11 Minimal JavaScript Frameworks You Need To Know

JavaScript is extremely popular nowadays, and with the right set of tools and expertise, there is no limit to what you can achieve. Speaking of tools, JavaScript frameworks are really handy and useful for developers, as they can lessen the burden and make the development process easy. Some of the JavaScript frameworks are truly popular, such as AngularJS, React, and so on. However, there are many out there which are not so popular, but still powerful and useful. In this roundup, we take a look at some minimal, nimble and lightweight JavaScript frameworks.

11 Minimal JavaScript Frameworks You Need To Know

1. min.js

min.js is minimalism personified, at least in the world of JavaScript frameworks. It is an extremely tiny JavaScript library that lets you execute simple DOM queries and hook event listeners. Min.js also lets you work with raw DOM nodes directly by using HTML5.

2. AuraJS

AuraJS is a component framework that lets you build fully functional web applications with ease. In AuraJS, everything is a component — “An Aura component represents a unit of a page. An independent block of reusable code, wrapped up so that it works well on its own or together with other components.”

AuraJS comes with its own custom set of extensions as well. You can use it in assonance with other popular MVC frameworks, such as AngularJS.

3. Kraken

Kraken is ideally meant for front-end developers working with JavaScript. It is a lightweight boilerplate, with full support for mobile-friendly design and development. Kraken is style agnostic, and comes with a responsive grid and a fluid typographic scale.

Kraken is powered by Gulp.js and is both flexible and modular.

4. Stapes.js – (DEPRECATED!)

Stapes.js is a lightweight and extremely nimble JavaScript framework meant ideally for developers looking to build mobile applications. It is style agnostic, works with MVC frameworks, and supports custom events and data methods.

Stapes.js is just 2 KB when minified and barely 600 lines of code.

5. Spine

Spine, as a JavaScript framework, likes to keep it simple with its tagline — “build awesome JavaScript MVC applications”. There is not much else to talk about this framework — it is simple and lightweight, and comes with support for CSS grid systems, responsive handles, CSS shortcuts and can be extended by means of custom plugins.

Spine has also been well-documented, and is backed by screencasts to help you get a better idea of its working.

6. Skel – (DEPRECATED!) Use Responsive Tools instead

Skel is a lightweight JavaScript framework that lets you build responsive and mobile-friendly websites or applications. It has zero dependencies, and you can extend its powers by means of DOM or MVC.

Skel is flexible, and also has an SASS based implementation of itself.

7. Responsive

The name speaks for itself — Responsive is a framework that you will use for building, well, responsive websites. It is accessible, flexible, and can be extended to suit your needs and requirements.

Responsive is simple and lightweight — the final minified file is just 23 KB in size, and it is not bloated like many other frameworks out there. Responsive, as a framework, gives you a skeleton-approach to your projects, with all the bloated fluff removed and leaving you with a no-nonsense framework.

8. scaleApp

scaleApp is a JavaScript framework meant purely for building scalable single-page applications. It is free from dependencies, is barely 8 KB when minified, framework agnostic, and can be extended by means of plugins.

scaleApp also supports server-side scripts such as Node.js

9. Chibi

Chibi is a tiny JavaScript micro-framework that lets you work with essential elements. It is just 7 KB when minified, and supports all the major web browsers, including Internet Explorer 6 and even Firefox 3.5 and as such, this is one library that you should turn to if you really want your code to work across old and obsolete as well as modern web browsers.

Chibi is not something you might be able to use for complex projects, such as animations (though you can make it work in assonance with CSS transitions).

10. Sammy.js

Sammy.js is a RESTful and extendable JavaScript framework that is 16 KB when compressed. It supports classes, events and custom plugins, and follows a modular approach.

11. Tupai.js

Tupai.js is a JavaScript MVC framework. It is flexible, minimal and can be used for building for complex and simple applications.

Tupai.js supports packages, functions, variables and classes, and comes with an MIT License.

Got any JavaScript framework that I missed? Share it in the comments below!

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