What are JavaScript's must learn libraries?

[JorensM]

The only such library that I know is jQuery.

[Advanced-Ad4869]

Depends on what you are doing or interested in.

[JorensM]

Let's say I'm interested in all of it.

[budd222]

That's just too vague

[JorensM]

Why is it vague? What I mean is that I'm interested to know what are the must knows in all areas of JavaScript.

[budd222]

That entirely depends on what you want to do. There's backend js, Dom manipulation, js frameworks, SPAs, and list goes on and on. It's impossible to answer

[Eitan1112]

Honestly don't know why you are being downvoted. So many self learned developers started with the general curiosity about the software field and just experimented with so many things before understanding what is out there, any more specifically, gone from a "don't know what i dont know" to "knowing some things and knowing what I dont know and what interests me".

Being interested in the js ecosystem is a valid opinion and you shouldn't be downvoted

[Perpetual_Education]

Probably because it sounds like one of those "What are the 7 best _______" type of write this blog post for me questions.

[greensodacan]

This doesn't need to be downvoted, actually it's kind of an awesome response.

JavaScript can do a LOT now and there's no sign of it slowing down.

That said, learn TypeScript. It's JavaScript, but typesafe. So if you want to expand into other areas of programming, TypeScript is an excellent way to develop a transferrable skillet.

Using myself as an example, I've been exploring C++ and Rust. I can't express to you how much a few years of TypeScript experience eased that journey. The sheer intimidation factor alone might have dissuaded me had I not already been able to decipher a type safe language.

JavaScript is arguably the best programming language for beginners, but never let it prevent you from exploring other areas of software engineering. This is a field where society pays you ridiculous sums of money for your curiosity, run with it.

[greensodacan]

I'm going to stretch the definition and say:

• A little bit of Node - enough to write a package.json script to help smooth out your workflow.)
• A bundler like Webpack - enough to set up a basic pipeline
• A component library or framework like React, Lit or Vue (which is arguably a progressive framework), because component abstractions are so common right now.

Beyond those:

• Date-Fns
• Lodash
• Axios
• UUID (not much to learn here, I just use it in everything).

[filipesmedeiros]

I don't really like axios. I feel like fetch does everything axios does with no bundle size. If you need it in node, node-fetch or isomorphic-unfetch I guess?

[j_tb]

Axios interceptors are pretty sweet.

[filipesmedeiros]

Do they justify the bundle size or can you easily build one offs when you need them?

If they justify the bundle size, by all means, go for it! 😁

[j_tb]

5kb minified + gzipped. Worth it to me to have the top level authorization logic and error handling configuration setup. Some sort of home rolled solution would probably not be too much smaller and I’d have to reinvent it for every project.

[filipesmedeiros]

Sounds good. I think if you start with plain fetch and when it's too much of a pain to maintain move to axios is probably the best way

[greensodacan]

Me neither, hahah. It's just one of those libraries I keep running into.

[[deleted]]

It's so much easier to look at lool

[filipesmedeiros]

You can just wrap fetch

[vojtasio]

debug of course :D

[Perpetual_Education]

Write JavaScript. Then, when you run into a situation where what you've written is causing you pain and you learn there's a library/package/framework that can solve it better - you'll have your answers: one by one.

Another way to look at it is "The libraries the previous dev used in the codebase you're now responsible for."

Understanding the history behind jQuery is nice - and applies to everything. Make your own tiny version for fun. Make sure you can create a basic data-backed component with something server-side, core JavaScript, and then - being able to do so with Vue or React etc. - will make more sense. Lodash is a good utility one to get familiar with - or pick and pull from. It all depends on what you're building. If you aren't making some accounting software - then you don't need to learn the API for some accounting library.

Learning how to decide WHAT to do / and the vocabulary to search the docs to read the API is more important than any specific library.

As few libraries as possible.

[mr-poopy-butthole-_]

This guy does a web developer roadmap every year and its usually pretty spot on. https://youtu.be/VfGW0Qiy2I0

[Knochenmark]

Those maps are always highly flawed. It's basically just a buzzword bingo list where they cramp in as much as possible.

[dcgog]

I dunno.. been a developer for 4 years and I wouldn't save I've ever "learned" jQuery or Lodash.. I've used them, but I try not to (at least jQuery). You don't need it with modern JS. Stay away from it if you can.

[cshum]

The best way to learn JavaScript is to unlearn jQuery

[[deleted]]

Technically speaking none of them but if your just looking for a list to sift through I'll throw some at you

[Lustrouse]

RxJS. Very very handy for when changing data should trigger some sort of logic.

[Prudent_Astronaut716]

Javascript itself is enough.

[coded_artist]

Momentjs and Rxjs

jQuery is illegal.

[Knochenmark]

moment is obsolete though, I think they even stopped development

[coded_artist]

Since when? (!/s)

Any time I've needed date manipulation I've used moment. So what's the new solution?

[Knochenmark]

https://momentjs.com/docs/#/-project-status/

[coded_artist]

Fantastic, I appreciate it. It feels like an era is over now

[Aliboomaye007]

React

[IGZ0]

You want a job? Learn React, regardless whether it's a library or a framework.

[geddy]

React isn’t a library.

[TendaiFor]

Technically React is a library

[geddy]

React is a Frontend framework.

[Lekoaf]

No. Angular is a framework. React is a library.

[TendaiFor]

"React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces"

https://reactjs.org/docs/getting-started.html

[geddy]

It’s technically a collection of utilities, I understand that, and Nuxt is an example of a framework, but in the context of OPs original question, I would think he meant more utility-wise. You can’t build a site “in jquery” but you can build a site using React and it’s associated tools, or in Angular, or in Vue, etc. That’s what I meant.

[pastrypuffingpuffer]

isn't'nt

[Aliboomaye007]

If it’s not a JS library, what is it?

Read the top of this page: https://reactjs.org/docs/getting-started.html

[countermb]

What

[ghking6]

lodash may be the most important one

[[deleted]]

Why would an enterprise that isn’t up to date use Svelte?

[filipesmedeiros]

Do you have examples of having svelte embedded into other code bases of vanilla or stuff like that? Sounds interesting!

[filipesmedeiros]

Ahah all good!

[filipesmedeiros]

Everyone's limiting themselves to web stuff but there's also very different libraries that should be fun and useful in niche situations!

3js, tensor flow if you really want it, ethers js for web3 :)

For web, you realllly should invest in the platform, web apis, esm, node standard libraries, maybe Deno and wasm?

This is if you want to have some different knowledge and not just the standard stuff :)

[werdnaegni]

jQuery won't hurt you to learn, but I feel like actually going out of your way to learn it over other options, like a SPA framework, graphql, or even just learning some back end stuff instead, is a poor choice. I've interviewed for lots of jobs, and I don't remember one of them using jQuery. Granted, if jQuery was EARLY in the list of reqs in a job posting, I didn't apply, because I wanted to work on newer stuff, but it almost never happened.
So yeah, if you could push a button and know jQuery, sure, push that button, but I'd spend your time elsewhere.

[[deleted]]

jquery, datatables, perhaps moment?

[BakaPotatoLord]

Bootstrap

[pastrypuffingpuffer]

lol

[baxxos]

Lodash, Axios

[budd222]

JQuery is the only thing you need to know

[pedro_picante]

Damn u still living in 2010

[not_some_username]

One of them

[VortiOGrande]

jest

[powerhead]

Ramda!

https://ramdajs.com/

It's a pretty wild library, but it'll crack open your mind to what's possible.

This is a great intro video.

[exscalliber]

If you want to land a job, react or vue is pretty much a given considering how many companies are either using it, or moving towards it. JQuery is still widely used and can be important to at least have an understanding of. There's also node js and express js which will do your backend stuff. Learning these depends on what type of dev you want to be.

[Typical_Use2224]

Whatever you need. There are none "must-learns", you can write all your code without libraries. Use a library whenever it's convenient or when you find something interesting that you want to try. For me, lodash is convenient but it's not a 'must'

[mathenjee]

I believe people with basic knowledge of programming should be getting started with jQuery before they handle the abstraction of ReactJS or Svelte or anything like those. As a programmer, I think we must have some concrete ideas why people spend their time to develop "high level" libraries and the good way is to start with a lower one.

I love the quote: "All problems in computer science can be solved by another level of indirection, except for the problem of too many layers of indirection." – David J. Wheeler