Library

A library is a collection of pre-written code that provides specific functionality you can use in your applications. Unlike frameworks, libraries are called by your code rather than calling your code.

Popular Frontend Libraries

React Component-based UI library for building user interfaces.

Lodash Utility library for common programming tasks.

Axios HTTP client for making API requests.

date-fns Modern JavaScript date utility library.

Chart.js Simple yet flexible charting library.

Library vs Framework

Library

• You control the flow
• Use specific features as needed
• More flexible
• Example: Lodash, Axios

Framework

• Framework controls the flow
• Provides complete structure
• More opinionated
• Example: Angular, Next.js

Benefits

• Saves development time
• Battle-tested solutions
• Community support
• Regular updates and maintenance

Example Usage

javascript
// Using Lodash
import _ from 'lodash'
const unique = _.uniq([1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5])

// Using Axios
import axios from 'axios'
const data = await axios.get('/api/users')

// Using date-fns
import { format } from 'date-fns'
const formatted = format(new Date(), 'yyyy-MM-dd')

Choosing a Library

• Active maintenance
• Good documentation
• Bundle size
• Browser compatibility
• Community support