Vanilla JavaScript

Shall we start by discussing why browsers are favorable to vanilla JS?

Certainly. Rather than saying they are particularly favorable or prefer it, which may not be technically accurate, it would be more insightful to consider why browsers might rate vanilla JS highly from their perspective.

Can we summarize it into a few key points?

We can approach this by summarizing it into standardization, compatibility, speed, security, maintainability, and independence. Let's consider standardization and compatibility together as they are related concepts.

Firstly, at the heart of web standards lies JavaScript, which handles the dynamic client-side environment. Vanilla JavaScript has the advantage of standardization, which browser vendors can directly strive for and promote. As a standardized script that adheres to the ECMAScript standard, it improves compatibility across browsers. Even though each browser's engine differs, updates can minimize these differences.

In the past, there was a time when standardization was not a priority, but now most browsers treat vanilla JavaScript as a core technology, supporting it across almost all major browsers. Additionally, the advancement of developer tools supports this standardization.



From a performance standpoint, vanilla JavaScript has a lightweight and fast structure. While these characteristics might not be noticeable to the user, they create a sense of stability during the browser's computational processes. The self-updating feature of vanilla JS reduces the burden on browser updates, allowing developers to efficiently manage updates without dependencies.

The quick responsiveness of developers ultimately provides users with a stable browser experience.

Some say that vanilla JS has lower security.

Well, I find that hard to understand. While it's true that frameworks often emphasize security, security isn't just about durability; it's primarily about responsiveness. This means being able to promptly address security issues. Responsiveness involves the swift deployment of security updates and the ability to share and improve security issues across all browsers through standardized methods. In this regard, vanilla JS can score higher points with browsers.

Characteristics of vanilla JS, such as adherence to standards, security updates, and reduced external dependencies, are managed according to the ECMAScript standard. This provides an effective way to address security issues, and the lack of external dependencies enables faster responses. These factors contribute to why vanilla JS is more favorably received by browsers.

I'm curious about the connection between vanilla JS's security and the reduction of external dependencies.

External dependencies refer to the use of frameworks or libraries and sometimes specialized CMS. When using these external resources, you rely on and trust the functionality they provide. The more dependencies you have, the more complex your codebase becomes, increasing the likelihood of security vulnerabilities.

If the developers or browsers are not the creators of these frameworks and libraries, any vulnerabilities in the external dependencies could threaten the system through potential exploits.

Vanilla JS minimizes external dependencies by developing web applications using only pure JS without additional frameworks or libraries. This is a significant advantage in terms of security. By minimizing external dependencies, you can develop safer web applications, making it preferable for browsers.

So why have frameworks become more popular than vanilla JS?

Firstly, frameworks offer features that allow developers to handle repetitive and complex tasks more easily. When developing large-scale web applications, using a framework makes code structuring and maintenance more manageable. Additionally, frameworks typically include various features that shorten development time and enhance efficiency.

With the advent of mobile web and HTML5, framework-based JS significantly impacted UI development. This enabled many developers to create fast and modern user interfaces through frameworks.

However, vanilla JS has continued to evolve, enhancing standardization and security while leveraging features supported by various browsers to build robust web applications. Due to these improvements, vanilla JS has recently been receiving serious attention. Given its increased focus on security and standardization, it is expected that frameworks and vanilla JS will be used complementarily in the future. The question isn't about choosing between frameworks and vanilla JS, but rather about finding the right balance.

Even though vanilla JS is pure JS, it may not be perfectly compatible with all browsers.

The compatibility of vanilla JS varies slightly depending on the browser. In Chromium-based browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera, the standardization of vanilla JS is more consistent. However, in browsers with unique layout engines like Firefox and Safari, there can be differences in certain features or syntax. Particularly with Safari, extra caution is needed as some specific features may require additional work.

That said, as browser vendors continue to strive to provide a more standardized JS execution environment, developers using vanilla JS will find themselves worrying less about compatibility issues. Over the past few years, the gap between browsers has significantly narrowed. Most importantly, the extensibility of vanilla JS is promising. Its capability to implement features and ease of maintenance are approaching those of frameworks.

Are there any special reasons, besides the characteristics of vanilla JS mentioned earlier, that developers should focus on improving their skills in vanilla JS?

The fundamentals of web development are always relevant. Understanding vanilla JS thoroughly before using frameworks is crucial. This enables developers to grasp the basic concepts and principles of web development, making the use of various libraries and frameworks more effective.

Improving skills through vanilla JS enhances a developer's intuition. Solving problems independently with pure JS, rather than relying on frameworks or libraries, fosters ingenuity. This helps in solving practical problems with innovative ideas, and over time, you may develop your own frameworks and libraries, which will shorten development time.

Vanilla JS is continuously evolving and keeps up with web development trends. Therefore, understanding and honing skills in vanilla JS undoubtedly boosts a developer's competitiveness.