Difference Between Vanilla JavaScript & jQuery, And When Best To Use Them.
Tags: javascript, webdev, jquery
Published: 2023-12-18 14:48:31


JavaScript is a basic scripting language and the foundation of web interactivity. It has undergone a lot of changes since it was first introduced.

Vanilla JavaScript simply refers to using pure, standard JavaScript without any additional libraries or frameworks like jQuery, React, or Vue.js.

JQuery is a JavaScript library that simplifies the writing of JavaScript code. It has become very popular for this reason.

However, with the advent of modern browsers and the development of vanilla JavaScript, things have changed. In this article, we will discuss the differences between vanilla JavaScript and jQuery, and when best to use them.

##The Growth And The Importance of Vanilla JavaScript To Web Development.

In its early days, vanilla JavaScript was only being used to perform simple tasks on web pages, but grew and evolved, and became integral in the creation of dynamic and interactive web experiences.

Vanilla JavaScript played a significant role in the growth of web development, due to how easily interactive and functional it made web pages. It is so favored by web developers, that over 90% of the web is powered by JavaScript.

Despite its growth and favoritism by web developers, vanilla JavaScript still had its difficulties, which was why jQuery was introduced in 2006. jQuery eased the challenges faced by web developers when using vanilla JavaScript.

##The Emergence Of jQuery.

jQuery was presented as the solution to JavaScript's many challenges such as the inconsistencies and complexities with vanilla JavaScript when dealing with DOM(Document Object Model) manipulation and event handling across different web browsers.

In a short amount of time, jQuery was recognized as a fast, small, and feature-rich JavaScript Library, that was also easy to learn and use. It made writing JavaScript with fewer codes and provided an easy-to-use API for developers. 

##Difference between vanilla JavaScript and jQuery.

| Criteria | Vanilla JavaScript | jQuery |
| ---- | --- | --- |
| Cross-browser compatibility | Vanilla JavaScript tends to be inconsistent across different browsers. | By addressing inconsistencies across browsers, jQuery ensured a uniform experience. |
| Development time | With Vanilla JavaScript, Some tasks might require more lines of code to achieve, which will take a lot of time to write. | jQuery allows developers to achieve more with fewer lines of code, facilitating faster development. |
| Performance | Vanilla JavaScript tends to execute faster since it interacts directly with the browser API, and it has no overhead library to slow it down. | jQuery adds another layer of files to the JavaScript, which will in turn impact its speed and performance. | 
| Learning progress | Using Vanilla JavaScript gives one an improved understanding of the core concept of JavaScript. | Using jQuery makes writing JavaScript a lot easier, which will in turn stall the learning progress of a developer. |
| Mistakes | It is easier to make mistakes or miss something while writing vanilla JavaScript code, due to how long it can be. | jQuery code is mostly short, it is easy to find mistakes and correct them. |
| Beginner-friendly | Vanilla JavaScript is less beginner-friendly and will require one to write more code than jQuery. | jQuery is a lot friendlier to beginners by requiring very short and easy-to-remember syntax. |



##Making The Right Decision.

One needs to know when best to use either vanilla JavaScript or jQuery.

###Vanilla JavaScript 

- For big & complex projects where performance will be important.
- When building projects to learn to understand JavaScript better.
- When building a server-side application with node.js.


###jQuery 

- When you need to build a small project quickly or test ideas, jQuery would prove to be quite useful.
- Already existing large project that relies on jQuery, migrating out would be difficult, but it will be better to just stick with it.
- When building small projects for fun.

##Conclusion
 
Choosing between vanilla JavaScript and jQuery is dependent on the needs of the project and the skill set and preference of the developer involved in the project.

Vanilla JavaScript is more suitable for new major projects that require fast performance, while jQuery is for legacy projects that were already built with jQuery. 

With all that has been said, it is still best for a web developer to master both vanilla JavaScript and jQuery, and understand when best to use them, to ensure the best outcome of their project.