Web components are a nice idea if you squint hard enough, but architecturally they're inadequate for solving the problems modern frameworks and libraries address — that's why you see them used nearly nowhere. I think needless to say that the answer to tooling fatigue is not more new tooling. As someone who's spent way more time working on frontend applications, libraries and tooling than is good for anyone's hairline, I would say the main thing we really need is time. There is clearly a best practices converging across the tooling landscape, best ways to solve common problems etc, but we're not quite there yet. But I can see it in the distance if I squint.
but architecturally they're inadequate for solving the problems modern frameworks and libraries address
Such as?
Do you think these are inherent limitation? Is it possible to get to an "adequate" place with webcomponents alone? Or with web component based frameworks or libraries?
that's why you see them used nearly nowhere
Little companies you have have heard of using webcomponents extensively: YouTube, many Google properties, GitHub.
Personally I'm hella sad that this industry doesn't make new js frameworks like they used to. It now takes a Microsoft or a Facebook's name recognition for people to pay attention. And where-as before many people tried, devs in the React age see themselves not as capable web makers, but as downstream React craftsmen; we don't recognize in ourselves that we create & shape our development experience, are less trying to find what works for us & more trying to adopt & use existing tools.
I feel similar but different in this summation:
the main thing we really need is time. There is clearly a best practices converging across the tooling landscape, best ways to solve common problems
We lack the range of experience. Time yes, but more so, there aren't visible enough pokers in the fire. And a lack of a strong blogging culture where every effort gets chatted up & considered by the broader mind. We don't really know what limitations or downsides there are; most folks haven't tried or seen many other tries.
Any particular parts that you feel are inadequate with web components? Web components aren't a panacea but they have definitely come a long way in the past decade.
Comments
Web components are a nice idea if you squint hard enough, but architecturally they're inadequate for solving the problems modern frameworks and libraries address — that's why you see them used nearly nowhere. I think needless to say that the answer to tooling fatigue is not more new tooling. As someone who's spent way more time working on frontend applications, libraries and tooling than is good for anyone's hairline, I would say the main thing we really need is time. There is clearly a best practices converging across the tooling landscape, best ways to solve common problems etc, but we're not quite there yet. But I can see it in the distance if I squint.
Such as?
Do you think these are inherent limitation? Is it possible to get to an "adequate" place with webcomponents alone? Or with web component based frameworks or libraries?
Little companies you have have heard of using webcomponents extensively: YouTube, many Google properties, GitHub.
Personally I'm hella sad that this industry doesn't make new js frameworks like they used to. It now takes a Microsoft or a Facebook's name recognition for people to pay attention. And where-as before many people tried, devs in the React age see themselves not as capable web makers, but as downstream React craftsmen; we don't recognize in ourselves that we create & shape our development experience, are less trying to find what works for us & more trying to adopt & use existing tools.
I feel similar but different in this summation:
We lack the range of experience. Time yes, but more so, there aren't visible enough pokers in the fire. And a lack of a strong blogging culture where every effort gets chatted up & considered by the broader mind. We don't really know what limitations or downsides there are; most folks haven't tried or seen many other tries.
(Shout out to niw-inactive Catalyst web component library, which I hope some day comes back. The action / target system rocks, very similar to CommamdFor/InvikerAction work that's been chunking along. https://github.com/github/catalyst https://github.com/whatwg/html/issues/9625#issuecomment-2115... )
Any particular parts that you feel are inadequate with web components? Web components aren't a panacea but they have definitely come a long way in the past decade.