680: Getting jQuery’d × Honourable Deaths of libraries We Don’t Use Anymore

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode argues that many once-essential JavaScript and CSS libraries were “jQueried”: their most valuable features have become built into the browser, server runtimes, or modern frameworks. Wes and Scott revisit jQuery, Express, Lodash/underscore, RequireJS, LeftPad, grid systems, Sass-era tooling, Socket.IO, and date/observable/signal libraries, emphasizing standardization, interoperability, and reduced dependency on heavy userland code.

Main Topics: jQuery’s core ideas moved into the platform: The hosts explain that jQuery solved selector, DOM traversal, event handling, and animation pain points that browsers now handle with built-ins like query selectors, sibling traversal, and standard DOM APIs. Fetch and standardized request/response APIs replacing ad hoc Ajax/server patterns: Ajax once depended heavily on jQuery and XHR, but fetch now exists in browsers and server runtimes, bringing shared Request, Response, Headers, and streaming primitives across environments. Express vs. web standards and modern runtimes: Express remains widely used, especially in legacy systems and courses, but the hosts argue new projects increasingly lean on standards-based server frameworks and meta-frameworks instead of Express 4/5. Utility libraries shrinking as JavaScript gains native collection methods: Lodash and underscore covered everyday tasks like map, reduce, filter, groupBy, cloning, debounce, and throttle; many of those have native replacements or simpler patterns now. Module loading, padding, and other “tiny library” lessons: RequireJS and LeftPad illustrate how JavaScript once needed external packages for module loading and string formatting, but ESM and String.padStart/End have replaced much of that need. CSS/layout tooling becoming less necessary: Grid systems, Sass, Compass, and font/image replacement tools are framed as formerly important scaffolding that browser CSS capabilities like Grid, Flexbox, nesting, variables, subgrid, and web fonts have largely obviated. Likely next candidates for standardization: The hosts predict date libraries (Temporal), observables (RxJS-like patterns), and signals/reaction systems may be the next widely used abstractions to get absorbed into the platform.

Key Arguments: Browser and runtime standardization reduce the need for libraries that once existed mainly to paper over incompatibilities or missing primitives. jQuery’s biggest wins—selection, traversal, events, animations—are now mostly available through native DOM APIs and modern standards. Fetch is more than a browser API; its shared Request/Response model makes code portable across browsers, workers, and server runtimes. Express is still useful, but new projects often choose standard-first frameworks or meta-frameworks rather than introducing Express from scratch. Many lodash/underscore use cases are now one-liners with native array/object methods, Maps/Sets, and newer proposals like groupBy. RequireJS and LeftPad are examples of how narrowly scoped packages became unnecessary once ESM and string methods arrived. Modern CSS removes the need for large grid frameworks and many Sass-era workarounds; the browser now provides the foundation directly. Future platform additions like Temporal, observables, and signals could eliminate more utility libraries over time.

Data Points: Express 5 alpha release date: November 2014 - Scott asks when Express 5 first alpha released; Wes answers by citing the PR history. Express 5 most recent beta: 2022 - Used to illustrate how long Express 5 has remained in pre-release status. Polka performance claim: 33% to 50% faster than Express - Referenced while discussing lightweight server alternatives used by meta-frameworks. Polka code size: 90 lines of code - Shows how small some Express-style alternatives can be. 960.gs zipped size: 4.2 megabytes - Used when discussing older grid-system tooling and downloadable assets. 960.gs CSS size: about 10 kilobytes - Scott notes the actual CSS is much smaller than the full package. Episode reference: 603 - Mentioned as the prior Syntax episode on whether vanilla CSS can replace Sass.

Pivotal Quotes: "the beauty of standardization is that you are no longer confined to a jQuery plugin and it's just a DOM element" — Scott Tolinsky: Explaining why browser standards make libraries easier to integrate across frameworks and tools. "if I was starting something new today, I probably wouldn't pick that tech because browser primitives, built-ins are much better now" — Wes Bos: Summarizing why many older libraries are still respected but no longer the default choice for greenfield work. "It's going to be from Express 4 to Web Standards, right?" — Wes Bos: Arguing that the real migration path is not to a newer Express version but to standards-based APIs and frameworks.

Implications: For new projects, the default should increasingly be standards-first: native DOM, fetch, ESM, modern CSS, and framework/server primitives. Libraries still matter for legacy support and specialized gaps, but many once-essential dependencies are becoming optional.