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Book Overflow

Is HTMX Right For You? - Hypermedia Systems by Gross, Stepinski, & Akşimşek

Feb 10, 2025
Dive into the battle between HTMX and React as two developers sift through the complexities of hypermedia and progressive enhancement. They share humorous anecdotes about building a workout tool and confront the cognitive overload that arises from modern frameworks. The conversation also touches on user-centric design, generational shifts in language, and the evolving notions of REST and JSON APIs. Personal insights on integrating HTMX highlight its pros and cons, sparking debate on foundational web principles and usability in coding.
01:16:04

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • HTMX promotes a simpler, hypermedia-driven approach to web development, contrasting sharply with the component-based, JavaScript-heavy model of React.
  • The podcast emphasizes progressive enhancement, underscoring the role of basic HTML in ensuring web applications remain functional without JavaScript.

Deep dives

HTMX vs. React: Comparing Approaches to Web Development

The discussion highlights the contrasting philosophies between HTMX and React, particularly focusing on how each addresses web application development. HTMX embraces a simpler approach by building on traditional hypermedia principles, allowing developers to create applications using standard HTML interactions without significant reliance on JavaScript. In contrast, React, as a widely adopted SPA framework, facilitates rapid development through its component-based model and state management, appealing to many developers today. This divergence sparks a debate where some believe HTMX's simplicity is refreshing, while others argue that it lacks the flexibility and modern features that make React so powerful and popular.

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