The importance of visual aspects in web development cannot be overstated. The diligence a backend developer puts in their work would go in vain if that is not reciprocated in the frontend. A user would not know what all processes have been gone into the backend of the application or the website they use. They would not care about those things unless they themselves are into web development. From the users’ point of view, a web application is all about the frontend which they could see and interact with. By the way, Frontend refers to the graphical user interface that connects the user with the website or application. But what are frontend frameworks ?
Frontend Frameworks are tools that use HTML, CSS and JavaScript to transform the data into an interactive interface discernible to the users. It provides developers with a library of pre-written code modules, standard building blocks and other development instruments. Equipped with components like the grid, font styles, buttons, navigation bars and side panels, developers do not have to begin from zero. Frontend frameworks give them a base while not restricting the space for modifying the design.
Admin Templates
Admin templates are web pages that allow you to easily manage the backend tasks of your website. Admin templates are must-have for dynamic websites that need regular updates and modification. Keeping track of user visits, content management, user interactions, configuration and other relevant data of a website or application can be done using these templates. A competent admin template makes websites responsive and generates more traffic. Learn more about admin templates here.
Choosing a frontend framework for an admin template requires a look at many factors such as popularity, flexibility, ease of integrity, core features and future support. Measured by all those yardsticks, these are the top frontend frameworks that dominates the frontend web development scene in 2023.
Best Frontend Frameworks to Ace your Web Development
Angular
Angular is a framework based on TypeScript developed by Google in 2016. Angular is known for its unique two-way binding feature. This feature synchronizes the model and the view real-time making the changes made in the model are instantly replicated on the view and vice versa. Angular is considered the best for web and mobile applications. BMW, Forbes, Xbox and other business giants use applications developed by Angular framework. Click here to check out some of the recently launched admin templates developed using Angular.
Pros
- Two-way data binding
- Good server performance
- Ease of coding
Cons
- Comparatively complex to learn
- Doesn’t give high performance for small-scale apps
React
React, with over 3 million users, is the most popular frontend framework. React was developed by Facebook in 2013 to manage its UI that needs frequent updates and changes. Apart from Facebook, companies like Netflix, Tesla, Paypal and Walmart also use React. The backing of these business giants is the main reason for its immense popularity and reliability. React is easy to learn and provides outstanding functionality.
Pros
- Reusability of components saves time
- An open-source library of advanced tools
- Support from giant companies and vast user community
Cons
- Constant updations come at the cost of documentation
- JSX is difficult to comprehend
- Only handles frontend solutions
Vue
Vue is one of the best choices for frontend web development. This framework can handle multiple tasks with ease and boost app performance without any complexities. With new features, Vue is attracting more users and cementing its position among top frontend frameworks. Vue offers excellent flexibility with server-side rendering. Users of Vue includes Alibaba, Xiaomi and Alibaba
Pros
- Virtual DOM
- Extensive documentation beneficial for learners
- High Flexibility
Cons
- Small developer community
- Language barriers in some components
- Lack of stability
jQuery
jQuery is one of the oldest frontend frameworks. Despite being launched in 2006, the relevance and popularity of jQuery has only increased in the modern web development scene over the time. Owing to its long run in the field, jQuery has a big community for support. jQuery is easy to use, browser friendly and has a simplistic approach for JavaScript coding.
Pros
- Flexible DOM
- Strong community
- Compatible with almost every browser
Cons
- Slow performance in apps
- DOM APIs are obsolete
- Size is bit huge
Ember
Ember is an open source framework launched in 2011. It is one of the toughest frameworks to learn. But it nevertheless is one of the best picks of developers in 2023. The stability and seamless performance along with two-way binding synchronization are what make Ember relevant among its competitors. Powered with an efficient architecture Ember works like a breeze in both mobile and web development.
Pros
- Two-way data binding synchronization
- Server-side rendering
- Fast performance
Cons
- Hard to learn
- Small community
- Not best for small projects
Backbone.Js
Backbone.Js is a MVP (Model View Presenter) pattern based framework developed in 2010. Backbone.Js is REST API compatible which makes the synchronization between frontend and backend smooth. Building single page applications and structuring web apps are much easier with this framework. RESTful JSON interface is one of the key features Backbone.Js offer. Tools like Thorax, Marionette, Handlebars and Chaplin are are helpful while using Backbone.js
Pros
- Flexible and fast
- Backed by a large community of users
- Easy to learn
Cons
- Boilerplate code has to be transcribed
- Doesn’t work smooth with non-RESTful API backend
- Lacks a handy structure
Svelte
Svelte is an emerging modern framework that came very recently to the scene and made a huge impact. It was properly released in 2021 bringing a novel approach to frontend development. Svelte compiles the works in steps contrary to the conventional way of placing it in the browser. This cancels the need for a DOM as you can upload only the relevant components to the page. Svelte is expected to gain a solid user community in the coming years.
Pros
- Good reactivity
- Fast, simple and lightweight
- Stable performance
Cons
- Small community
- Currently not reliable for large projects
- Lack of sufficient tools
Preact
Preact is a meta framework launched as a lightweight substitute to React. The idea was to develop a framework that overcomes the shortcomings of React. Compared to React, Preact is much smaller in size and it uses faster DOM. Preact integrates well with other UI libraries as well. In app development, Preact uses the same APIs and methodologies of React.
Pros
- Very small size
- Seamless integration
- Superior and efficient performance
Cons
- Some features of React are not available
- Does not support displaced functional elements
Final Verdict
A cursory glance at the pros and cons of each framework is enough to understand the difficulty of making a general recommendation. What is best varies from project to project. The Scale of the project, the proficiency of the developer, the anticipated community support are all determinants in choosing the right framework. Knowing the factors important to your project and taking insights from experienced frontend developers is the only suggestion that applies to all kinds of projects.