The State of JavaScript 2023 Survey Overview

Introduction

• Purpose: Review of the JavaScript 2023 survey results
• Content: Perspectives on the demographics and key insights from the survey
• Call to Action: Encourages viewers to review the survey themselves

Demographics

• Participants: Over 23,000 respondents
• Geographical Distribution: Majority from the USA, fewer from India
• Language: Predominantly English-speaking respondents
• Age and Experience: Mixture of young and experienced developers
• Gender Distribution: Predominantly male

Survey Reliability

• Shared Through Influencers: Certain communities might be overrepresented (e.g., React)
• Not a Perfect Representation: Should be taken into account

JavaScript Features

• Popular Features: Nullish coalescing operator widely used
• New Features: Sort method for arrays, progressive web app (PWA) browser features
• Static Typing Pain Point: Lack of static typing in JavaScript seen as major issue
• Desired Improvements: Built-in TypeScript-like features, better handling of dates

Libraries and Tools

Third-Party Libraries Usage and Sentiment

• Webpack: Widely used, but many developers express a desire to move away
• React: Most popular frontend library, majority positive sentiment
• Jest: Popular for testing
• Vite: Clear winner among build tools, highly liked and growing rapidly
• Next.js: Growing usage, mostly positive, some dissatisfaction
• Angular: Decline in usage and popularity despite recent improvements
• Svelte: Growing but still less used than React or Angular

Libraries Over Time

• React: Growing in usage but receiving more mixed opinions over time
• Vite: Increasingly positive sentiment and usage
• Webpack: Decline in positive sentiment despite high usage

Specific Frameworks

• Frontend Frameworks: React leads, followed by Angular, Vue.js, and Svelte
• Angular Misconceptions: Recent improvements not widely recognized
• Meta Frameworks: Next.js dominates, Gatsby declining in positive sentiment

Mobile and Desktop Development

• Popular Tools: Electron and React Native are leading, followed by Ionic
• Performance Issues: Common pain point
• React Native: Popularity with mixed opinions

Build Tools

• Webpack: Most used, but Vite preferred for ease of use and performance
• Pain Points: Configuration and performance issues

Other Tools and Technologies

• Helper Libraries:
  • Date-fns: Popular for date manipulation
  • Zod: Useful for data validation in TypeScript
  • Animation Libraries: Popular in React

Backend Frameworks and Runtimes

• Express.js: Most popular backend framework
• Node.js: Predominant runtime, followed by interest in Bun and Deno

Additional Insights

Developer Backgrounds

• Languages Known: Many respondents also know Python and PHP
• Professional Use: Majority use JavaScript professionally, some use it as a hobby
• Frontend vs. Backend: More frontend developers, reflective of survey focus

AI Tools and Trends

• AI Tools: ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot widely used
• Future Potential: Growing importance of AI in development

Hosting

• Popular Services: AWS, Vercel, Netlify commonly used
• Trends in Usage: Javascript vs Typescript balance among developers

Resources for Learning

• Top Platforms: Udemy, Frontend Masters, Pluralsight
• Popular Instructors: Fireship mentioned for high-quality content

Final Takeaways

• Emerging Winners: Vite and Next.js in various categories
• Developer Sentiment: Mixed opinions on many tools, with specific pain points highlighted
• Call to Action: Encourages further individual exploration of the survey results