If you’ve been in web development for more than five minutes, you know the drill. Every few months, a new JavaScript framework pops up, promising to fix everything wrong with the previous generation.
At first, it’s exciting. A cleaner syntax, better performance, fewer headaches! But after years of jumping from React to Vue to Svelte to Solid (and back again), I’ve come to a realization constantly chasing the latest JavaScript framework is a waste of time.
Don’t get me wrong—innovation is great. But at some point, you have to ask yourself Am I actually building things, or am I just constantly relearning how to build the same thing in a slightly different way?
The JavaScript Hype Cycle Never Stops
Let’s be honest, JavaScript developers are obsessed with the new and shiny. Every year, there’s a new framework, a new bundler, a new meta-framework, a new way to manage state. The cycle goes something like this:
- Someone announces a "game-changing" framework. It’s smaller, faster, better than everything before it.
- Devs flock to it. Blogs, YouTube tutorials, conference talks—everyone hypes it up.
- Companies hesitate. Adoption is slow because they have production apps that actually need to run.
- The initial excitement dies down. The framework matures, gains complexity, and starts resembling what it originally tried to replace.
- Rinse and repeat with the next hot framework.
Remember when Vue was supposed to replace React? When Svelte was going to kill them both? Now we’re talking about Solid and Qwik in the same way. Meanwhile, React and Angular are still here, and jQuery (yes, jQuery) still powers a ridiculous number of websites.
At some point, I had to ask myself << What am I actually gaining by switching frameworks every year? >>
Rewriting Everything Is Not Productive
I love trying new tech. I get excited about performance gains, better DX, and cleaner syntax. But there’s a cost to switching frameworks, it slows you down.
Every time I jumped on a new framework, I had to:
- Learn a new component syntax.
- Figure out state management (again).
- Read new documentation and fix weird edge cases.
- Convince my team (or myself) that this was actually worth it.
And for what? To build the same UI components, handle the same API calls, and manage the same state as before?
At some point, I realized I was spending more time learning frameworks than actually building things.
"Best Framework" Is a Myth
Developers love arguing about which framework is best. But here’s the truth, there is no best framework—only trade-offs.
- React gives you a massive ecosystem but forces you to deal with complex rendering patterns.
- Vue is intuitive but gets opinionated with Vuex, Pinia, and its build tools.
- Svelte eliminates boilerplate but locks you into its compiler-based approach.
- Solid gives you React-like ergonomics with better performance but lacks ecosystem maturity.
- Angular is a powerhouse but comes with a steep learning curve.
Every framework has strengths and weaknesses. The moment you switch, you just trade one set of problems for another.
The Job Market Is Still Dominated by React and Angular
Here’s a reality check Companies don’t care about the latest JS framework.
If you’re job-hunting, React and Angular are still the dominant forces. Vue has a respectable share. The rest? Niche.
A startup might experiment with Svelte or Solid, but most production applications don’t switch tech stacks just because something new is trending on Twitter.
At the end of the day, companies need stable, maintainable codebases. They’re not rebuilding everything in Qwik just because it sounds cool.
Frameworks Won’t Make You a Better Developer
At one point, I convinced myself that mastering every new JS framework would make me a better developer. But the truth is, jumping between frameworks teaches you very little beyond syntax differences.
What actually makes you a better developer?
- Understanding core JavaScript deeply (async, closures, event loops, prototypes).
- Learning system design (how to build scalable applications).
- Writing maintainable code (clean architecture, testing, documentation).
- Thinking beyond the frontend (APIs, databases, cloud deployment).
A good developer isn’t the one who can rewrite a todo app in 10 frameworks. It’s the one who knows how to design software that works, scales, and is easy to maintain—regardless of framework.
What I’m Doing Instead
I’m not saying I’ll never try a new framework again. But I’ve changed my approach:
✅ Stick to frameworks that are widely adopted (React, Vue, Angular).
✅ Only switch when there’s a real reason (not just because Twitter says so).
✅ Focus on core programming skills, not just syntax differences.
✅ Build more, chase less.
The next time a new JS framework drops, I won’t be rushing to rewrite my projects. Instead, I’ll be focused on shipping products, writing solid code, and improving my problem-solving skills.
Final Thoughts
Frameworks come and go. The skills that matter—problem-solving, architecture, and clean code—stick with you for life.
If you’re always jumping from one JS framework to the next, ask yourself << Are you actually getting better, or just running in circles? >>
Let’s talk—are you still chasing frameworks, or have you stepped off the hype train too? Drop a comment below!
I also think front-end frameworks change too quickly. We should focus on understanding the core theories and design ideas of these frameworks, rather than getting caught up in their syntax.