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Ask HN: How does one build large front end apps without a framework like React?

94 points thepianodan | 2 comments | 17 Oct 25 10:50 UTC | HN request time: 0.397s | source

I had a mind-blown-moment when I learnt that Obsidian was built without any frontend JS framework. ( https://forum.obsidian.md/t/what-framework-did-the-developer-use-to-create-obsidian-desktop-application/30724/11 )

The benefits, I can see.

    JS frameworks move really quickly, and when we're working on a large, long-term project, it sucks when big breaking changes are introduced after only a couple of years. Sticking to slow-moving web standards (which are quite mature by now) increases the longevity of a project.

    And the stability also means that more time is spent on delivering features, rather than on fixing compatibility issues.

    There is also the benefit of independence. The project's success is not tied to the framework's success. And it also makes the project more secure, from supply chain attacks and such.

    Because there is no "abstraction layer" of a framework, you also have greater control over your project, and can make performance optimizations at a lower level.

    I feel not using a framework can even make us a better developer. Because we know more of what's going on.
There are benefits to using frameworks too, I'm not here to challenge that.

But this alternative of using none... it seems rarely talked about. I want to learn more about building large (preferably web-based) software projects with few dependencies.

Do you have any suggestions on how to learn more about it? Are there any open source projects you know which are built this way? It needs to be large, complex, app-like, and browser based. I'm more interested in the frontend side.

Thank you!

1. hecanjog ◴[17 Oct 25 11:29 UTC] No.45615462[source]▶
The modern web platform is capable and not bad at all to work with directly. I love seeing projects like HTMX and the recent hyperflask etc showing the way, but you don't need to buy into a project to follow this path, just use the web platform.

Edit: for a more practical example, you don't need to go down the web components rabbithole just for native reactive components, MutationObserver can watch for your template fragments entering and exiting the DOM and run your init/destruct routines on them. Now you can just push HTML back from the server with fetch or xmlhttprequest or whatever, and as soon as your component's HTML enters the DOM it will be "hydrated" by your init routine via MutationObserver. Honestly, add some event signaling and XHR and you're further along to a smooth SPA-like experience than you might think.

replies(1): >>45615853 #
2. andirk ◴[17 Oct 25 12:14 UTC] No.45615853[source]▶
Web components, copy/paste CSS that does crazy stuff, all of these Web APIs [0]. However, Vue is my go-to. It's just reactivity with files that don't break "separation of concerns". Plus a community if I get stuck. However however, making something super slim bare bones is the most rewarding.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API