Explaining frameworks in a way that even a 5 year old could understand
Tags: beginners, programming
Published: 2023-03-15 00:16:28

Greetings, fellow code enthusiasts! Are you ready to embark on a journey into the exciting world of programming frameworks? If you're looking to up your coding game, then you've come to the right place! Programming frameworks are like magic wands for developers, allowing us to cast spells of productivity and efficiency over our code. They're like pre-built Lego sets that we can use to quickly build complex applications without having to start from scratch every time.

But what exactly are programming frameworks, you ask? Well, think of them as your trusty sidekick in the fight against messy and convoluted code. They provide us with a set of tools and libraries that make building software a breeze, while also helping us maintain consistency and organization in our code.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular programming frameworks out there, from React to Django, and show you how to harness their power to create amazing applications. I'll even throw in some jokes and puns along the way to keep things light-hearted and fun.

So, grab your coding cape and join us as we explore the wonderful world of programming frameworks

## Frameworks vs Programming Languages 

![Frameworks vs Programming](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/d1oxdusxu29mkxanhbma.png)
People often get confused trying to differentiate between a framework and a programming language, but I'll try to make it so clear, you'll just have to explain it to everyone you meet.

Okay, imagine you want to build a tower with some toy blocks. The blocks are like a programming language, they are the basic building blocks you use to make your tower.

![block](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/pnirdm1bq2oo7zo8yuqx.jpg)

But sometimes, building a tower from scratch with only blocks can be hard, especially if you want to make it look fancy. That's where a framework comes in. A framework is like a set of special blocks that already have some shapes and designs built into them. They make it easier for you to build a tower because you don't have to make everything from scratch.

So, programming languages are like basic toy blocks and frameworks are like special blocks that have some designs built in to help you build your tower faster and easier.

## Why you should use frameworks

Imagine you want to build a toy castle. But you don't have enough toy blocks to build it from scratch, and you're not sure how to make it look good. A framework is like a toy castle starter kit that has some pieces already put together for you. You can use these pieces to make your castle faster and easier, and you know it will look good because the starter kit was made by really good builders. Plus, you can ask other builders for help because they also use the same starter kit.

Frameworks make coding faster and easier by providing pre-written code and tools that developers can use to build applications. They also help ensure that the code is written consistently and securely, and have a large community of developers who can help with issues and share best practices. Frameworks are flexible and customizable, so developers can create applications that fit their specific needs. Overall, frameworks are a powerful tool that simplifies the development process and helps developers create better applications.

Think of it like this: "why do the hard work, when someone did it for you already?"

## How to know a good framework

Just like any other thing you could think of, all frameworks are not built the same, let's talk about things to consider when choosing a framework: 


**Flexibility**: It should be flexible, so developers can choose what features they want to use.

**Reliability**: It should be strong and work well even under a lot of people using it.

**Security**: It should protect against bad guys trying to do bad things (like hackers).

**Ease of use**: It should be easy for developers to use, so they don't waste time learning it.

**Active community**: It should have a lot of people helping to make it better and answering questions when developers have problems.

## Types of frameworks 

Frameworks are like starter kits that help developers build applications quickly and easily. But there are many types of starter kits, and they each work better for different kinds of applications. In this article, we will explain the different types of starter kits and which ones work best for different kinds of applications. By knowing this, developers can choose the right starter kit for their project and make their development process more efficient.

**Front-end frameworks**: 

![front-end](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/96w0d6yy85cii15rztm6.jpg)
Front-end frameworks are tools that help developers create the look and feel of a website or app more easily. They provide pre-made code and design elements that can be customized and used in different projects. By using these frameworks, developers can save time and focus on creating the unique features of their app. Some popular front-end frameworks include:

- **AngularJs**

![AngularJs](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/t6d5gt73cw66sjjaxwyy.jpeg)
AngularJS is a JavaScript-based open-source front-end web application framework that was developed by Google in 2009. It is a powerful framework for building dynamic web applications that provides a complete solution for client-side development.

- **Vue.js**

![vue.js](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/h3jit71yqsft89ctnnwx.jpg)

Vue.js is a lightweight, open-source JavaScript framework used for creating user interfaces. It employs a component-based approach that facilitates the development and maintenance of complex web applications. With features like two-way data binding, computed properties, and directives, Vue.js has become a popular choice among developers for building scalable projects. It also offers a virtual DOM that enhances the performance of web applications. Vue.js has a vibrant community, extensive documentation, and compatibility with modern web development tools, making it an excellent option for front-end developers.

- **Svelte**

![Svelte](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/snc8nqhx4c09rj15hlmm.png)

Svelte is a modern web framework that allows developers to build highly performant and reactive web applications.
Unlike traditional web frameworks, Svelte compiles the code at build time, rather than at runtime. This means that Svelte generates highly optimized JavaScript code that is small in size and can be delivered to the browser quickly. This makes Svelte ideal for building web applications that require a high level of performance and responsiveness.

These are just a few examples. There are a lot more other front-end frameworks.


**Back-end frameworks**:

![back-end](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/vi1tf9mrr7zu9iob91sm.jpg)
Back-end frameworks are like pre-made toolkits that help you build the back-end part of your app more easily. They have pre-written code that you can use, like how a Lego set comes with instructions and pre-made pieces.

This makes it easier and faster to build the back-end of your app, since you don't have to write everything from scratch. It's like having a head start on the project.

Popular back-end frameworks include:

- **Django**

![Django](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/ln02krmbmgrlfiuza6gv.png)

Django is an open-source web framework written in Python that enables developers to rapidly develop web applications. It is designed with a high-level approach and follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, providing developers with the necessary tools and libraries to build scalable, secure and robust applications. The framework emphasizes the "don't repeat yourself" philosophy, which aims to reduce redundancy in coding, making it a popular choice among developers for its flexibility and ease of use.

- **Ruby on Rails**

![ruby on rails](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/h7u85h22vpu0ydct3u9q.png)

Ruby on Rails, also called Rails, is a popular open-source framework for building web applications. It is written in the Ruby programming language and follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, which separates different parts of an application. This makes it easier for developers to create applications quickly and with less complexity.

- **NodeJs**

![nodejs](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mqcy4htzcey5xdusnn5c.png)

Node.js is a runtime environment for executing JavaScript code that runs outside of a web browser. It's a free and open-source technology that was developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009, and it's widely used for building web applications on the server-side. It can run on different operating systems, making it a cross-platform technology.

Back-end frameworks each have their own strengths and weaknesses, so you'll need to choose the one that's best for your specific project.

**Mobile app frameworks**:

![mobile](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/aa2c5vpbz90w0sirqwun.png)
Mobile app frameworks are like pre-made tools that help developers build mobile apps faster and easier. They have pre-written code and design elements that can be customized and used in different projects.

There are two types of mobile app frameworks: ones that are specific to a certain platform (like iOS or Android) and ones that work on multiple platforms.

Some popular mobile app frameworks include:

- **Flutter**


![flutter](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/7qu3a0e9eynfyzqwqbjq.png)

Flutter is a framework created by Google for building mobile applications that work on both Android and iOS platforms. It allows developers to write code once and use it for both platforms. One of its key features is that developers can see the changes they make to the code in real-time without restarting the app, which makes the development process faster and more efficient. Flutter also provides pre-designed widgets and tools that make it easier for developers to create beautiful and high-performance mobile apps.

- **Xamarin**

![Xamarin](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/wk5iq1rspmp05nuia9rp.png)

Xamarin is a tool that helps developers create mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows using one shared codebase written in C#. It's owned by Microsoft and is included in Microsoft Visual Studio, which makes it convenient for .NET developers. It saves development time and cost by allowing developers to reuse code across multiple platforms.

- **React Native**

![ReactNative](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kq5ztztv6kzmk3bql0o1.png)
React Native is a free tool for building mobile apps created by Facebook. Developers can use JavaScript and React to create apps for iOS, Android, and other platforms. It lets developers write code once and deploy it to multiple platforms, and provides access to native components and APIs for a native look and feel. It's popular among businesses and developers, and has a large community of contributors.


Overall, mobile app frameworks make it easier for developers to create mobile apps without having to start from scratch.

**Content Management System frameworks**: 

![cms](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/c65b00nn3zrf2871kzqt.png)
CMS frameworks are pre-built tools that help developers create websites with an easy-to-use interface for managing website content. They also provide templates for website design and plugins for extra features. Popular CMS frameworks include:

- **WordPress**

![WordPress](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/zpx8yb9mde5gf6haf1q2.png)

WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that allows users to create and manage websites and blogs. It was first released in 2003 and has since become one of the most widely used website platforms on the internet, powering over 40% of all websites.

- **Joomla**

![Joomla](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/83grw2o897t0fr9jko10.png)

Joomla is a CMS tool that is free and open-source, which is used to publish web content. It was introduced in 2005 and has since gained popularity to become one of the most widely used CMS platforms on the internet. Joomla utilizes the MVC architecture and provides numerous features for managing users, content, and extensions. It is coded in PHP and utilizes a MySQL database for storing content.


CMS frameworks make it easy for non-technical users to manage and update websites, so they are popular with businesses and organizations that want an online presence but don't have the technical know-how to create and maintain a website from scratch.


**Data science frameworks**: 

![Data science](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/x1dzglahajgxqo80ovxt.jpeg)
Data science frameworks are tools that help people who work with lots of data to do their job better. They make it easier to clean up the data, look at it, and make predictions about it.

They are like special helpers that work with computer languages like Python and R. Popular data science frameworks are:

- **NumPy**

![NumPy](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mmwzem3gt5t41rtthvvn.png)
NumPy is a Python library that allows you to work efficiently with large arrays of numerical data. It provides a important array object and fine functions for numerical operations on arrays. It's extensively used in scientific computing, data analysis, and machine learning.

- **Pandas**

![pandas](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2pwa9qerb25oosp4fgw0.png)

Pandas is a Python library that provides data structures and tools for efficiently manipulating and analyzing large datasets. It can read and write data from various file formats, clean and transform data, handle missing values, and perform powerful indexing and slicing operations. It is widely used in data science and finance.

Overall, data science frameworks help people who work with data to do their job faster and more accurately.

## Conclusion 

Frameworks are powerful tools that simplify the development process and help developers create better applications. By providing pre-written code and tools, frameworks can speed up the coding process and ensure that code is written consistently and securely. With the ability to be customized and flexible, frameworks also allow developers to create applications that fit their specific needs. From front-end and back-end frameworks to mobile app and CMS frameworks, there is a wide variety of options available to developers. Ultimately, frameworks can help developers and organizations save time and resources, while improving the quality of their applications.

That's all for now, till I write again.