Best Front-end Frameworks for Web Development in 2024

Ever come across a website that made you go, “Ugh, why is this taking forever to load?” Or maybe you felt like you needed a proper map just to find what you were looking for? Yeah, we’ve all been there. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t leave the best impression now, does it?

That’s why your business needs a website that works well, looks good, and is easy to use.

Enter front end frameworks. These frameworks are like toolkits for developers that come with all sorts of handy features and shortcuts to make websites run smoothly and efficiently. They help ensure your website loads quickly and is a breeze for visitors to use. 

But with so many frontend frameworks out there, it can be hard to pick the right one.

Don’t worry, though! We’re here to help. In this blog, we’ll break down what front end frameworks are all about and discuss the best ones for 2024!

Let’s begin!

What are Frontend Frameworks?

When you visit a website for the first time, you’re bombarded with lots of different things to click on, like buttons and menus, right? Well, it’s the job of front-end developers to create all these custom widgets. However, writing the code for each one can take forever and be really tricky. That’s where front end frameworks come in. They give developers pre-made templates to use, which makes building websites a whole lot easier.

These frameworks come with pre-designed building blocks, like buttons, layouts, and menus, that help create stunning websites in no time. And the best part? They let developers focus on making sure the website works seamlessly. Even if you only know a little bit about coding languages like JavaScript, you can use these frameworks to create awesome web pages without much hassle.

List of Best Frontend Frameworks in 2024

Angular

First up is Angular- one of the best front end frameworks. Angular is built on TypeScript, a programming language launched by Google in 2016. One of its best features is two-way data binding which means the changes you make in the code are instantly displayed on the website, fascinating, right?

Developers love this framework for its strong security and ability to handle large-scale projects. And guess what? It’s free for anyone to use. Plus, Angular is perfect for both simple websites and complex business applications, as it keeps everything synchronized in real time. 

Another thing that sets this framework apart is its way of breaking down websites into smaller parts, making it easier to reuse and maintain different sections.

Advantages:

• Dependency injection: Angular comes with a built-in system for managing dependencies between components, simplifying how different parts of your application interact with each other.
• Scalability: Angular’s modular setup makes it maintain and scale your project as it grows.
• Reusable codes: Angular lets you reuse components and services across different applications, saving time and effort.

Limitations:

• Angular can be a bit tricky to learn and use because it has lots of advanced features.
• Sometimes, Angular might slow down in dynamic applications, affecting its performance and in turn the users’ satisfaction.

React

React, developed by Facebook, is one of the most popular front end frameworks known for its ability to build big and intricate web applications. It’s famous because it’s super fast and has a lot of cool features that make it flexible for developers to use.

One of its special features is the Virtual Document Object Model (DOM). This fancy term refers to the way React manages changes to the webpage. Basically, it makes things faster for both developers and users. Developers can work more efficiently because React only updates the parts of the webpage that need changing, rather than reloading the entire page. And for users, this means faster load times and smoother interactions with the website.

Advantages:

• Speed: React makes websites load quickly because it only updates the parts that need change, not the entire page.
• Flexibility: With React, developers can easily reuse code and build complex interfaces.
• Support: React has a large, active community of developers who provide lots of help and resources.

Limitations:

• Getting the hang of JSX concepts can be tough for developers especially when they’re just starting out.
• While ReactJS handles the UI part of the application well, you might need to integrate other technologies to access complete development tools.

Vue.js

When you compare it to Angular and React, this progressive front-end framework is simpler and lighter, making it ideal for designing user interfaces. It’s got great features like two-way data binding, component-based programming, and virtual DOM, which are perfect for building small and dynamic web apps.

And you know what? Startups and freelance developers are hooked to this framework. They love using it to add interactive stuff to their user interfaces. It’s like the perfect tool for testing out new ideas and seeing how people react.

Advantages:

• MVVM architecture for HTML handling: Vue.js uses a special MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) architecture to handle HTML blocks effectively. Plus, there’s loads of helpful documentation available to guide developers along the way.
• Easy integration and reusable codes: Vue.js is also simple to integrate with other tools, and you can reuse your code easily. This saves a ton of time when writing new code.

Limitations:

• It offers fewer features than Angular or React.
• The built-in documentation in Chinese can be a big challenge for non-Chinese speakers.

j.Query

Next up on our list is j.Query!

The jQuery website defines jQuery (jQ) as a fast, small, multi-browser JavaScript library. It makes things like HTML document traversal and manipulation, event handling, animation, and Ajax much simpler with an easy-to-use API that works across many browsers.

In simple terms, jQuery makes it easier to write code for websites by putting all the complex JavaScript tasks into a convenient package. It’s great for making standard-looking web pages and fixing issues with how they work on different web browsers. Just remember, jQuery isn’t a new language, it’s just a tool that turns into JavaScript. So, when you use jQuery to write code, it’s like using a translator that turns it into JavaScript, which the computer then understands.

Advantages:

• Browser compatibility: jQuery works smoothly on different web browsers, supporting modern features like CSS3 selectors and XML Path Language syntax.
• Animated effects: With jQuery, you can create super cool animations using CSS properties.
• HTML edits: jQuery makes it incredibly simple to select and change parts of a webpage. This makes it easy to customize content and make your website look just the way you want it to.

Limitations:

• Inconvenient for large-scale production use
• Relatively slower processing speed
• Outdated document object model APIs

Backbone.JS

Another free tool for web development is Backbone.js. This open-source framework is specifically made to create single-page websites without needing a lot of code. One good thing about Backbone.js is that it helps keep the website’s logic and design separate. It does so by offering different models with special events and various ways to connect data. Plus, it comes with libraries full of helpful tools that make it easier to build websites that not only work flawlessly but also look amazing.

Advantages:

• Seamless communication: It’s the top choice for front-end development because it communicates well with APIs using a RESTful JSON interface.
• In-depth tutorials: Backbone.js comes with clear and detailed tutorials, making it easier for beginners to learn and use this framework.

Limitations:

• Backbone.js doesn’t support two-way binding data.

Svelte

Think of Svelte as the new kid on the block. This open-source project is loved for its easy-to-understand syntax. Unlike some frameworks that use unusual programming languages, Svelte sticks to standard HTML and JavaScript. ​​It’s becoming popular because it’s really fast. The way it works speeds up the process and makes websites smaller, which is great for beginners and small projects.

Plus, when you use SvelteKit with it, you’ve got a powerful duo that gives you almost everything you need for an ideal frontend. 

Advantages: 

• Clear and simple components: Svelte stands out from the rest because of its straightforward components. It eliminates unnecessary clutter and makes coding and design tasks easier.
• Optimized performance: Svelte works really fast because it’s built on components, beating other frameworks in speed and efficiency.
• Modular development: With Svelte, developers can easily build components using JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, making it flexible and a breeze to work with.

Limitations:

• Svelte doesn’t have all the extra tools and add-ons needed for complex, large-scale projects.
• Since it’s relatively less popular than other frameworks, Svelte has fewer resources like support and tutorials

Semantic UI

Semantic UI is a free and open-source library for user interfaces (UI). It comes with built-in components like buttons and layouts to make building websites much easier. Powered by the LESS CSS compiler and jQuery, Semantic UI helps web developers create good-looking, lightweight, and responsive websites and apps. It’s widely known as the “copy-and-paste” framework because it’s that simple to use.

Advantages:

• Semantic UI gives you lots of themes to pick from.
• Semantic UI is really easy to use and highly intuitive because it follows natural language. For example, if you want three buttons or a dropdown, you can just use classes like “three buttons” or “dropdown”.
• With Semantic UI, you can mix and match elements from different themes. For example, you could use a form from one theme and a button from another.

Limitations:

• It has lesser browser compatibility.
• Semantic UI doesn’t get frequent updates and isn’t actively worked on.

Foundation

Foundation is a frontend framework made by ZURB, a company known for its product design. It’s been available since 2011 and is free for everyone to use. This framework is made up of different parts that can be used separately, and it mainly uses Sass for styling. It’s designed to work well on different screen sizes, and it comes with starter templates to help you kickstart your web projects.

Advantages:

• Foundation lets you customize your website without it appearing too similar to others using the same framework. 
• Its default CSS design is flat and attractive, so you don’t need to customize it much to make it look good.
• As a part of add-ons, the Foundation team provides services and online training courses to support users.

Limitations:

• It has a steep learning curve and might be difficult for beginners to learn and use.
• There’s a lack of support for troubleshooting issues.

There you have it – the top 8 front end developer frameworks of 2024.

In the end, it all comes down to what you want to create and how you like to work. Each framework has its own style and is suitable for different projects. So, pick the one that fits your needs and preferences the best.

And if you need any help building websites or apps, just reach out to Shakuro, and we’ll start right away!