Best Javascript Library for E-commerce

Unfortunately, this blog isn’t about a popular SPA JavaScript library claiming to be the fastest or faster than others. Instead, it’s about a tiny TypeScript library that offers speed in both code execution and code writing.

What is TypeScript?

The name “TypeScript” is quite self-explanatory. “Type” refers to its nature as a typed language, meaning variable types are strictly defined, and “Script” comes from JavaScript. So, TypeScript essentially means “typed JavaScript.”

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing to the language, enabling developers to catch errors early and write more robust code. Developed by Microsoft, TypeScript builds on JavaScript by introducing types, interfaces, and other features typically found in statically typed languages. It compiles down to plain JavaScript, making it compatible with any environment that runs JavaScript.

Why I love TypeScript?

I’m listing the advantages of typed languages in software development below to better understand their benefits:

• Early Error Detection: Typed languages catch type-related errors during compile time, reducing the chances of runtime errors. This leads to more reliable and stable code.
• Improved Code Quality: With explicit types, the code is often more self-documenting, making it easier to understand and maintain. The type system enforces a level of discipline, encouraging developers to think about the structure and behavior of data.
• Better Tooling Support: Typed languages enable more advanced IDE features, such as autocompletion, refactoring tools, and static analysis. This improves developer productivity and helps prevent bugs.
• Enhanced Readability and Documentation: Types serve as a form of documentation, making the codebase easier to navigate for new developers or when revisiting old code. It clarifies what kind of data is expected and returned by functions.
• Optimized Performance: Since the type of variables is known at compile time, typed languages can be more easily optimized by the compiler. This can result in better runtime performance compared to dynamically typed languages.
• Safer Refactoring: When changing code, typed languages help ensure that all affected areas are correctly updated. The compiler will catch mismatches or incompatible changes, reducing the risk of introducing bugs during refactoring.
• Improved Collaboration: In large teams, typed languages help maintain consistency and clarity across the codebase. It reduces ambiguity about what functions and variables are supposed to do, making collaboration smoother.
• Easier Testing: While types don’t replace testing, they reduce the scope of what needs to be tested by ensuring certain kinds of errors can’t happen, allowing developers to focus on more complex test scenarios.

How Can You Achieve the Fastest JavaScript Code or Application?

The internet is full of self-proclaimed experts who sometimes claim that a framework can be faster than the language it is built with. This is almost always false for 99.99% of use cases. If you’re looking for the fastest JavaScript code, it’s pure JavaScript without any libraries or frameworks—period.

Should We Use Pure JavaScript?

When I first started using TypeScript, I decided to write some small applications using TypeScript without any frameworks. This approach helped me dive deeper into JavaScript, even as a senior developer.

Advantages of Using Pure JavaScript

1. Performance: Pure JavaScript can offer the best performance since it avoids the overhead associated with libraries and frameworks. This can be crucial for performance-critical applications.
2. Learning Opportunity: Writing in pure JavaScript can deepen your understanding of the language and its core concepts, improving your skills and knowledge.
3. Reduced Dependencies: Avoiding external libraries and frameworks means fewer dependencies to manage, which can simplify your project and reduce potential conflicts.
4. Custom Solutions: You have full control over your code and can tailor solutions specifically to your needs without being constrained by the limitations or design choices of frameworks.

However, sooner or later, you’ll encounter problems that have already been solved by existing frameworks. While writing code without frameworks might result in the fastest code execution, it isn’t necessarily the most efficient way to develop.

Disadvantages of Using Pure JavaScript

1. Development Speed: Frameworks and libraries often provide pre-built components and utilities that can significantly speed up development. Reimplementing these features in pure JavaScript can be time-consuming.
2. Maintainability: Frameworks and libraries often follow best practices and design patterns, which can lead to more maintainable and scalable code. Pure JavaScript might lack these structured approaches, making maintenance more challenging.
3. Community and Ecosystem: Frameworks come with strong communities and ecosystems, offering support, plugins, and tools that can simplify development. Pure JavaScript lacks these built-in resources.
4. Reinventing the Wheel: Many common problems and features have been solved and optimized by existing libraries and frameworks. Reimplementing these solutions in pure JavaScript can lead to redundant effort and potential issues.

So, the Solution: Tay

The solution is to adopt the “write less, do more” philosophy, inspired by jQuery functions and commands, and apply it in TypeScript. By leveraging TypeScript’s type safety and structure while avoiding unnecessary complexities like implementing animations in jQuery, you can achieve a balance of development speed, maintainability, and code execution performance.

So, I developed the Tay library for these reasons, and the results are:

• Its small size, with a compressed file size of just 1KB, ensures it downloads quickly and is ready for use in no time.​
• Faster execution time compared to jQuery.
• Cross-browser compatibility, thanks to TypeScript’s ability to compile to ES5 or ES6.
• Less time spent writing code, as it leverages proven jQuery methods.

Is Tay MVC?

I considered the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture and even began developing an MVC structure. However, I eventually concluded that MVC might be overkill for a front-end application where speed is paramount.

In back-end development, separating code into multiple files following the MVC pattern can improve maintainability. In front-end development, though, this approach might not always be the best practice when prioritizing performance. For instance, frameworks like Angular, which were popular 5-7 years ago for their adherence to MVC principles, ended up being quite large, which is not ideal for applications that require optimal speed.

What About Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)?

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is indeed a valuable approach, and with TypeScript, you can write classes following modern JavaScript standards and export them to ES5, which does not natively support classes. OOP can enhance code maintainability while keeping the file size minimal.

However, Tay does not mandate the use of OOP; it’s an optional or suggested approach. You can use OOP principles if they suit your project, but Tay remains flexible in allowing other coding styles as needed.

Why I suggest it for e-commerce?

For e-commerce websites, every millisecond saved translates to more sales and increased organic traffic. Here the list of advantages for e-commerce sites:

• Performance Impact: In e-commerce, faster loading times directly impact user experience. Every millisecond saved can lead to higher conversion rates and reduced bounce rates, which translates to more sales.
• Improved User Experience: Speeding up interactions and reducing lag enhances the overall user experience. This is crucial for keeping potential customers engaged and satisfied.
• SEO Benefits: Search engines prioritize fast-loading websites in their rankings. A quicker site can improve your search engine visibility, driving more organic traffic to your e-commerce store.
• Competitive Advantage: In the competitive e-commerce landscape, even small performance improvements can set your site apart from competitors. Faster websites are more likely to attract and retain customers.
• Reduced Load on Servers: Optimized code can reduce server load, leading to cost savings on hosting and better scalability during traffic spikes.
• Increased Mobile Performance: Mobile users, who make up a significant portion of e-commerce traffic, benefit from faster load times. This can lead to higher mobile conversion rates.

How it is Used?

Copied!t(".myclass").addClass("example");

myElement.parent().find(".switch").toggleClass("example");
t(".myclass").addClass("example");

myElement.parent().find(".switch").toggleClass("example");

Where to Download: