has become a Rube Goldberg machine of unnecessary complexity. We're so busy chasing the next shiny tool or framework that we've lost sight of what really matters: building functional, performant websites that serve users' needs. It's time to step off this merry-go-round of complexity and get back to basics.