What is Vanilla JavaScript?
Introduction
Vanilla JavaScript refers to pure JavaScript code, meaning it doesn’t have any additional libraries or frameworks like jQuery, making it a pure, fundamental form of Javascript programming language. It’s fast, lightweight, and cross-platform and can help you build incredibly powerful applications and dynamic web pages. Developers often have a choice on whether to use the JavaScript library or use it from scratch. This is because the libraries have ready-made functions and tools that will make web application development faster.
Getting to the Roots of Vanilla JavaScript
JavaScript was developed by Brendan Eich in 1995, with the primary aim of bringing interactivity to web pages and promoting seamless user experiences. This plain JavaScript is the unadulterated form and comes installed in all web browsers. It is the foundation on which other JavaScript functionalities are built. Most developers are aware of Vanilla JavaScript.
Benefits of Vanilla JavaScript over other Javascript libraries
As explained earlier, Vanilla JavaScript is the most basic form of JavaScript and comes with a host of advantages.
Check out the major advantages of this high-level programming language:
Vanilla JavaScript facilitates faster web development – The programming language gives the developer the freedom to write their code, depending on the kind of application they are building. There are no pre-written functions and tools that slow down the application, like with Javascript libraries.
Is more Lightweight – Javascript libraries come with a huge plethora of functions and you may not need all of that to build your application. More functions, especially unnecessary ones slow down the applications and make them difficult to maintain. Vanilla JS is lightweight and contains only the required code.
Very low chance of vulnerabilities – Javascript libraries are vulnerable to attacks from hackers. This is because they use a lot of third-party code. On the other hand, Vanilla Javascript is more secure because they don’t use third-party codes and use only code that’s specific to its application.
Higher levels of flexibility – Javascript libraries are kind of flexible when compared to Vanilla. The latter allows developers to develop code that they need for their applications, making it highly customizable and flexible.
Does Not become outdated – Vanilla Javascript doesn’t get outdated and unsupported over time, but Javascript libraries do get obsolete. Vanilla Javascript is compatible with new browser versions, making it future-proof.
Vanilla JavaScript is very simple – The simplicity of the programming language is indeed a noted highlight. Since it is a very pure language, developers can work directly with the functionality of the language without having to worry about the functionality of the frameworks or the specific patterns or methods dictated by them. This enables the developer to create cleaner, readable code.
Has cross-browser compatibility – Vanilla JS is compatible with all the major web browsers, providing exceptional user experience and consistent functionalities. This way developers can develop apps that work optimally well across all browsers, without any compromises with the functionalities. This is very crucial for web applications because people have access to so many different kinds of devices and browsers and your application must work seamlessly well among all of them. Yes, there are some challenges involved in it like different standards, different rendering engines, different features, and so on. Vanilla JS can speed up the web development process.
Vanilla Javascript in action
Given below are some examples of Vanilla Javascript in a regular web development project:
DOM Manipulation – With Vanilla JS, you can easily manipulate the Document Object model and use it to dynamically change the appearance and content of your webpages. Through this, developers can select elements, modify their content, and alter their attributes.
Animation and Effects – You can create simple animations and visual effects and provide a unique user experience.
Event Handling feature – Event Handling is a core functionality of Javascript and offers a straightforward approach to handling events like mouse movements, clicks, and key presses.
Data Manipulation – Vanilla JS has powerful tools that help manipulate data. Developers can easily iterate through them, and perform various actions without bothering about external libraries.
Applications that you can build with Vanilla JS
There aren’t many developers who do not know the basics of Vanilla JS, HTML, and CSS. You can build any kind of application with this programming language.
- Building a weather app with Vanilla JS, HTML, and CSS.
- Building an interactive landing page.
- Create a meditation app with ambient sounds that users can enjoy.
- Building a virtual keyboard together with HTML and CSS makes it responsive and touch-ready.
Challenges of Vanilla Javascript
Vanilla JS does have a few challenges that you must address before deciding to go for it:
Development Time – It could be tough building complex applications from scratch because of the pureness of the framework, it can take a lot of time.
Scalability – Managing and maintaining the codebase in Vanilla JS can be a challenge when you want to scale your application.
Limited tooling – Vanilla JS has limited access to pre-built tools when compared to frameworks that have extensive tooling.
Boilerplate Code – Not a good choice when you want to build complex applications because it doesn’t have the versatility provided by other frameworks.
You can use Vanilla JS in these conditions:
- Building small to medium-sized applications with simple features and no complexity.
- You don’t want to rely on any framework and prefer to have total control over the codebase.
- Want to use a language with wide support, thanks to the abundance of online resources, tutorials, and forums.
Conclusion
Before using Vanilla Javascript, consider the specific needs of the application, because it might not be suitable for all kinds of apps. The programming language is a viable choice for many scenarios, so consider the pros and cons of using the language before taking the most suitable approach. Even so, as technologies continue to grow and evolve, Vanilla JS still stands strong, as an essential skill for web developers.
Interesting Links:
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The author: Reema Oamkumar is engaged as a thought leader at www.Software-Developer-India.com which is a part of the YUHIRO Group. YUHIRO is a German-Indian enterprise which provides programmers to IT companies, agencies and IT departments.
