I sort of dislike frameworks (except for the ones that actually make your life easier). Libraries on the other hand are really great things!! Frameworks say: "This is all you are allowed to do and these are the ways you could do it. Additionally, I allow you the freedom of doing this insignificant operation in any way you see fit." On the other hand, libraries say: "If this is the input you feed me, this is the output you shall get. It's up to you to feed me the input and then you are free to do whatever you wish with the output I give you."
This change of mindset makes a world of difference while writing applications that do different things or just things differently from what the "framework" architect thought to be "the" way of doing things.
Django is a GOOD framework. It goes a long way to obviate all the mundane tasks, but at the same time provides a rich library-like interface to many convenience functions. IMHO, the Library way is the functional way where you can compose a complex operation from many small operations chained or composed together. A framework on the other hand reminds me of OO and something like the a template method pattern. Now, I really like the template method pattern when it is used minimally and with care. However, using this pattern for everything you do is just brainless. In the same way, frameworks aren't the solution to all design related problems.
jQuery is an awesome library. It's been true to its slogan of "Write less, do more". It's literally packed with a lot of convenience functions that lets you create really nice looking and functional UIs and web-applications without breaking a sweat. I think it gels in very well with the javascript and DOM eco-system. It doesn't try to be different and OOish (like Dojo) which is where I think it scores.
Frameworks cramp creativity whereas Libraries liberate the artist within the programmer. I hear a lot of people say "tell, don't ask", but I would say "ask and you shall be told."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Thanks for your thoughts. I tend to 'dislike' frameworks too (except for the ones that actually make your life easier). I think the reason for that is writing frameworks is very difficult and can not be done out of 'whole cloth'. Frameworks must evolve out of experiences that show the framework to be useful and establish conventions after proving them to be helpful. You cannot just 'write a framework' That's why the first rule to writing a framework is: don't.
I too find Django to be a good framework!
Thx for the post
@christian I agree!! Frameworks are helpful if the complete scope of the problem they are solving is well studied and understood; not otherwise.
Post a Comment