Which JavaScript Framework Should I Learn?

Learning JavaScript opens the door to web development, so it’s no surprise that it’s the most popular programming language worldwide [1]. While JavaScript provides the foundation, picking the right framework for your project can significantly impact your timeline and productivity, providing tools to streamline your development. Learning a framework doesn’t just make coding faster. It helps you work smarter, collaborate with your team more easily, and create scalable applications for real-world use.

To match the right framework to your project needs, explore leading front-end and back-end frameworks, pros and cons of each, and practical advice for how to begin learning them. If you’re ready to build your JavaScript skills, consider enrolling in the IBM Full-Stack JavaScript Developer Professional Certificate, where you’ll master the full-stack development languages, frameworks, tools, and technologies to develop job-ready skills valued by employers.

What is a framework in JavaScript?

A JavaScript framework is a pre-developed collection of code. Frameworks can help you build user interfaces (front-end development), manage server-side applications (back-end development), or a combination of both.

JavaScript frameworks for front-end development

If you’re focusing on aspects of your website that the user sees and interacts with, you’ll likely want to use a front-end framework. To decide on the right one for you, consider the features of each, their pros and cons, and how you can begin exploring the basics on your own time.

React.js

If you’re unsure where to start, React.js is one of the safest bets, thanks to its huge development community and massive industry adoption. As of 2024, it’s the second most widely used web framework for developers, following closely behind Node.js [2]. This isn’t surprising, as many popular companies—such as Airbnb, Facebook, GitHub, and PayPal—utilize React to power their interfaces.

One of the benefits of React is the flexibility. If you’re looking to build the knowledge you need to develop everything from simple websites to complex web applications, React provides versatile components and tools. Because it’s a library, you have the freedom to develop your application how you want. For example, you could find a ready-made button or menu that behaves a certain way. Instead of having to develop this unit, you can simply utilize the pre-built unit and place it where you want on your page.

Developers often opt for React because of its component-based architecture, which lets you break your interface down into small, reusable parts. This feature can help keep your code more organized and maintainable, which is helpful if you’re building apps that change often. Plus, you can use the Virtual DOM (document object model) to boost performance by only updating parts of the page that require updates, helping to maintain speed and responsiveness in the other parts.

Pros: 

• Huge job market demand

• Reusable components

• Easy integration with other frameworks

• Massive ecosystem of tools, libraries, tutorials, and support

• Flexible and highly customizable

• Strong community support

• Fast rendering with Virtual DOM

Cons: 

• Requires basic knowledge of JSX

• May have a steeper learning curve than some other frameworks

• Not suitable if you need a high level of back-end work

How to start learning React: Check out Meta’s React Native Specialization on Coursera, where you’ll have the opportunity to learn React basics, including how to use reusable components.

Ember

If you know you’re building a large application and want clear conventions and structure from day one, Ember.js may be what you’re looking for. While not as trendy as React, Ember powers many high-traffic applications and companies like Microsoft, LinkedIn, and Netflix. 

Ember has a “convention over configuration” philosophy, meaning it handles many architectural designs for you upfront. This allows you to start building immediately with code builders and a test runner, and makes it easy to collaborate with your team. One of the standout features is the command line interface (CLI), which automates project scaffolding, component generation, and installation of third-party dependencies. 

Pros:

• Highly scalable

• Strong community support

• A large number of mechanisms to help you easily configure applications

• Includes Inspector development tool to help you edit in real-time

Cons:

• Steep learning curve

• Not suitable for smaller-scale applications

• Most suited for standard developments with limited deviation

• Not as modern as other frameworks

How to start learning Ember: While Ember may not be the first framework you learn in general web development courses, understanding modern JavaScript fundamentals can help you build a foundation for more complex framework exploration. Consider the Web Design for Everybody: Basics of Web Development & Coding Specialization by the University of Michigan to explore how to add interactivity to web pages with JavaScript.

Angular

If you’re planning to work on large-scale applications, especially in a corporate or enterprise environment, Angular may be a strong choice. Maintained by a team at Google, Angular is a comprehensive framework that comes with everything built in, from HTTP services to routing and form validation. Angular is best for large and complex applications that need speed and scalability, but aren’t likely to have large or continual updates. 

This framework uses TypeScript, a typed superset of JavaScript that helps make your code easier to maintain as your project scales. Prominent websites built with Angular include Delta, IMB, Walmart, Weather, and YouTube.

Pros:

• Strong community support

• Scalable due to component architecture

• Fast server performance

• A large number of third-party integrations

• Uses Model View Controller (MVC) architecture, which helps to maintain clear code

Cons:

• Slower performance due to the standard DOM

• Uses TypeScript, which may increase the learning curve

• Fewer built-in SEO capabilities

How to start learning Angular: You can check out the Angular for Front End Engineers course by Codio to explore how to write Angular template code, pass data and methods into Angular components, and write event listeners to communicate between Angular components and templates.

Vue.js

If you’re newer to JavaScript frameworks, the simplicity of Vue.js might benefit you. Vue.js is a lightweight framework built on HTML templates that don’t require you to learn additional syntax like JSX or TypeScript. Vue.js is ideal for working with small or medium-sized projects, as it doesn’t have the same scalability as other frameworks. 

If you already have a basis in HTML, you might find Vue.js intuitive to use. This makes it an ideal option for working across teams, as it requires less specialized knowledge than other frameworks. 

Pros:

• Fast rendering

• Higher performance using a virtual DOM

• Keeps track of which units need to re-render

• Doesn’t require knowledge of domain-specific languages beyond HTML

• Beginner-friendly

Cons:

• Smaller community support compared to other frameworks

• Not as scalable because of template-based syntax

• Not as rich an ecosystem compared to React

How to start learning Vue.js: You can begin exploring Vue.js with the Introduction to VueJS Framework course by Codio on Coursera. In this course, you can create a Vue component and explore how multiple components work together.

JavaScript frameworks for back-end development

If you’re working with server-side logic, like maintaining databases and handling authentication, a back-end framework is the best option. These frameworks help streamline server communication, routing, middleware, error handling, authentication, and more. 

Like front-end frameworks, you can choose between several options to find the one with features best suited to your needs. 

Node.js

Node.js is considered easy to learn without a large learning curve, making it a great option if you’re a front-end developer who wants to transition into back-end development. Node.js is the runtime environment that powers back-end JavaScript frameworks, including Express.js and Nest.js. While not exactly a framework, it’s worth highlighting on its own because understanding Node.js is essential for most back-end JavaScript development. In fact, it’s still considered the most used web framework by developers worldwide [2].

Node.js is very versatile, and you can use it to create complex single-page applications, real-time collaboration tools (e.g., audio conferencing), streaming apps, and Internet of Things (IoT) device networks. By using Node.js, you can bring your creations to market faster by having the tools to iterate, test, and publish as quickly as possible.

Pros:

• Considered easy to learn

• Fast processing

• Easily scalable

• Boosts development speed

• Rich ecosystem

Cons:

• Limited library support

• It can be difficult to maintain code

• Not all associated tools are high quality

How to start learning Node.js: The IBM Back-End JavaScript Developer Professional Certificate allows you to develop back-end applications using JavaScript technologies like Node and Express.

Express.js

If you want a minimalist yet powerful back-end framework, and you have some back-end experience, Express.js provides a flexible environment where you can customize your application easily. It’s one of the most popular frameworks for Node.js and is used by companies like Accenture and Coursera. Express.js is excellent for simple applications that need to handle multiple requests simultaneously. 

Express.js is known for having more freedom and flexibility than other back-end frameworks, and it offers a wide range of tools and modules you can use for tasks such as request and response control and routing. It also supports HTML templates, which makes it easier to create dynamic pages without starting from scratch.

Pros:

• Lightweight

• Flexible

• Tools to easily create applications

• Fast performance

• Built-in functions

Cons:

• Less standardized development process than other frameworks

• Harder to maintain complex applications 

• Not as suitable for beginner developers

How to start learning Express.js: You can explore Express.js with the ExpressJS Essentials: Building Modern Web APIs course by EDUCBA. In this course, you can build tools to master fundamental concepts, architecture, and the step-by-step process of setting up an Express.js project.

Nest.js

Nest.js offers a balance between convention and flexibility. If you want to develop more complex applications that benefit from a structured development process, Nest.js is a strong choice. Nest.js follows the idea of “convention over configuration,” similar to Angular. Because of this, if you’re familiar with Angular and TypeScript, picking up Nest.js may feel intuitive. 

Nest.js is built on the Node.js runtime environment and Express.js framework, extending the functionalities of Express.js and allowing you to develop your applications with less code. This makes it more accessible if you have limited coding experience or have experience with front-end development and are just beginning to learn back-end functions.

Pros:

• Integrates well with other libraries

• Provides structure

• Beginner-friendly

• Integrates well with front-end frameworks

• Scalable

• Facilitates a well-maintained code structure 

Cons:

• Not as flexible as Express.js

• Less intuitive if you’re unfamiliar with Angular and TypeScript

• Smaller ecosystem than other frameworks

How to start learning Nest.js: You can build back-end skills on Coursera with the IBM Full-Stack JavaScript Developer Professional Certificate. While not Nest.js specific, you’ll have the opportunity to master full-stack development languages, frameworks, tools, and technologies to develop job-ready skills valued by employers.

Which JavaScript framework should I learn?

When deciding which JavaScript framework to learn, consider your project requirements, personal coding background, and the learning curve of each framework. For most front-end applications, React.js is a strong starting point. It’s one of the most popular front-end frameworks, and its widespread industry use may help to improve your job prospects [2]. That said, Angular is a strong option for industry applications, Vue prioritizes simplicity, and Ember has built-in tools to guide your development configuration, making each framework stand out in its own right.

For back-end development, understanding Node.js is essential, regardless of the framework you use. Once you understand Node.js, you can choose frameworks such as Express.js and Nest.js. If you want flexibility and a lightweight environment, Express.js might fit your needs, while Nest.js provides a more guided modular setup that helps you maintain clear code for complex applications.

Learn JavaScript on Coursera

On Coursera, you can explore JavaScript basics, including different frameworks specific to your goals. With Coursera Plus, you can learn and earn credentials at your own pace from over 170 leading companies and universities. With a monthly or annual subscription, you’ll gain access to over 10,000 programs—just check the course page to confirm your selection is included.

Build job-ready skills with Coursera Plus

Start 7-day free trial

• 
• 
• 
• 

Start 7-day free trial