Let’s get one thing straight: JavaScript frameworks didn’t fall from the sky as divine gifts. They were born out of real pain - DOM manipulation hell, inconsistent browser behavior, spaghetti code that turned into a monster by the time a project hit version 1.3. So yeah, frameworks solve problems. But the question we should be asking in 2025 is: Do we still need them? Or at least, do we need them this much?

The Case for Frameworks

Let’s start with the obvious: React, Vue, Svelte, Angular - they streamline state management, UI rendering, componentization, routing, and developer experience in general. You get a nice abstraction layer, ecosystem support, and a community big enough to drown in Stack Overflow answers and open source goodies.

Using a framework means faster development, fewer bugs (hopefully), and easier collaboration in teams. Plus, if you hire a new dev, odds are they already know React or Vue. No onboarding nightmare.

But Let’s Be Honest…

Do you really need all that firepower just to build a landing page? Or even a simple dashboard?

Look at modern vanilla JS. Look at how much better native APIs have gotten - querySelector, fetch, Web Components, modules, and even lit-html. CSS has grown up too. We’re not stuck in the jQuery-era anymore. You can build beautiful, dynamic interfaces with just native tools and a bit of structure.

Frameworks also bring bloat. Performance gets hit hard - bundle sizes balloon fast. Then there’s the issue of lock-in. Frameworks evolve, APIs break, and suddenly you’re rewriting half your app because Vue 4 or React 19 changed something fundamental.

The Alternative: Lean and Native

What if you went barebones? Built your app with:

  • Vanilla JS modules
  • Web Components (which are finally usable, by the way)
  • Lightweight libraries (Alpine.js, HTMX, Lit, etc.)
  • Progressive enhancement instead of full-blown SPA magic

You’d have more control. Less abstraction. Better understanding of your stack. Debugging becomes easier because you don’t have to mentally reverse-engineer some framework’s virtual DOM algorithm.

So… Do We Need Frameworks?

It depends. (Yeah, the classic dev answer.)

  • Building a large, complex web app with multiple contributors? A framework helps keep the chaos in check.
  • Building a fast, simple site or something experimental? Skip the framework and enjoy the minimalism.
  • Want to learn how the web actually works? Ditch the training wheels for a bit.

The point is: we’ve gotten so used to reaching for React without thinking, we’ve forgotten how powerful the native platform has become. Maybe it’s time to pause and ask: Do I need a framework - or am I using one out of habit?