HTMX - Introduction

HTMX is a modern library that lets you use all the browser features directly from HTML without using any JavaScript. Through HTMX you can use AJAX, CSS Transitions, WebSockets, and Server Sent Events directly from HTML. HTMX attributes let you build modern websites with the simplicity and power of JavaScript.

What is HTMX?

It is a compressed open-source front-end JavaScript library that can create cutting-edge UI easily. It allows you to use AJAX, CSS Transitions, WebSockets, and Server-Sent Events directly using attributes. This brings relief to the non-react developer as it enables interactivity that only JavaScript can provide. HTMX library was created by Carson Gross as a new version of intercooler.js.

Why Learn HTMX?

It is a powerful tool in the Web Development process as it lets you use Ajax and Websockets to HTML without writing any single line of JavaScript. This is very helpful for a backend developer who wants to do his frontend with ease. Because it's similar to HTML and easily understandable syntaxes and a collection of attributes.

Example of HTMX

In this example we will see how a button click can trigger a POST request to the given URL.

<button hx-post="/api/v1/products/buy">Buy</button>

HTMX Supported Languages

There are a lot of languages, frameworks, or libraries that support HTMX, you can use this versatile library with the most demanding and useful languages, frameworks, or libraries. A fe popular ones are listed down with these you can use HTMX.

• Rust: Rust is a modern systems programming language developed by the Mozilla Corporation. It is intended to be a language for highly concurrent and highly secure systems.
• Django: Django is a web development framework that assists in building and maintaining quality web applications.
• Tailwind: Tailwind CSS is a utility-first CSS framework for designing web pages. "Utility-first" means the framework focuses on providing utility classes.
• Flask: Flask is a web application framework written in Python. Armin Ronacher, who leads an international group of Python enthusiasts named Pocco, develops it.
• Python: Python is one of the most popular programming languages. Although it is a general-purpose language, it is used in various areas of applications such as Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, web development, IoT, and more.
• Go: Go language is a programming language initially developed at Google in the year 2007 by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson.

Advantages of HTMX

• HTMX can be used with Django, GO, Rust, Tailwind, Python, Astro, etc, it can slip in with any trending technology that is in use these days.
• No separate script is required, by using HTMX attributes in your regular HTML tags you can trigger the request where JavaScript was required to use.
• Can be used when the requirements are less like it can easily beat ReactJS for simple websites.
• There are a lot of other features like dynamic content, auto-update, managing UI Elements, and Syncing with Server Logic, which makes it unique as compared to other libraries.

Disadvantages of HTMX

• It is not capable of extensive functionality like drag-and-drop or collaborating editing.
• It still relies on JavaScript for dynamic behavior for complex single-page applications.
• HTMX does not have a bundle of features that other JavaScript libraries like React, and Vue have.