🇮🇩Originally written in Indonesian.
This English version was AI-assisted and adapted for a more natural reading experience. It is not a literal translation.
[_]open Lately, I've been having quite a few discussions with frontend developers about the frameworks they use.
My question is actually pretty simple.
"When you're building a web frontend, what framework do you usually use?"
Almost everyone gave more or less the same answer.
"It depends on the project."
And honestly, I agree.
There's no framework that's always the best choice for every situation.
However, as the conversation went on, they started sharing their own experiences and preferences.
Well...
That's when I started noticing an interesting pattern.
Among the developers I talked to, quite a few of them mentioned that they usually use Next.js / React for work, while Vue.js is what they often choose for personal projects.
The interesting part is...
I never actually asked,
"What do you use at work?"
or
"What do you use for personal projects?"
That explanation came up naturally as they explained why they preferred certain frameworks.
At first, I thought it was just a coincidence.
But after hearing the same pattern from several different people...
I got curious.
Why do so many developers who are comfortable with both frameworks end up separating how they use them?
(・_・;) DisclaimerThis isn't based on an official survey or research.
It's simply an interesting pattern I noticed after talking with several frontend developers.
Looking at today's frontend ecosystem, Vue.js is clearly not a small framework.
Its community is large.
Its documentation is great.
Its ecosystem is also quite mature.
That said, compared to React and Next.js, its community is still smaller.
Then another question comes to mind.
If that's the case... Why do so many developers still choose Vue.js for personal projects?
From the answers I heard, the main reason wasn't performance. And it wasn't because other frameworks were bad either.
Instead, it came down to the development experience.
Vue projects often feel easier to read.
Single File Components (.vue
) keep the template, logic, and styles organized in one place.
When coming back to an old project after a long time, many developers feel it's easier to understand the code again.
Besides that, for solo projects, Vue feels lightweight.
You don't have to think about a lot of concepts that you don't actually need yet.
You can simply focus on building the application.
(づ￣ 3￣)づ Well...
This made me wonder again.
If Vue feels more comfortable to work with... Why not use it for work as well?
Speaking of Next.js...
Well...
It's hard to deny.
Its ecosystem is huge.
Almost everything already has a library or solution available.
If you run into a problem... There's a good chance someone else has already faced it.
Tutorials are everywhere.
Articles are everywhere.
Videos are everywhere.
And GitHub repositories are abundant.
(´･ω･`) On top of that, React and Next.js have become some of the most common technologies in the industry.
As a result, many frontend developers are already familiar with them.
For companies, that's obviously an advantage.
If the team grows, finding new developers becomes much easier.
If someone leaves the team, the handover process is usually much smoother.
Not to mention that many new libraries tend to appear in the React ecosystem first.
So...
It's not simply because Next.js is a better framework.
It's because its ecosystem and industry adoption are already incredibly mature.
Well...
Maybe by this point, you already know where this discussion is heading.
Or maybe you've already come up with your own answer.
(￣▽￣) Looking back at everything we've discussed...
I don't think this is really about which framework is better.
It all comes down to the needs of the project.
And of course...
Every framework has its own strengths and weaknesses.
It's simply a matter of understanding what your application actually needs.
If you're already comfortable using one framework for everything... Then just keep using it.
After all, what matters most is that your application is maintainable and enjoyable to build.
If you're comfortable with multiple frameworks... Then choose whichever one fits the situation best.
Or...
Maybe trying a different framework in your personal projects is simply part of an enjoyable learning journey.
Because, in my opinion...
Personal projects are the best place to experiment.
There's no rule saying you have to use a particular framework.
As long as it fits your needs and you enjoy the process...
I think it's all perfectly fine.
(づ￣ 3￣)づ So...
What do you think?
Do you also separate frameworks depending on the situation?
Or do you prefer sticking with one framework for everything?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
Who knows...
Maybe there's another perspective I haven't come across yet.
( •̀ᴗ•́ )و