No-build JavaScript libraries are on my wishlist for 2025

Random thoughts

No-build (or buildless) JavaScript libraries are those that can be used directly in the browser without requiring a compilation, bundling, or build step. They work by simply being included via a script tag or ES modules.

Three reasons why

  1. No build time or buggy hot reloading
  2. No configuration
  3. No complex build tool dependencies that break

Alpine.js

<script src="https://unpkg.com/alpinejs" defer></script>
  • Lightweight reactive framework
  • Perfect for adding interactivity to HTML
  • Similar to Vue.js but simpler

htmx

<script src="https://unpkg.com/htmx.org"></script>
  • Allows AJAX, CSS transitions, and WebSocket without JavaScript
  • HTML-first approach
  • Great for server-side applications

Vanilla JS

  • Native browser APIs
  • No external dependencies
  • Modern browsers are mature and feature rich