When deciding to develop an application, all business owners at some point face the same question: which framework to use? Typically, Vue is among the first framework recommendations for single-page applications you’ll encounter. Naturally, you may want to learn more about this framework and why it’s so popular.

In this guide, we’ll explain the importance of using a framework, what Vue is, and how it works. Additionally, we’ll list the benefits and drawbacks and help to determine whether it’s the right fit for your project.

What Is a Framework?

In short, Vue is a framework. But what is a framework, and why is it important for your application? A framework is a platform that provides a certain structure and predefined function set to your code. These functions and the structure are used to control software or hardware and process data.

A framework is not mandatory for coding. You can use old-fashioned methods of writing plain code in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. However, such code is unorganized, which may not be an issue for the simplest applications but is tricky for more serious projects. Even a minor change in a code written without a framework may lead to your whole application crashing or malfunctioning. Spotting and fixing the issue is often cumbersome, especially if the application was developed by another professional. If you don’t want to pay for extra labor and hire a single developer for life, utilizing a framework is a great option.

Code organization affects more than the ease of data updates. The whole user experience depends on which framework you use and how. A framework affects your application’s speed, stability, security, and look. Furthermore, some extensions are only available with specific frameworks and not with plain code. A skilled programmer can likely create a piece of code with the same functionality. However, extensions save time and improve the usability of an application component.

Frameworks divide into front-end and back-end development. Front-end frameworks help to process data input and render the changes on the end-user screen. They’re associated with page design and all the elements seen by the user. At the core of any front-end framework lies HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or sometimes, the three languages combined. HTML or hypertext markup language sets a page structure, while CSS defines the style. JavaScript combines both functions and makes the page interactive.

The back-end development makes the front-end work. It can’t be seen by the end-user, though without it, your application can’t operate. Think of it as an iceberg where the front-end is the part above the water and the back-end is the rest of it. Back-end frameworks ensure your application is secure, doesn’t crash, and runs correctly. Some of the most popular back-end frameworks include Ruby, Python, PHP, and Node.js.

What Is Vue and Why Is It Popular?

Now that you know what exactly a framework is, explaining what Vue is will be easier. Vue is not a new coding language but a front-end framework developed on JavaScript. Vue is a progressive framework, meaning developers can pick the specific functionalities they need from numerous Vue libraries and tools. This makes the Vue learning slope less steep. Vue is typically used for developing single-page applications. These are applications that dynamically update the page components instead of loading completely new pages.

Vue was invented by Evan You in 2014, so it’s a much younger framework than its prototype Angular (2010) or oldies such as Python (1989). The framework’s creator said in an interview that his goal was to make a lighter version of Angular while retaining its best functionality. The word “Vue” is phonetically similar to English “view,” as the framework’s focus is the visual user interface. Today, the framework is used by enterprises such as Google, Apple, Nintendo, and Gitlab. Such an impressive adopter list speaks for itself.

Vue utilizes the document object model (DOM) view. Simply put, it’s a visual representation of HTML page structure and style. The application page is divided into components or page elements. Each element is then further divided into attributes such as color, text, or its relationship with other elements. Think of it as a family tree-style architecture. When the application user interacts with one of the page’s components, the application renders a new page appearance. With a plain code, a single element change requires re-rendering the whole structure. But with DOM, the application must only render the element that was triggered.

Vue also supports component-based architecture (CBA), where each page element can be written in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript. Each code component can be reused for another code piece or unit testing.

The framework utilizes two-way or reactive data binding. The term refers to linking data updates between a component class and its template. When you make an update in the component class, the changes apply to the attached template automatically. In other words, reactive binding syncs your data updates between DOM and the code.

The Benefits of Vue Framework

StackOverflow’s 2019 survey of 90,000 developers shows that Vue is preferred by 15.2% of respondents among over 10 different frameworks. This isn’t surprising, as Vue offers plenty of benefits for the developers and end-users. Let’s look at why it’s one of the best JavaScript frameworks of today.

One of the reasons for Vue’s popularity is its tiny size. The installation file weighs under 20 kilobytes. And, because you can choose to install only the specific tools you need rather than the whole library pack, the weight typically doesn’t grow much. For comparison, Vue’s prototype Angular weighs over 500 kilobytes. The light weight reduces the impact on the user interface and improves its loading times.

The DOM structure is another reason why Vue applications feature great loading speeds. As the system must only render the triggered page component, the process takes less time and fewer errors occur.

The two-way data binding enables the programmer to track previous changes and edit related elements. It makes Vue great for developing applications requiring real-time updates. The code readability and change tracking are also ensured by the CBS. As all components are properly organized, you can quickly locate the element that needs changing.

Vue JS offers an extensive toolset, great scalability, and versatile integration possibilities. The framework is suitable for developing new applications or altering existing ones and can be integrated into any JavaScript code. As Vue is an open-source framework, it supports numerous third-party libraries and functions, speeding up the application development process. Lastly, due to the constantly growing developer interest, Vue has a large support community. It’s a rapidly evolving framework enabling programmers to bring the most ambitious application ideas to life.

The Drawbacks of Vue Framework

Some of Vue’s benefits are also its drawbacks. The two-way data binding sometimes leads to rendering errors. Although keeping data synced is handy for developers, the system isn’t advanced enough to always process changes correctly without a specific setup. Thankfully, this issue is often addressed in the developer community and skilled professionals know how to deal with Vue’s reactivity.

Vue’s flexibility may also be viewed as a con for large projects. As developers can use three languages and numerous different extensions, it may be hard to reach a consensus about the programming approach. The community support for large-scale projects also isn’t the best due to the relatively young age of the framework.

The good thing is, all Vue’s drawbacks only matter for the application developers and not for the client or end-user. The core objective is to find a skilled professional team that knows how to handle the framework’s reactivity and communicates efficiently among themselves.

Should You Use Vue for Your Application?

Vue is suitable for projects of different sizes and purposes. There are some projects for which Vue is the best option, though.

When designing an application, it’s often hard to predict how complex it will turn out in the end. Vue offers excellent scalability, so you can start by developing a simple application and add more features gradually. Vue also offers great solutions for improving single-page application SEO, which is also an issue with other frameworks.

However, it’s important to note that Vue may not be the only framework that meets your needs. For some large-scale applications, more established and utilizing stable one-way binding frameworks such as React may be a better choice. Consulting with a professional on your project details is always a great idea as they can advise you on the most suitable framework.

Professional Approach

The choice of a framework is important. However, at the end of the day, it all depends on how a developer utilizes the given functionality. While the Vue programmer market is constantly growing, finding a skilled expert isn’t as simple. Our team specializes in application development using various JavaScript frameworks, including Vue, React, Angular, and others. Contact us for a consultation or a quote to start bringing your application idea to life today.