Vanilla Web: You Don't Need that Library - Modern Web Development with Pure JavaScript

Explore the power of simplicity in web development with this conference talk from GOTO Chicago 2024 by Maximiliano Firtman, app developer and course instructor. Discover how to build rich web applications using only HTTP protocol, core JavaScript, and browser APIs without dependencies. Learn why returning to "Vanilla JS" can offer advantages in simplicity and development speed. The 42-minute presentation covers modern JavaScript's foundational features including Web Components, Shadow DOM, reactivity, declarative templates, PWA APIs, and client-side routing - capabilities typically provided by libraries. Firtman also discusses server-side architectures and static site generators, addressing common fears about Vanilla JS development. The talk progresses through semantic HTML, Vanilla CSS, custom elements, template elements, reactive programming, and concludes with practical lessons for implementing a dependency-free approach to web development.

Syllabus

00:00 Intro
01:33 A few questions
05:04 How did we get here?
07:48 Vanilla JavaScript
09:32 Why you need to care about VanillaJS
11:22 Advantages of VanillaJS
12:40 Fears of VanillaJS
16:52 Semantic HTML & Vanilla CSS
18:39 Static generators
20:00 Client-side routing
24:09 Web components
26:32 Custom element
28:32 Template element
31:59 Shadow DOM
34:22 Reactive programming
37:03 Web apps power
40:23 Lessons
42:11 Outro