Comments on: Why I’m moving from jQuery to ExtJs http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html Stuff that catches a Passionate Programmer's Eye Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:30:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Indra Dutta http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136391 Indra Dutta Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:29:48 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136391 Here are the differences between jquery and extjs in my opinion. Jquery is simple, intuitive and easy to understand. You mostly deal with only one object in jquery, called the jquery object. You can use your existing html/css knowledge to your advantage. Extsjs has a steeper learning curve. For example, you have to learn a dozen of javascript classes in the library before you set your foot on a pleasant journey. Jquery allows you to create your view in html/css and then add behavior using javascripts (read view and controller) whereas in the extjs world, view and behavior are somewhat combined. Depending on the nature of your application this could be a virtue or otherwise. So I would say that jquery is less obtrusive. Since jquery allows you to create the views in html/css and add behavior, it allows fine grained control on your presentation. Extjs is more prescriptive in this regard which can be good thing or not depending on your background and viewpoint. Using jquery-UI theme you can provide a consistent look and feel of your website. Using the theme-roller application you can create your own theme or use an existing one. Extjs has a large set of widgets and provide sophisticated layouts out of the box. It has an impressive array of widgets for displaying data in different formats and has support for templating. In jquery world, you will have to code such layouts on your own or use suitable plugins. However, jquery has such a good ecosystem that you will, almost always, find the plugin you are looking for. There are also some significant differences how jquery and extjs are typically used with server side frameworks. Jquery is integrated very easily with popular server side framworks like symfony, cakephp, ASP.NET MVC and ruby on rails. You may have to do some work to integrate extjs with these frameworks as these frameworks do not provide out of the box integration for extjs. Lastly Jquery is free and extjs is GPL licensed and commercial version of extjs costs $329 or more. In the end both are mature and good javascript libraries. - Indra Here are the differences between jquery and extjs in my opinion.

Jquery is simple, intuitive and easy to understand. You mostly deal with only one object in jquery, called the jquery object. You can use your existing html/css knowledge to your advantage. Extsjs has a steeper learning curve. For example, you have to learn a dozen of javascript classes in the library before you set your foot on a pleasant journey.

Jquery allows you to create your view in html/css and then add behavior using javascripts (read view and controller) whereas in the extjs world, view and behavior are somewhat combined. Depending on the nature of your application this could be a virtue or otherwise. So I would say that jquery is less obtrusive.

Since jquery allows you to create the views in html/css and add behavior, it allows fine grained control on your presentation. Extjs is more prescriptive in this regard which can be good thing or not depending on your background and viewpoint. Using jquery-UI theme you can provide a consistent look and feel of your website. Using the theme-roller application you can create your own theme or use an existing one.

Extjs has a large set of widgets and provide sophisticated layouts out of the box. It has an impressive array of widgets for displaying data in different formats and has support for templating. In jquery world, you will have to code such layouts on your own or use suitable plugins. However, jquery has such a good ecosystem that you will, almost always, find the plugin you are looking for.

There are also some significant differences how jquery and extjs are typically used with server side frameworks. Jquery is integrated very easily with popular server side framworks like symfony, cakephp, ASP.NET MVC and ruby on rails. You may have to do some work to integrate extjs with these frameworks as these frameworks do not provide out of the box integration for extjs.

Lastly Jquery is free and extjs is GPL licensed and commercial version of extjs costs $329 or more.

In the end both are mature and good javascript libraries.

- Indra

]]> By: Rodrigo Alfonso http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136390 Rodrigo Alfonso Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:02:17 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136390 You must be barking mad!!! No offense, I agree that ExtJs Has a HUGE selection of widgets, but all the trouble it couses to perform the simplest tasks?? Is it worth it? jQuery Rocks! Best regards! You must be barking mad!!!

No offense, I agree that ExtJs Has a HUGE selection of widgets, but all the trouble it couses to perform the simplest tasks??

Is it worth it?

jQuery Rocks!

Best regards!

]]> By: Foo http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136348 Foo Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:05:04 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136348 ExtJS switching to GPL is killing me these days. Recently, I found an interesting product named ZK Light. UI looks great (similar to ExtJS but not as good as; IMO) and can be designed in XML (a big plus in term of maintenance). Best of all it is LGPL. But, it seems be at the early stage. Anyone has experiences about it? ExtJS switching to GPL is killing me these days. Recently, I found an interesting product named ZK Light. UI looks great (similar to ExtJS but not as good as; IMO) and can be designed in XML (a big plus in term of maintenance). Best of all it is LGPL. But, it seems be at the early stage. Anyone has experiences about it?

]]> By: Robert http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136338 Robert Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:31:22 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136338 @dude: I've been an Asp.net (C#) developer since beta version and I think your comment is highly biased. I used ExtJS with very positive results and know other developers on other projects having the same opinion. ExtJS is by no means a small lib. It's quite overwhelming, that's why it does take some time to get into it (medium capable developers should be able to develop their own components in less than a week) and once you do it's just a fab. You can easily connect ExtJS with WCF services or Asp.net MVC actions that return JSON. Very easy and very nice. I read in many comments that ExtJS "forces" you with look'n'feel. That is true to some extent. You can still adopt your own LnF. The thing is that I so rarely meet developers (and projects) that actually are visually capable of producing great visual interfaces. ExtJS at least gives you the ability to make your app look good out of the box and not spend any time figuring out whether your ui looks nice or not or hiring a graphic designer that will make it look that way. It's like developing Windows apps where you're also presented with default Windows style, but you can do whatever you want with more work if you want. I think ExtJS's look and feel of their components is one of their strongest parts toward other libraries. @dude:
I’ve been an Asp.net (C#) developer since beta version and I think your comment is highly biased. I used ExtJS with very positive results and know other developers on other projects having the same opinion.
ExtJS is by no means a small lib. It’s quite overwhelming, that’s why it does take some time to get into it (medium capable developers should be able to develop their own components in less than a week) and once you do it’s just a fab.
You can easily connect ExtJS with WCF services or Asp.net MVC actions that return JSON. Very easy and very nice.
I read in many comments that ExtJS “forces” you with look’n'feel. That is true to some extent. You can still adopt your own LnF. The thing is that I so rarely meet developers (and projects) that actually are visually capable of producing great visual interfaces. ExtJS at least gives you the ability to make your app look good out of the box and not spend any time figuring out whether your ui looks nice or not or hiring a graphic designer that will make it look that way. It’s like developing Windows apps where you’re also presented with default Windows style, but you can do whatever you want with more work if you want. I think ExtJS’s look and feel of their components is one of their strongest parts toward other libraries.

]]> By: dude http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136336 dude Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:48:51 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136336 Personally, so far, I absolutely LOATHE extjs. Coming from a C#/.Net background, my job recently required implementing extjs into a browser component for talk both back to a web server and calling directly into C# clientside code. My problem isn't with the technicalities of doing either of these things. Rather, it's the ridiculously high learning curve involved in doing such. extjs, like most open source projects, has a pathetically thin amount of documentation. While others rave about how well the API is documented, and how many tutorials exist, what is sadly lacking is any kind of broad overview of how extjs actually works. For instance, I still have no idea what exactly is required for creating a store completely in memory--every effort I've taken (from examples that never quite match my scenario)results in an error of some sort. Stay away from extjs. Personally, so far, I absolutely LOATHE extjs.

Coming from a C#/.Net background, my job recently required implementing extjs into a browser component for talk both back to a web server and calling directly into C# clientside code.

My problem isn’t with the technicalities of doing either of these things. Rather, it’s the ridiculously high learning curve involved in doing such.

extjs, like most open source projects, has a pathetically thin amount of documentation. While others rave about how well the API is documented, and how many tutorials exist, what is sadly lacking is any kind of broad overview of how extjs actually works. For instance, I still have no idea what exactly is required for creating a store completely in memory–every effort I’ve taken (from examples that never quite match my scenario)results in an error of some sort.

Stay away from extjs.

]]> By: Ted http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-136329 Ted Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:42:21 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-136329 Really enjoyed your post. I agree with several of your responders: ExtJS is great for no nonsense business applications. jQuery is great for making things look good. Since ExtJS includes an adapter to allow you to use jQuery from within, you now have the best of both worlds. I am in the process of revamping one of my companies Extranet web apps and I'm using the two together frequently. Really enjoyed your post. I agree with several of your responders:

ExtJS is great for no nonsense business applications.

jQuery is great for making things look good.

Since ExtJS includes an adapter to allow you to use jQuery from within, you now have the best of both worlds. I am in the process of revamping one of my companies Extranet web apps and I’m using the two together frequently.

]]> By: Rodrigo Asensio http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-125527 Rodrigo Asensio Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:34:38 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-125527 ExtJs is a awesome set of widgets and jquery has only the basic. Now, I'm not switching to ext because I have to pay if I want to develop a commercial app. That is the only reason. After that, John Resig should give more importance to jquery UI, his support here could be key for the success of jquery UI. ExtJs is a awesome set of widgets and jquery has only the basic. Now, I’m not switching to ext because I have to pay if I want to develop a commercial app. That is the only reason.
After that, John Resig should give more importance to jquery UI, his support here could be key for the success of jquery UI.

]]> By: Bruce http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-123669 Bruce Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:11:58 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-123669 Good idea Randall. I just did. Good idea Randall. I just did.

?]]> By: Randall Smith http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-123663 Randall Smith Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:37:43 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-123663 I read all of this and then realized from the comments you changed your mind??? Yikes. You should put a blurb at the top of the page with a link to the updated article. I read all of this and then realized from the comments you changed your mind??? Yikes.

You should put a blurb at the top of the page with a link to the updated article.

]]> By: Magicien http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html/comment-page-1#comment-118414 Magicien Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:53:28 +0000 http://coderseye.com/2007/why-im-moving-from-jquery-to-extjs.html#comment-118414 ExtJ has a commercial license for the developer version. ExtJ has a commercial license for the developer version.

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