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devtools.fm: Developer Tools, Open Source, Software Development

Ryan Carniato - SolidJS, Marko.js, and the Future of Frontend Development

Feb 3, 2025
Ryan Carniato, creator of SolidJS, a cutting-edge frontend framework, dives into the evolution of web development. He shares his journey back to JavaScript and critiques the rise of frameworks like React, revealing how SolidJS emerged as a performance-driven alternative. The conversation highlights rendering differences and optimizations in component models, along with the transition challenges from Marko 3 to Marko 4. Ryan also discusses React's ongoing dominance and its implications for developers navigating new technologies.
59:49

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • SolidJS was created as a response to the limitations of frameworks like React, focusing on performance through fine-grained reactivity.
  • Ryan Carniato's inspiration from Marco.js significantly influenced SolidJS's design, particularly in optimizing server-side rendering and performance.

Deep dives

The Birth of Solid.js

Solid.js was conceived as a reaction to the limitations of existing JavaScript frameworks like Knockout.js and React. The creator, Ryan, found inspiration in Knockout's observable model, which allowed for efficient state updates in the DOM without unnecessary re-renders. As he returned to JavaScript around 2010, Ryan began experimenting with new ideas in front-end frameworks, ultimately leading him to create Solid.js in 2018. The goal was to develop a more performant, declarative model that leveraged the benefits of retained mode, allowing for fine-grained reactivity without the overhead of re-rendering entire components.

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