Skip to content

Frameworks

New web development frameworks are sprouting out at a more rapid pace than anyone could keep up with.

In this current day and age, pushing out a finished, polished application well before your competitor is key. Coding everything from scratch, excluding even the mundane things, can be extremely time consuming and makes the developer spend time reinventing the wheel, time which would rather be spent implementing new features or tightening up the code base. This is where web development frameworks come in. They often cover all the usual aspects of an application including database access, authentication, session management and much more.

There's often not a single "best choice" in web development. But there are often better choices than others, and thinking through the considerations below can help you make the better choice.

Tip

JavaScript frameworks are a powerful tool for saving time and structuring your JavaScript code.

While the specific framework you use will vary based on project requirements and employer preferences, a solid foundation in the JavaScript language will make it easy for you to pick up framework skills when the need arises.

Look for the pros and cons in each framework

The first thing to look for in a framework is that it be straightforward to implement and build upon.

It is also imporant to see how a framework is supported in terms of documentation and customer support. And it helps to know if the framework is actively being worked on, as well as if it is widely used in the tech community.

Knowing whether the framework is open-source or paid is one of the key decition points.

reasearching

Try it out!

There are real-world applications which can give you a better understanding of the differences.

Make the choice as a team

After researching frameworks, determining pros and cons, and spiking a few options, you should have knowledge of each framework on your list and be able to rank them. Have the stakeholders get together to discuss each option.

After the discussion, your team will likely have found at least one framework that seems like the optimal choice. Select one, fill in details in the plan on how to implement the framework, and then go for it.

research team

Key points

  • Use technologies that fit your company’s core values.
  • Don’t blindly copy others’ technology decisions.
  • Be aware of industry trends.
  • Don’t be overly influenced by industry trends.
  • Consider the quality of developers you want to attract.
  • How important are performance and scalability?
  • Will your software be ported to other platforms?
  • Can you benefit from 3rd party code?
  • Discuss your technology needs with a developer who has experience with a wide range of technologies.

Success

Best thing you can do is to simply get started experimenting with a framework—any framework!

Summary

As you can see, there are many areas you should consider before selecting a development framework to use. For different people and businesses, each consideration may hold different weight. A framework that is the best option for one person may not be the best option for another. Taking the time to research before you make your decision can save you on not only cost but in time of development.

  • Popularity and community size
  • Technical properties and features
  • Sustainability
  • Support
  • Security
  • Documentation
  • License

Read more