4 key findings from The State of JavaScript 2018 developer survey

Three JavaScript developers surveyed over 20,000 JavaScript developers to find out what’s happening within the language and its huge ecosystem. From usage to satisfaction to learning habits, this State if JavaScript 2018 report offered another valuable insight on a community that is still going strong, despite the landscape continuing to change.

You can check out the results of the State of JavaScript 2018 survey in detail here but keep reading to find out 4 things we found interesting about the State of JavaScript 2018 survey.

JavaScript developers love ES6 and TypeScript

ES6 and TypeScript were the most well received. 86.3% and 46.7% developers respectively have used and would use these languages again. ClojureScript, Elm, and Flow, however, don’t seem to pique many developers' interests these days (unsurprisingly).

React rules the front-end frameworks - Angular's popularity may be dwindling

There has been a big battle between a couple of frameworks in the front-end side of web development - namely between React, Vue, and Angular.

The State of JavaScript 2018 survey suggests that React is winning out, with Vue in second position. 64.8% and 28.8% developers said that they would use React and Vue.js respectively, again. However, Vue is growing in popularity - 46.6% of respondents expressed an interest in learning it.

However, news wasn't great for Angular - 33.8% of respondents said that they wouldn't use Angular again. Vue is gaining popularity as. Ember and polymer were less than well received as more than 50% of the responses for both indicated no interest in learning them. Preact and Polymer, meanwhile, are perhaps still a little new on the scene: 28.1% and 18.5% respondents had never even heard of these frameworks.

Vue.js 3.0 is ditching JavaScript for TypeScript. Learn more here.

Redux is the most used in the data layer - but JavaScript developers want to learn GraphQL

Redux is the most used in the data layer - but JavaScript developers want to learn GraphQL
When it comes to data, Redux is the most popular library with 47.2% developers saying that they would use it again. GraphQL is second with 20.4% of respondents vouching for it.

But Redux shouldn’t be complacent - 62.5% developers also want to learn GraphQL. It looks like the Redux and GraphQL debate is going to continue well into 2019. What the consensus will be in 12 months time is anyone’s guess.

Why do React developers love Redux? Find out here.

Express.js popularity confirms Node.js as JavaScript’s quiet hero

It was observed that there haven’t been any major break breakthroughs in this area in recent years. But that is, perhaps, a good thing when you consider the frantic pace of change in other areas of JavaScript. It probably also has a lot to do with the dominance of Node.js in this area. Express, a Node.js framework, is by far the most popular, with 64.7% of developers taking the survey saying they would use it again.

Sadly, it appears Meteor is languishing despite its meteoric hype just a few years ago. 49.4% of developers had heard of it, but said they had no interest in learning it.

In conclusion: The landscape is becoming more clearly defined, but the JavaScript developer role is changing

A few years ago, the JavaScript ecosystem was chaotic and almost incoherent. Every week seemed to bring a new framework demanding your attention. It looks, as we move towards the end of the decade, that things are a lot different now - React has established itself at the forefront of the front end, while TypeScript appears to have embedded itself within the ecosystem too.

With GraphQL also generating interest, and competing with Redux, we're seeing a clear shift in what JavaScript developers are doing, and what they're being asked to do. As the stack expands, managing data sources and building for speed and scalability is now a problem right at the heart of JavaScript development, not just on its fringes.