Migrate off jQuery

[kj7rrv]

The site has outgrown jQuery. We need to migrate off. Not sure how we make decisions here, but we will need to either choose a new framework or choose to not use one.

[sushain97]

No framework isn't really a viable option.

[TinoDidriksen]

Outgrown jQuery? Goodness no. jQuery is alive and well, and unlike all the other fly-by-night new-every-week JS frameworks, it just works and is maintained. I say that project using other JS frameworks would be better off moving to jQuery.

[sushain97]

The state management in this project is pretty complicated. There's no way to test it sanely and nothing is remotely broken up into components. Feel free to try messing with some of the core translation bits or writing meaningful tests.

It needs a rewrite in something more suited to dealing with complex state. We don't need Redux or any of the more complicated libraries but something simple like Preact would make it significantly better. Sure, there are lots of ephemeral JS libraries out there but ones like React have proven their value.

jQuery works just fine, until a point.

[sushain97]

Moving away from jQuery would also make it more accessible to younger contributors (i.e. GCI) that are often unfamiliar with or haven't even heard of jQuery.

[kj7rrv]

Do we need to use a framework at all?

…

On Sat, Dec 7, 2019 at 3:00 PM Sushain Cherivirala ***@***.***> wrote: Moving away from jQuery would also make it more accessible to younger contributors that are often unfamiliar with or haven't even heard of jQuery. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#351?email_source=notifications&email_token=AN54XP2PZRONEMAMTORUXE3QXQTHDA5CNFSM4JXFPIOKYY3PNVWWK3TUL52HS4DFVREXG43VMVBW63LNMVXHJKTDN5WW2ZLOORPWSZGOEGGRLVA#issuecomment-562894292>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AN54XP5KW5D44DOVUAWR4V3QXQTHDANCNFSM4JXFPIOA> .

[sushain97]

jQuery is hardly a framework. It's more a set of utility functions. The biggest thing it gets us is something that is a "framework", Bootstrap.

[sushain97]

I don't feel bad about saying this about the current state of the code since 90% of it is my fault. I'm sure that it could have been written better but the imperative style of programming that jQuery encourages just doesn't work well with complex user interfaces that are better programmed "functionally". Having to think about how your change will potentially impact every single other piece of the user interface is unsustainable and makes further development on this project pretty difficult even for someone who wrote most of the current code. Perhaps it could be completely rewritten to be more modular using only jQuery but if we're going to do a complete rewrite, jQuery isn't the right choice IMO. I'm definitely not voting for something like Angular but Preact/React aren't particularly difficult to pick up and offer lots of advantages. It's possible to use these frameworks without also succumbing to the 2GB node_modules + 10m webpack build effect.

[kj7rrv]

OK, so it sounds like React/Preact is the best choice?

[sushain97]

That's what I would vote for but I'm open to other suggestions.

[kj7rrv]

Would doing it framework-less be OK?

[sushain97]

I don't think that's a good idea. It offers basically nothing over using jQuery. The jQuery dependency is pretty light.

[kj7rrv]

Do we want to use react or preact?

[kj7rrv]

also, if I do it, I have access to any major browser except Safari.

[kj7rrv]

Would doing this entail a complete rewrite of the frontend?