Top 10 Client-Side Development Languages

In this article, we shall be reviewing and making a comparative analysis of the top 10- client-side development languages in the world today. The evaluation shall focus on the benefits, features, and limitations of each language.

After an in-de-depth analysis, the top ten client-side programming languages, we selected for this review are jQuery, Elm, Swift, SASS, Vue, Angular, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React.

The client-side, which is also referred to as the frontend plays a vital role while developing any kind of app, including mobile and web apps. While the backend is critical to the function of any app, the app user is restricted to the frontend interface and judges the app through the UX.

That is why it is essential to present an app interface that gives an excellent impression to the user.  In this respect, the client-side programming language plays a crucial role. 

Without further ado, let’s start reviewing the top client-side programming language globally. For starters, we shall be explaining the backend and client-side (frontend) of an app and discuss the prospects of frontend development. 

Key Takeaways

• There are more than 1.8 billion websites over the internet

• Client side development is growing rapidly

• React, Javascript, HTML, CSS are some common programming languages

Frontend vs Backend: What’s the difference?

Every developer is conversant with the terms frontend and backend because it is critical to any app development project. You can take the frontend as the chassis of a car with the steering and all the fanciful buttons that perform various functions.

This is also referred to as the client-side because the user performs various tasks with the functions in it. HTML, CSS, JavaScript and React are popular languages used to develop the client-side of apps.

Going with the simile in the previous paragraph, the backend is like the engine of a car, and the electronic functions controlling all the frontend features. In literal terms, this refers to the database, libraries, computer codes, and APIs used in building app features.

In essence, the developer manages the app backend and uses them to power the functions that are seen in the frontend. Some of the popular backend programming languages include Python, Java, Ruby, and JavaScript, among a host of others.

The Prospects of Frontend Development

Are you considering taking up a career as a front-end developer? Are you concerned if frontend developers will still be relevant in the future? Keep on reading to have an excellent overview of the prospects of frontend development.

• Career Growth prospect

The career growth prospect of a frontend developer is massive. Cloud computing is still growing with thousands of businesses migrating their apps to the cloud every month. This development makes the service of a frontend developer in high demand.

Do you know that the number of live websites increased from over 900 million in 2014 to over 1.8 billion in 2021? This fact shows that web technology is spreading like wildfire and frontend developers will continue to remain relevant in years to come. 

• High Remuneration

Frontend developers enjoy attractive salaries and several other perks from their employers. Data from PayScale shows that the base annual take-home pay for a frontend developer is $75,000 per year.  While an experienced frontend developer can earn as much as $115,000 per year. So, the salary scale for front-end developers is high. 

Work Opportunities: If you are not cut out for conventional employment, you can earn a decent income and work at your own pace by starting your offline business or freelancing on the web. As a frontend developer, you can be your own boss by creating an app and selling it to businesses. You can also choose to offer freelance client-side development services in places like Fiverr, Freelancer, or Upwork. 

• Foreign Job Opportunities

Having skills as a frontend developer can make it easier for you to relocate and work in another country. With just a few years’ experience, you can get a well-paid job in countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, and a host of many others.  You may even land a dream job with global companies like Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, or Google. 

• Dynamic Career

The technology world is continuously evolving. So, as a frontend developer, you are working in a dynamic field where opportunities come up continuously. New tools and frameworks are continuously evolving, allowing you to achieve more with less stress, and creating new career opportunities for you. So, there is never a dull moment for frontend developers. 

• Enjoy Flexibility and Enhance Your Creativity

Employers treat their developers nicely to provide the best environment that enhances productivity. Therefore, frontend developers enjoy perks like a cozy workspace, the option to work from home, and lots more. Moreover, as a developer, you often task and stretch your problem-solving skills, allowing you to be more creative, and perhaps, make a ground-breaking discovery someday. 

Top 10 Client-Side Development Languages

While all the top ten programming languages are excellent options, they have varied learning curves, features and functionalities. Below is a quick chart of the top ten front-end development languages and famous apps made from each of them.

1. React

React was initially used by Facebook to enhance the company’s web development project, but was later turned into an open-source project. It has been used by leading companies around the world for building native apps. Typical React apps include Whatsapp, Facebook, and Yahoo!

Data from SimilarTech shows that over 1.38 million websites around the world are using React.js in some way The US, The UK, and China are the top countries using React.Js.  The massive adoption of React.Js can be attributed to its usefulness for enhancing user experience.

The Features of React

Works with JSX: By design, React is selecting is accepting text inputs, but accepts JSX and HTML without hassles. This feature allows new developers to learn the language quickly. 

Quick Debugging: Frameworks consist of pre-packaged tools that make them efficient. In this respect, React stands out in its ability to debug code. By design, React has features that prevent code errors and provides the option to debug code before execution.

SEO Feature: React stands out among other frameworks for its SEO friendliness. React site also loads quickly, enhancing the SEO score. 

React is also the foundation of React Native. To know more about React Native, please read the article React Native Framework.

2. JavaScript

JavaScript has been around for decades and has emerged as one of the most popular front-end development languages in the world.  It is easy to learn and commonly embedded within HTML codes. Javascript works seamlessly with several backend programming languages. 

According to W3Tech, over 97% of websites use some sort of JavaScript in the site code.  Popular apps such as Netflix and Uber are known to leverage the power of JavaScript in the app. 

Features of JavaScript

The Client-Side Architecture: JavaScript is often executed within the client device; it is super-fast and uses minimal resources. 

Excellent Features: JavaScript has features for building various types of beautiful interfaces. It also enjoys the support of massive external libraries that extends its features, 

Programming Languages Compatibility: JavaScript can be coded to collect data from several sources in diverse ways. It can be written inside HTML or called from an external source.

Security Features: JavaScript needs to implement some sort of encryption and security inspections within the code since it is executed on the client-side. This approach would mitigate the risks of the data getting breached by a malicious user. 

3. CSS

Cascading Style Sheet, which is commonly referred to as CSS was developed in 1996 by W3C. It is a frontend language for controlling the layout of a web document. The CSS takes the form of a small text document that defines the shape, appearance, and arrangement of different sections of a web page. 

Features of CSS

CSS Frameworks: Lots of CSS frameworks have emerged that allow developers to implement CSS into their designs without hassles.

Makes HTML Lighter: Since the CSS file is focuses on the design, it makes the HTML content less bulky because styling attributes become unnecessary. 

Rich Functions: The functions of CSS are massive. It empowers developers to style an entire website from a single file, controlling attributes like font, colors, mobile responsiveness, and many more.

Browser Support: CSS codes are often interpreted the same way across all browsers. So, you hardly have browser compatibility issues with CSS.

Clean and Readable: CSS uses a syntax that is neat, readable, and prevents code errors. It allows the developer to read through and edit CSS codes easily.

4. HTML

HTML, which stands for Hypertext Markup Language has come a long way since it was first developed in 1993. The version at the time of writing is HTML5. The language is used for developing websites, web pages, and web-based apps. The simplicity and error tolerance of HTML makes it an excellent place to start a programming career.

The Features of HTML

Works Universally: HTML is useful for developing frontend code because it works seamlessly with most programming languages. It is easy to code and compatible with any backend platform.

Easy to Learn: HTML is easy to learn and can be implemented without complications, It works with any web browser in existence. 

Works With All Languages: Editing HTML code is simple, better still, it can be embedded into any programming language. Almost all frontend and backend developers have a working knowledge of HTML.

Quick Testing and Debugging:  HTML is not complicated; the procedure for coding the layout, adding elements, and debugging errors are quite simple. It is the lightest frontend programming language in existence. 

5. Angular

Angular is getting popular among developers globally, especially after the 2016 release with advancements in the feed layout feature. A few technology giants that have embraced Angular for development are Autodesk, Microsoft, among many others.  With Angular the developer can build dynamic pages (SPAS) and other interacting applications with useful functions.

The Features of Angular

Load Handling: Angular separates the load from the backend and client-side to ensure all components loads fast.

RESTful API: Developing an app with Angular is not complicated and does not need third-party libraries to build an app interface. You can simply use HTML to develop the template and use angular codes to build the app functions.

AJAX Features: Angular can implement and manage AJAX functions excellently. 

MVC Development Model: Along with HTML, Angular uses the MVP development patterns to simplify the app development process. 

Object-Oriented Structure:  Angular uses a simplistic development technique with most of the functions inbuilt in an object structure.  This approach allows developers to call objects easily. 

Testing and Debugging: Angular provides a simple way to test the code and run functions while building an Angular app. 

6. Vue

Since its release in 2014, Vue has become popular over the years as a dynamic frontend development language due to beneficial features like active data binding. It works excellently for developing mobile and desktop applications. 

Vue development is highly inspired by React and Angular, which are leading frameworks today Vue is easy to learn and deployed for building apps. 

The Features of Vue

Frontend Integrations: The primary library of Vue offers features that make the presentation layer straightforward and enhances integration with third-party libraries and existing projects. 

Excellent for Single Page Projects: The advanced tools and libraries in Vue make it an excellent option for building single-page apps. It integrates seamlessly with backend codes without extensive changes to the app.

Extensive Plugin Options: Vue can be developed over an existing JavaScript application. Developers can also add several other cool features to their app through third-party plugins.

Lightweight: Vue is lightweight and can be learned easily. React developers will find it easy to write Vue codes. 

7. jQuery

iQuery is a small JavaScript file that can be embedded easily in a web document of project files, It adds several interactive features to JavaScript. It can be used for front-end development and turnkey development assignments,

Features of jQuery

Supports DOM: With a few lines of JQuery code, the developer can make changes to Document Object Models (DOM) by adding and removing CSS elements on the fly.

Animation:  Can be used to implement animation effects lime fade-in and carousel. This function adds intriguing effects to web pages and can be used to bring innovative features to apps.

Test Effects: jQuery has features for adding various text effects to web pages to achieve various objectives such as aesthetics.

Extensive Documentation: New developers can learn jQuery quickly with the extensive documentation available online. Besides, it also features support for APIs. Developers can get support from various online channels when they encounter bottlenecks coding jQuery,

Supports All Browsers: jQuery works on all operating systems and browsers. It even supports older browsers too. 

AJAX:  With the AJAX function of JQuery, you can create pages that update dynamically. 

8. Swift

Apple Inc developed Swift in 2014 as a high-level frontend programming language for developing apps for Apple’s range of products. The version released in 2020 supports Windows app development as well.  Swift has many powerful features that attract developers to the platform.

Features of Swift

Easy to Learn: Swift uses a simplified syntax and does not enforce strict coding rules such as semi-colons after every line of code. So, Swift is relatively easy to learn and code for new and experienced developers. 

Excellent for Building Apple Apps: Swift is filled with features that make developing apps for MacOS, iOS, tvOS, and watch OS straightforward. So, it is an excellent choice for building apps for Apple products.

Network Support: Swift allows you to add features to your products that align with your development objectives. For instance, it has extensive support for building apps that uses network protocols.

High Performance: The performance of Swift is incomparable to any other programming language that offers similar functions. According to Apple, Swift is more than two times faster than Objective-C.

Excellent Error Management: The error management features of Swift are excellent. Thanks to features such as in-built code security and strong typing that mitigates error and bugs within Swift codes. Swift can identify bugs and fix them. All these features make Swift highly efficient and easy to use.

To better understand Apple programming languages, please read the article iOS development languages.

9. SASS

The Acronym SASS stands for Syntactically Awesome Style Sheet. This framework that was released in 2006 is often referred to as an extension to CSS, making it simpler and more powerful.

Features of SASS

Highly Customizable: The ability to use variables, loops, mathematical operations, import functions, and other valuable features takes the typical CSS to the next level.

Leverages Windows Functions: Perhaps the most powerful benefit of this language is that it leverages standard Windows functions in its code and even extends its capabilities.  

Uses Variables: SASS starts where the capacities of CSS stops. Thanks to additional features like variables that allow the program to achieve more with data. 

Works with CSS:  An SASS developer can use both CSS and SASS code to perform functions.  This feature makes it easier for a CSS coder to migrate to SASS. You can simply rename a .CSS file to a .SCSS extension and all the capabilities of SASS will become available.

10. Elm

Elm programming language is a good option for beginners that are venturing into frontend programming. While this language is a bit strict about writing codes, the guidelines help developers write error-free codes.

Features of Elm

Platform-Specific:  The codes of the Elm programming language are platform-specific. This means that the code can only run on predefined platforms. The codes and methods of execution are quite meticulous. However, Elm apps are known for their usability and high performance. 

Scalable Apps: Elm codes are easily scalable and less prone to error. The compiler helps make reading and maintaining the code straightforward.  

Supports Frontend and Backend Coding: Although Elm was initially designed as a frontend programming language, its features allow it to handle backend programming too.  So, developers can use Elm to program the client-side and backend of an app.

Conclusion

We have reviewed the top 10 client-side programming languages in the world today. Businesses and programmers would find this information useful while researching for the most suitable client-side development language for their app.

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