Vue.js

Vue.js is a progressive framework for developing user interfaces and single-page web applications in JavaScript. It addresses the needs of the view layer and simplifies working with libraries. Vue.js can be adopted gradually, which is what sets it apart from other frameworks.

Alibaba uses the framework: Twitter (now X), Facebook^*, Baidu, EuroNews, Xiaomi, Sina Weibo, and others. It is part of the core frameworks Laravel and PageKit. New versions of the product are released several times a year, each with a name taken from anime, manga, and science fiction. The latest version, 3.2, was released in 2021 and is called The Quintessential Quintuplets. It is currently one of the most promising frameworks: flexible, fast, and actively developing.

Where is Vue.js used?

The Vue.js framework is used in the development of:

• fast websites and applications, small blogs;
• websites with high loads – online stores, information portals;
• single-page applications (SPA) – social networks, microblogging services, CMS, etc.;
• adaptive interfaces;
• sections of personal accounts and user pages;
• authorization interfaces, online chats, application forms, and other functional blocks.

Features of Vue.js

Reactivity

Vue.js is a reactive MVC framework. The view changes as the model changes.

Progressiveness

The Vue.js core is ideal for integrating into an existing project. For example, a finished product’s website could continue to run on jQuery (a previously used library), but some modules could be gradually rewritten to Vue before the full transition.

Simplicity

You can get started with the framework without any basic web development knowledge. Its low entry barrier makes it popular among beginner developers.

Light weight

The framework takes up about 20 KB, so projects built with it load faster and are ranked better by search engines.

Rapid development

Templates, extensive documentation and instructions, and a vibrant community of enthusiasts make it easy to solve any problem that arises when creating Vue.js projects.

How Vue.js Works

Components. The application consists of parts. These are elements with defined parameters and behaviors attached by the compiler. They extend basic HTML elements and allow for multiple reuse (for example, multiple clicks on a virtual button). One component can include several others, using a tree-like hierarchy.

Templates. This is valid HTML code that binds the rendered DOM (Document Object Model) to the Vue.js database data. The framework renders components in the DOM memory before refreshing the browser. By leveraging the reactivity system, Vue.js determines the smallest number of components to re-render and reduces the number of object model operations when the application state changes.

Transitions. These tools implement animation effects for DOM elements being drawn, updated, or removed. They include:

• Automatic application of classes for CSS transitions and animations;
• connecting libraries for CSS animation from third-party sources, such as Animate.css;
• DOM modifications using JavaScript;
• Connecting JS libraries from third-party sources for animation (e.g., Velocity.js).

Directives. These are special attributes used within a Vue component’s HTML template to interact with HTML tags and other components. They are typically written with the letter v at the beginning, followed by a hyphen. Examples of basic directives:

• v-show — ensures that the element is rendered according to the passed value (true shows the element, false hides it);
• v-if — also displays the element, but unlike the previous case, it always remains in the DOM, only the value of the CSS display property changes;
• v-bind — binds dynamic data to an HTML attribute;
• v-model – is also responsible for data binding, but makes it two-way.
• v-on — adds an event and its handlers to the element.

• improve the presentation of your application by controlling the layer that Vue works with;
• configure them for global access and then reuse them in any component of the project for increased efficiency;
• format data at the presentation level or directly in the document object model.

The Vue.js ecosystem

You can customize the functionality and tooling using additional libraries and tools. These are created by both official developers and community enthusiasts. These tools and libraries make up the Vue.js ecosystem. It includes: The 

• router is the package responsible for routing. It supports nested routes to components, simplifies the navigation API, and controls scrolling behavior and transitions.
• Vuex is a state management library and pattern. It serves as a centralized data store for all application components, with rules ensuring that state can only be modified in predictable ways.
• devtools is a browser debugging plugin that displays the presence and state of components.
• server-renderer is a package for server-side rendering of components into HTML code and sending it to the browser. This allows for faster interface rendering.
• CLI is a command-line tool that simplifies and speeds up the development of Vue.js applications.
• Loader is a Webpack loading plugin that allows you to create Vue components in single-file format (SFC).

Examples of Vue.js websites

Chess.com. A website dedicated to chess. It has approximately 20 million monthly visitors. The site also offers online chess play.

Codeship.com. A cloud platform for programmers where they can store web applications.

Livestorm. A platform for creating webinars.