How Blazor Framework is Better Than JavaScript Frameworks?

Web development is a rapidly evolving field, and Microsoft's Blazor framework is one of the latest entrants in the arena. Blazor is a client-side web framework that allows developers to build web applications using C# and .NET instead of JavaScript. While JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js have been popular choices for web development for many years, Blazor offers some unique advantages that make it an attractive alternative.

In this article, we will discuss how blazor framework may be considered better than JavaScript frameworks, including language familiarity, rendering, code sharing, tooling, security, etc. We’ll also know about the pros and cons of blazor framework compared to other javascript frameworks.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a very popular programming language among developers that is used for creating dynamic and interactive web applications. It is commonly used in creating web applications, to create interactive user interfaces, and dynamic animations, handling client-side form input validation, and processing data. No doubt, JavaScript is supported by almost every web browser and has a large active developer community around the globe.

Features

• Dynamic and interactive web development capabilities

• It has large and active developer community with extensive libraries and frameworks

• Simple to learn and implement

• Provides cross-platform compatibility across all browsers

Cons

• Asynchronous programming can be difficult to manage and may lead to complex code.

• Lack of security features and can be vulnerable to attacks including cross-site scripting and injection attacks, etc.

• Debugging can be difficult because of its dynamic nature and the different range and platforms it runs on.

Popular JavaScript Frameworks

ReactJS

React is a JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building reusable components and provides a declarative approach to programming. React is well known for its excellent performance, especially the virtual DOM implementation, which reduces the number of updates needed for the actual DOM. It also has a vast ecosystem of libraries and tools, which make it easy to build complex applications. Apart from this, react has a very large community of developers around the world.

AngularJS

Angular is another very popular JavaScript framework by Google that is used for building web applications. Angular provides a comprehensive set of characteristics, including data binding, dependency injection, and directives, which make it easy to build complex web applications. Apart from this, it provides support for testing with its built-in testing framework and tools like Protractor for end-to-end testing. While Angular has a steep learning curve as compared to other JavaScript frameworks, its robust features and performance make it a popular choice for developing enterprise applications.

NextJS

Next.js is a react-based open-source JavaScript framework developed by Vercel for building server-side rendered web applications. It provides various features which make it easy to build complex web applications, such as automatic code splitting, server-side rendering (SSR), preview mode, and dynamic imports. Because of features like static file serving and server-side rendering, nextjs reduces the amount of JavaScript required on the client side.

What is Blazor?

Blazor is a relatively new web framework developed by Microsoft that allows developers to create client-side web applications using popular programming languages, C# and .NET. Here, we don't use JavaScript for creating web applications. The apps developed using blazor run entirely in the browser, making them highly responsive and efficient. One feature of Blazor is WebAssembly, a low-level binary format for executing code on the web, for having a high-performance and near-native speed. It also supports server-side rendering(SSR), which allows the developers to create rich interactive user interfaces(UI) that work even in low-bandwidth situations.

Features

• Code sharing between client-side and server-side components

• Supports server-side rendering(SSR) for low-bandwidth situations

• Integration of development tools for easy debugging and profiling

• Strong security features of C# and .NET

• Ability to create rich, interactive user interfaces with less JavaScript code

• It offers a familiar development experience for C# and .NET developers

• It provides high-performance web apps

• It supports WebAssembly

Cons

• Limited libraries and frameworks compared to JavaScript and a smaller ecosystem of libraries and frameworks as compared to JavaScript.

• Requires knowledge of C# and .NET and may become a barrier to entry for new developers.

• Limited support for certain types of web applications, and may not be the best choice for certain types of applications as compared to JavaScript.

Why Blazor should be considered rather than JavaScript framework?

Blazor framework is a new web framework from Microsoft allowing developers to build client-side rendered web applications with the help of C# and .NET. We have already discussed both Blazor and JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React, and Vue.js above and have also seen their features or pros and cons. But now we'll let you know how Blazor may be considered better rather than javascript frameworks −

• Language familiarity − For developers who are already familiar with C# and .NET, Blazor provides a familiar development experience. This can make it easier for developers to learn and adopt the framework compared to JavaScript frameworks that use different languages and frameworks.

• Performance − Blazor applications run entirely on the client-side and can take advantage of WebAssembly to run at near-native speeds. This can result in faster and more responsive applications compared to JavaScript frameworks.

• Code sharing − Blazor allows developers to share code between client-side and server-side components. This means that developers can write code once and use it on both the client and server, reducing the amount of duplicated code and improving maintainability.

• Tooling and debugging − Because Blazor is integrated with Visual Studio and other .NET development tools, it can offer a better development experience compared to JavaScript frameworks. For example, debugging and profiling tools can be more powerful and easier to use.

• Security − Because Blazor uses C# and .NET, it can leverage the security features of those platforms. This can include features like strong typing, automatic memory management, and code verification to help prevent common security vulnerabilities like buffer overflows and SQL injection attacks.

Comparing Blazor with ReactJS, AngularJS, and NextJS

Basis	Blazor	ReactJS	AngularJS	NextJS
Language used	It uses C# and .NET	It uses JavaScript	It uses JavaScript/TypeScript	It uses JavaScript
Rendering	It works on Server-side and Client-side	It works on Client-side	It works on Client-side	It works on Server-side and Client-side
Architecture	It’s architecture is component-based	It’s architecture is component-based	It’s architecture is component-based	It’s architecture is component-based
Learning curve	Low	Medium	High	Medium
DOM	It uses incremental DOM	It uses virtual DOM	It uses virtual DOM	It uses virtual DOM
Open-source	It is open-source	It is open-source	It is open-source	It is open-source

Conclusion

While JavaScript frameworks have been popular for many years, Microsoft's new framework Blazor offers several unique features that may lack in javascript based frameworks. Blazor allows developers to develop client-side web apps using familiar .NET languages and C#, while offering great performance, code sharing between client & server, and robust security features that lacks in javascript. Furthermore, Blazor has a streamlined integration process with leading development tools, making it more convenient for debugging and maintenance. Despite certain drawbacks, such as a restricted library and framework ecosystem, and a requirement for proficiency in C# and .NET, the advantages of Blazor make it an enticing alternative to JavaScript frameworks in the realm of web development.