The Future-Proof Choice: Web Components First Over JavaScript Frameworks

In this dynamic arena of web development, it’s not always a matter of choosing one technology over another, but rather understanding the unique strengths and synergies they offer. Web components have made a notable impact as a robust alternative as well as a complement to traditional JavaScript frameworks. You can say that web components are having a bit of a moment right now. Let’s dive in and explore the versatile world of web components, with an emphasis on their advantages in constructing scalable systems fit for a variety of applications as well as how engineering teams can adapt to this new shift in technology.

A Brief History of Web Components

The Web Components specifications were first conceptualized at Google around 2011 and formally published as W3C standards in 2014. The goal was to define reusable UI widgets that could be natively encapsulated and shared across websites and applications without depending on frameworks. The original four key specs were:

• Custom Elements for defining new HTML tags
• Shadow DOM for self-contained markup and styles
• HTML Templates for markup fragments
• ES Modules for sharing component JS definitions

Browser adoption of web components has gradually increased over the past 5+ years, with Chrome taking an early lead, followed by Firefox, Safari, and finally Edge in 2019. By 2022, most major browsers had robust support for features like custom elements and shadow DOM though limitations still exist in some cases.

The Current State of Web Components

Today, web components have matured significantly. They are widely supported by modern browsers and have become a cornerstone for many high-performance websites. The core specifications around native web components like Custom Elements and Shadow DOM that emerged around 2014 now enjoy relatively robust support across popular browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari. The ecosystem around web components has matured over the years as well, with UI component libraries popping up, improved tools and test frameworks, and patterns for integrating with front-end frameworks. From our point of view, production usage seems to be gathering some steam. We’re seeing web components mainly being used for design systems, documentation sites, and progressive web apps, but not so much for traditional/standard websites. Overall web components seem to be gradually gaining developer traction and offer promise for cross-framework component reuse. Their future seems to hold a path of increased, but still gradual, usage growth.

Embracing the SYNERGY of Web Components and JavaScript Frameworks

A Balanced Perspective

While we delve into the benefits of starting with web components, it’s crucial to acknowledge that both native web components and JavaScript frameworks like React and Angular hold significant value in the web development ecosystem. The choice between them largely depends on the specific needs and context of the project at hand.

Using web components doesn’t preclude the use of JavaScript frameworks. In many scenarios, integrating a JavaScript framework atop web components can enhance an application’s functionality. These technologies are not mutually exclusive; instead, they can coexist harmoniously, leveraging each other’s strengths.

The Smart Starting Point

This article primarily argues that initiating a project with web components can be a smart strategic decision. Starting with web components allows for a more modular, interoperable base, which can then be enriched and extended with the additional capabilities of JavaScript frameworks. This approach ensures a flexible and future-proof foundation for web applications, catering to a wide range of requirements and facilitating seamless integration with various technologies.

Our exploration focuses on highlighting the merits of web components as a foundational technology in web development while recognizing the valuable role and compatibility of JavaScript frameworks in enhancing web applications.

Comparison with Frameworks Like React and Angular

While React and Angular have dominated the web development space for years, they come with certain limitations, such as steep learning curves and heavier project scaffolding. Web components, on the other hand, offer greater flexibility and are not tied to a specific framework, making them more adaptable for diverse projects.

Framework Dependencies: The Tangle of Complexity

React and Angular, while powerful, often require a substantial ecosystem of dependencies. These dependencies can lead to several challenges:

• Version Compatibility: Keeping dependencies up-to-date while ensuring compatibility with the core framework can be a meticulous and time-consuming process.
• Complex Build Processes: The need for tools like Webpack or Babel for transpiling and bundling adds complexity to the build process.
• Increased Maintenance Burden: The reliance on a broad set of third-party libraries means more code to monitor for security vulnerabilities and potential breaking changes.
• Steep Learning Curve: The intricacies of managing these dependencies, along with mastering the frameworks’ conventions and best practices, often pose a steep learning curve for new developers.

Performance and Page Weight: The Efficiency Equation

The performance implications of using heavyweight frameworks like React and Angular are significant, especially in terms of page weight and load times:

• Bundle Size: Frameworks and their dependencies contribute to larger bundle sizes, affecting the app’s initial load time. This can be particularly detrimental to performance on mobile devices or in areas with slower internet connections.
• JavaScript Overhead: Heavy reliance on JavaScript for rendering can lead to slower page interactivity, especially on less powerful devices.
• Optimization Overhead: Developers need to invest additional effort in optimizing applications for performance, such as implementing code-splitting, lazy loading, and other best practices.

Web Components: A Leaner, More Adaptable Alternative

In contrast, web components offer a leaner approach with several advantages:

• Framework Independence: Being a browser standard, web components don’t rely on a specific framework, reducing the need for external dependencies.
• Enhanced Performance: With less JavaScript overhead and smaller file sizes, web components contribute to faster loading times and better performance.
• Simplified Maintenance: The encapsulation of functionality and styles within web components simplifies maintenance and updates.
• Interoperability: Web components can be easily integrated into any framework or even be used alongside them, offering greater flexibility and adaptability for diverse projects.
• Future-Proofing: As a part of web standards, web components are less likely to become obsolete, ensuring longevity in the fast-paced world of web development.

Additional Insights

• SEO Friendliness: Framework-based SPAs (Single Page Applications) often require additional configurations for effective SEO, whereas web components can be more easily optimized for search engines due to their compatibility with standard HTML rendering.
• Customization and Reusability: The ability to create custom elements with web components that can be reused across different projects and frameworks streamlines the development process and fosters a more efficient workflow.

While React and Angular offer powerful solutions for building web applications, their dependency-heavy nature and impact on performance are important considerations. Web components, with their lean architecture, interoperability, and framework-agnostic approach, present a compelling alternative for developers seeking a more streamlined and adaptable way to build web applications.

Understanding the Limitations of Web Components

While web components offer numerous advantages, like any technology, they come with their own set of limitations. It’s crucial to be aware of these challenges to effectively leverage web components in your projects.

Server-Side Rendering (SSR) Challenges

• Limited Support: Web components have limited support for server-side rendering. This can be a significant drawback for initial page load performance, as content rendered client-side may not be immediately available to users on slow connections.
• Complex Integration: Integrating web components with server-side frameworks often requires additional configurations and workarounds, which can complicate the development process.

Issues with Shadow DOM

• Styling Complexity: The encapsulation of styles within the Shadow DOM can lead to challenges in styling. Developers often struggle with the complexity of styling components consistently across different browsers and contexts.
• Event Handling: Events in Shadow DOM are encapsulated and don’t bubble up to the outer DOM, which can lead to complications in event handling and can affect the behavior of certain DOM APIs.
• Learning Curve: Understanding and effectively utilizing the Shadow DOM requires a learning curve, especially for developers accustomed to traditional DOM manipulations.

Global CSS Style Inheritance

• Style Isolation: While style encapsulation is a feature of web components, it can also be a limitation. Global styles do not penetrate the Shadow DOM, making it challenging to apply consistent global styling or themes.
• Overrides and Customization: Overriding styles or customizing components can become cumbersome, as it often requires custom properties or mixins, adding to the complexity of the styling process.

Additional Limitations

• Browser Compatibility: Although modern browsers support web components, there are still inconsistencies and bugs, particularly in older versions or less common browsers. This can lead to cross-browser compatibility issues.
• Tooling and Debugging: The tooling ecosystem around web components is still maturing. Developers may find fewer resources, libraries, and tools compared to more established frameworks. Debugging, especially within the Shadow DOM, can also be more challenging.
• Community and Resources: While growing, the community around web components is not as large as those for frameworks like React or Angular. This can impact the availability of resources, tutorials, and community support.
• Complex State Management: For applications requiring complex state management, web components alone might not be sufficient. Integrating them with state management libraries or frameworks might be necessary, potentially complicating the architecture.

Understanding these limitations is essential for making informed decisions when choosing web components for your projects. By acknowledging and addressing these challenges, developers can effectively harness the power of web components while mitigating potential drawbacks.

I won’t go too much into this in this article, but frameworks like Lit and Stencil have simplified the development of web components and helped get over some of these limitations. Lit, for example, offers a reactive, lightweight way to create web components, while Stencil provides a compiler that generates web components with efficient loading and high performance. I highly recommend checking them out.

A Unifying Force in Web Development

All that being said, web components still represent a significant advancement in web development, primarily due to their inherent capability to function independently of any specific framework or library. This self-sufficiency and compatibility make them a unifying force in the web development landscape, ideal for projects that span multiple technologies and platforms. Their application extends from small-scale endeavors to complex, large-scale enterprise solutions, offering a versatile and robust approach to modern web development.

Facilitating Cross-Framework Collaboration: The Role of Web Components in Diverse Environments

In the context of large organizations, web components take on an additional, crucial role: they facilitate seamless integration and collaboration across various technological frameworks. This aspect is particularly valuable in environments where teams possess diverse expertise in different JavaScript frameworks. The ability of web components to blend into these varied ecosystems enables organizations to leverage the full spectrum of their teams’ skills, promoting a more inclusive and efficient development process. This approach not only respects existing knowledge and practices but also fosters a more collaborative and adaptable tech culture.

• Framework Agnosticism: Web components are designed to be framework-agnostic, meaning they can be used within any JavaScript framework or even without one. This makes them highly adaptable to different tech stacks within an organization.
• Leveraging Existing Skillsets: By adopting web components, companies do not have to mandate a uniform framework across all teams. Instead, teams can continue utilizing their existing skills in frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular, while also incorporating web components. This approach respects and values the diverse skill sets of various teams, enhancing collaboration without necessitating a steep learning curve.

“Wrapping” Web Components in JavaScript Frameworks

One of the key advantages of web components is their ability to be “wrapped” within most JavaScript frameworks. This enables organizations to:

• Maintain Familiar Workflows: Teams can wrap web components in a familiar framework, allowing them to maintain their existing development practices and workflows.
• Ensure Compatibility: Wrapping web components ensures compatibility with the broader application architecture, making it easier to integrate new components into existing projects.
• Facilitate Gradual Adoption: Organizations can gradually introduce web components into their ecosystems, allowing teams to adapt at a comfortable pace and reducing the risk associated with adopting new technologies.

Promoting a Collaborative Tech Culture

The use of web components aligns with the ethos of technological inclusivity and collaboration. It’s not about replacing existing frameworks or marginalizing the skills of certain teams. Rather, it’s about providing a versatile tool that complements and enhances the existing technological landscape of an organization.

• Encouraging Innovation: By allowing teams to experiment with web components without abandoning their preferred frameworks, organizations can foster an environment of innovation and continuous learning.
• Avoiding Tech Silos: Web components help in breaking down technological silos by enabling different frameworks to work together more cohesively. This encourages knowledge sharing and cross-team collaboration.
• Respecting Team Dynamics: Understanding that change can be challenging, the introduction of web components can be seen as an augmentation to the existing toolset rather than a disruptive force. This approach is more likely to be embraced by technology teams who see their skills and experience being valued.

The superiority of web components in a large-scale, multi-framework environment lies not just in their technical capabilities but also in their role as a unifying technology. By enabling different frameworks to coexist and complement each other, web components pave the way for a more collaborative, inclusive, and flexible tech culture within organizations.

Integration in Design Systems

Web components are inherently scalable and modular, making them perfect for design systems. They can be used across different applications, ensuring consistency and reducing development overhead. This is particularly beneficial for organizations looking to maintain a uniform user experience across multiple platforms.

• Uniform User Experience: By utilizing web components, organizations can ensure a uniform user experience, which is crucial for brand consistency and user engagement.
• Reusable Components: The reusability of web components reduces the need for redundant code, streamlining the development process.
• Easy Integration: Their framework-agnostic nature makes it easier to integrate them into various platforms, enhancing the flexibility of the design system.

Styling Web Components

Styling web components involves a combination of modern CSS features and encapsulation provided by the Shadow DOM. Here’s a more detailed look into these methods:

Shadow DOM for Style Encapsulation

• Purpose: The Shadow DOM creates a scoped subtree inside your component, keeping its styles isolated from the rest of the document.
• Benefits: This prevents style leakage into or out of the component, ensuring that the component’s appearance remains consistent regardless of where it is used.

CSS Variables for Dynamic Theming

• How They Work: CSS Variables (Custom Properties) are entities defined by developers that can store specific values to be reused throughout the document.
• Dynamic Theming: They enable developers to easily tweak the look and feel of components or entire applications, just by changing a few variable values. This is especially useful for creating themes or supporting different color modes (like dark/light mode).

Design Token System for Scalable Styling

• Concept: Design tokens are abstract design decisions, such as colors, spacing, or typography, represented as data. These tokens can be used instead of hard-coded values to ensure consistency across a design system.
• Implementation: Tokens are usually defined in a global stylesheet and can be applied to web components, ensuring that design changes can be made centrally and reflected across all components.

Code Example: Styling with CSS Variables and Design Tokens

/* Global style -- defining design tokens */
:root {
  --color-primary: #007bff; /* Primary color token */
  --color-secondary: #6c757d; /* Secondary color token */
  --spacing-small: 8px; /* Spacing token */
  --font-family-main: 'Arial', sans-serif; /* Font family token */
}

/* Component-specific styles using CSS variables */
.my-component {
  background-color: var(--color-primary); /* Using primary color token */
  color: var(--color-secondary); /* Using secondary color token */
  padding: var(--spacing-small); /* Using spacing token */
  font-family: var(--font-family-main); /* Using font family token */
}

In this simplified example, design tokens are defined at the root level and then used within the component. This setup allows for easy theming and updating of styles across all components using these tokens.

Advanced Techniques and Considerations

• Scoped Styles with CSS Modules: For even finer control, CSS Modules can be used, which automatically scope CSS by generating unique class names.
• Preprocessors like SASS/SCSS: These can be used for more complex styling scenarios, offering features like mixins, nested selectors, and more.
• CSS-in-JS Libraries: In cases where JavaScript frameworks are used alongside web components, CSS-in-JS libraries can be employed for styling, offering benefits like dynamic styles based on component state.

Styling web components is a nuanced process that combines the encapsulation capabilities of the Shadow DOM with the flexibility of CSS Variables and the consistency of a token system. By mastering these techniques, developers can create highly customizable, theme-able, and consistent designs that are maintainable and scalable across large-scale applications.

The Future of Web Components

The future looks bright for web components as browser support continues to grow and community-driven improvements emerge. As web standards evolve, web components are poised to become a more integral part of web development.

The shift towards native web components signifies an exciting paradigm shift in web development. Their independence, interoperability, and efficiency make them a smart starting point over starting with traditional JavaScript frameworks, especially for organizations aiming for a long-term, sustainable web presence. As the technology continues to evolve, embracing web components can be a strategic decision for future-proof web development.

Partner with Southleft for Web Component Expertise

At Southleft, we specialize in leveraging web components to build scalable and efficient design systems. Our expertise lies in creating components that bridge the gap between design and development, ensuring a seamless workflow from a Figma project to production-ready apps.

If you’re looking to adopt web components in your next project, Southleft is your ideal partner. Contact us to explore how we can transform your web development process.