Svelte vs. Vue: 5 Key Differences — QIT

React, Angular, and Ember once competed to be the best JavaScript framework at the forefront of web development, but Vue quickly gained ground, displacing Ember and taking its place. In 2024, as Svelte, a relatively new framework, continues to grow exponentially in popularity, it appears that history is repeating itself. If Svelte has what it takes to be a major contender, we have to wonder. By incorporating and enhancing the features that made us fall in love with Vue in the first place, such as great performance, a lightweight and recognizable templating syntax, and a simple learning curve, Svelte appears to have taken a page out of Vue’s playbook. In this article, we’ll define whether it’s Svelte vs. Vue you should choose for your project by looking at the syntactical differences between them and other characteristics.

Vue Fundamentals

A progressive, open-source JavaScript framework called Vue is used to create single-page apps and graphical user interfaces.

Since Vue was intended to be gradually integrated, you can add it to any existing frontend project without having to start from scratch. Unlike frameworks like Svelte, which utilizes a compiler, Vue solely relies on JavaScript.

With Vue, you would need to employ the CLI, a command-line utility tool for quickly scaffolding boilerplate Vue projects with various build methods.

Some ideas from Angular and React, two of Vue’s rivals, are at the foundation of the framework. For starters, Vue makes use of Angular’s reactive, two-way data binding to establish a responsive relationship between the model and the view. Another is the Virtual DOM diffing feature of React, which stops Vue from surgically updating the DOM each time something changes.

The view layer, or template, is the focus of Vue, which draws inspiration in part from the MVVM design pattern. However, every component instance in a Vue application is referred to as a ViewModel, or vm variable. The data-binding system that connects the view and model-view layers is known as the vm.

Svelte Definition

An open-source frontend framework for building interactive UIs is called Svelte. Unlike Vue, Svelte is a compiler that converts declarative state-driven components into imperative JavaScript codes that directly update the DOM.

Monolithic frameworks create declarative scripts at runtime using the Virtual DOM diffing approach. Although this approach is quick and effective, it adds overhead to the app’s speed since it makes the browser execute additional operations before producing a webpage.

Svelte avoids this performance cost by parsing and compiling its declarative codes into JavaScript codes the browser can utilize during build time, making it 2x quicker than frameworks that use the Virtual DOM and are built at runtime.

Svelte vs. Vue Comparison Table

The main 11 distinctions between Svelte and Vue are shown below:

№	Svelte	Vue
1	It serves as a tool for assembling components and offers a JavaScript web framework for creating web applications.	In contrast, it is a JavaScript framework for creating single-page apps and user interfaces.
2	It is not a framework; it is a JavaScript compiler.	It is a JavaScript framework.
3	It performs better and quicker.	When compared to Svelte, its performance is slower.
4	It can create web apps with great performance.	However, it can create both modestly-sized and large-scale applications.
5	Using it, we may create components devoid of boilerplate using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.	However, using it, we may create both single-page and multi-page apps.
6	Since it is quick, a compilation step is required for it to execute in a browser.	It is, nevertheless, a run-time-based program.
7	While both Svelte and Vue have a simple syntax, Svelte is more favored and simpler to use.	In contrast, it is not advantageous and not easy to use when compared to Svelte.
8	It has specified variables so that our data may be updated automatically.	The virtual structure must be updated before modifications can be made while using Vue.
9	Svelte is standing on its own.	Google, on the other hand, supported it.
10	This isn’t flexible.	As a result, this framework is versatile and can be customized by the developer through the use of directives.
11	It provides testing libraries, demonstrating specific testing capabilities and excellent test results.	However, it just provides standard testing capabilities.

Differences Between Svelte and Vue

Let’s contrast and compare a few key elements between these two Javascript frameworks.

Application architecture with Svelte and Vue

What kind of architecture is Svelte compatible with?

The official documentation currently contains no helpful information on the architectural features of apps created using Svelte. Svelte is superbly engineered to read user interface inputs more quickly. Svelte avoids the intermediate steps of loading a virtual structure before reflecting the data into the actual user interface since it functions as a compiler to render the website using existing javascript.

Svelte makes the process faster in terms of supplying the material to the users related to this feature, which is why it is quicker than other frameworks when it comes to designing user interfaces.

What kind of architecture is Vue compatible with?

Particularly when creating a large-scale application, Vue concentrates on adhering to the ViewModel method and follows the MVVM paradigm. Two-way binding is used to connect the View and Model components. In this framework, M, V, and VM stand for the following:

Model: Has features similar to those of the JavaScript Model object. The data instance is turned into reactive elements after it has entered the Model portion, allowing for the discrete creation of the necessary storage layers.

View: The View component of Vue is where the DOM objects are actually managed. It successfully creates root elements and corresponds with the necessary DOM components using DOM-based templating.

ViewModel: Takes care of the synchronization requirements between the code’s Model and View sections. The main component where developer interactions with the code occur is this object.

Vue’s architecture and DOM structures are divided into two components: filters and directives. Given that Vue, unlike other technologies, is not a full-fledged framework and that it adheres to the View layer design, handling the creation of applications is made flexible and straightforward.

WEB DEVELOPMENT

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Ease Of Maintenance, Updates, And Sizing Up  

Due to Vue’s extreme flexibility, it is possible to reuse some portions of the code at various points throughout the project. This capability creates a wide range of opportunities since it enables Vue to be utilized in both straightforward reactive apps and more complex digital products.  

Small interactive projects and bespoke code components for other projects may be built with Svelte. Due to its small bundle size and excellent performance, it’s suitable for a mobile-first strategy. Budget devices and sluggish mobile connections are not issues. However, because it is primarily intended for generating static web apps and reusable components, producing bigger applications might be more difficult than with other frameworks.

User experience

The ability of Svelte to provide the best user experience

Svelte is a clever UI framework that has a beautiful design. The features, grammar, and framework design all contribute to a beautiful and effective end-user experience. Solving issues with web application scalability and allowing global volunteer contributions are both welcome.

The technology has also advanced in terms of component dependability and speed. By skipping the intermediate stage of loading the virtual structure/DOM, it facilitates contemporary component-based user interface design with faster loading times. Additionally, unlike other frameworks, the program weights extremely little when it is compiled, which speeds up loading.

With the material being served up quickly and at a lower pace, the user experience is speedy, fluid, and functional.

The method used by Vue to provide the greatest user experience

Given the tech stack it provides, Vue may be a good option for creating an engaging and attractive web app UI. Virtual DOM makes ensuring that changes made within the program do not immediately show visibly, giving UI design experimentation greater scope and flexibility.

Using a binding feature known as v-bind, the data binding characteristic of this framework enables developers to quickly define HTML properties and values that may be changed at any moment without affecting the current code.  With material components and UI tools like Cron generator, Chakra-ui-Vue, etc., templates, animations, and transitions may be tailored to the user’s needs.

Performance

As is the case with the majority of frontend frameworks, two-way data binding is used by both Svelte and Vue. Since it allows two items to be coupled together and update themselves when changes are made to one, an approach like this promotes responsiveness above stability. Vue and Svelte become extremely reactive as a result.

There can only ever be one winner, though. Svelte wins in terms of performance. Why so? Svelte’s main use is as a compiler. It has the capacity to write code while simultaneously optimizing it, enhancing performance. Users gain from flawless transitions and exceptionally fast rendering as a consequence of minimal runtime overhead.

Another distinctive characteristic that reduces performance is virtual DOM. Since virtual DOM optimizations and concurrent changes are not necessary, the performance is streamlined. Svelte avoids the time-consuming process of comparing virtual DOM objects by updating the components directly instead of the virtual DOM.

Svelte.js and Vue don’t perform very differently. Although the tool is well-known and optimized, Vue uses Virtual DOM, which is slower than Svelte’s usage of compile-time decision-making. Additionally, Svelte outperforms Vue speed in comparison.

Testing

How much simpler is it to test a SvelteJS application?

Svelte is more to your taste if you lean more toward the “lean web” concept. It is reasonable to conclude that Svelte focuses more on delivering lightweight libraries and simpler calculations. Given that the frontend of your web application is more concerned with how users interact and feel, you might create more testable code in Svelte than in other front-end frameworks.

Svelte produces tested code, making it better suited to business. It promotes the notion of writing unit tests and provides a relatively lightweight Svelte testing library as a solution for testing Svelte components.

How much simpler is it to test a VueJS application?

Vue is still a growing star, and its testing features are commonplace, simple, and effective. It does not provide extravagantly expensive tools or interfere with the ability of its code to be tested. Vue’s unit testing is quite similar to those of other frameworks and frequently employs Jest, Mocha, or Chai. Vue Test Utils and Vue Testing Library are a couple of the libraries that are explicitly suggested by Vue.

They provide easy code refactoring and debugging by providing access to user- and application-specific APIs. This framework supports CI/CD and has hot reloading capabilities, making it feasible to build faster feedback loops.

Suitability for developing complex applications

Is Svelte js appropriate for creating complex apps?

Svelte is not yet capable of creating complex web applications. You’ll be intrigued to observe how Svelte js processes the components of user interfaces as it creates a cybernetically improved app. Other frameworks may have experience handling input-blocking events, however, Svelte hasn’t demonstrated its expertise in a certain field.

Can you create complex applications with Vue?

It could be more difficult to create complex apps, and here is where the coding aspect becomes more critical. Vue makes it more difficult to regulate the order of components, which is necessary for creating complex systems that require code that may interlink several underlying components.  However, with the aid of Vuex, creating complicated apps can be accomplished without ever writing any spaghetti code. By utilizing the reactive capability of Vue, the Vuex state management library is particularly optimized to reduce complexity.

Read our case

NFT Platform with Vue.js

Support From The Developer Community

When it comes to software development, robust community support is crucial. Some common problems could be incredibly difficult to resolve without assistance from other programmers. Additionally, a vibrant and active community is typically a sign of good usability and user experience. 

Vue is the sixth most popular framework among developers according to StackOverflow, with roughly 90.4k Reddit users. Svelte is left in the dust, ranking 16th on StackOverflow and having 20.2k Reddit members.

But what if we compare another StackOverflow merit, like the most popular framework category? It alters the story when Svelte comes in at 2nd place in 2022 with 75.28% approval, a tiny drop from the year before when it won the first position. Likewise, Vue trails on the 10th with 63.16% of the vote.

What does it actually mean? From a commercial standpoint, hiring Vue developers will be simpler because so many developers are either now using it or soon will be. However, the significance of contentment cannot be understated. As a result of Svelte’s significantly greater satisfaction percentage, the developers you hire will probably have a better time working on a project.

Curve Of Learning

How easy it is for developers to comprehend the framework is another important factor to take into account. The frontend framework’s high learning curve may dissuade programmers from utilizing it.

The learning curve for Svelte is not difficult. It is one of the newest frameworks available and has fewer elaborate and complex features that require in-depth understanding and more specialist skills. With a basic grasp of JavaScript, developers may utilize it without too many difficulties. A large number of reusable components that were made with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are also included in Svelte to make the process of designing apps with it simpler. Despite being straightforward, it is just as strong, durable, and simple to maintain as Vue.

Vue has a simple learning curve as well. Anyone who is familiar with JavaScript programming basics and ECMAScript 6 may easily feel at ease with the Vue.js framework.

When Svelte usage is Best Choice?

The decision between Vue and Svelte is more difficult than it first appears. Yes, Svelte does well in testing, but it also has drawbacks. Now that we’ve compared Svelte and Vue, we can finally respond to the issue of when to utilize Svelte over other frameworks.

• Once you have time. Because it’s unlikely that anyone on your team already has the necessary expertise to build an excellently complex program. It will probably take a little longer than anticipated if someone compares it to Vue without any community assistance and without the necessary tools. But by all means, go for it if you are willing to put in the time and work!
• Svelte is without a doubt the finest option if package size is a major concern for you. As seen in our Vue vs. Svelte performance comparison, app size will undoubtedly affect performance. If you anticipate having trouble with the size, use Svelte.
• If your target is low-power devices. Even on low-capacity devices, Svelte is 100 percent lighter and faster.
• If you want an easy, single-page app.

When Vue JS usage is the Best Choice?

Your specific company idea must determine whether you choose Svelte or Vue.js. Your app’s level of complexity is up to you. How much should it be scalable? Who comprises your team? In a comparison between Svelte with Vue, there are several situations where Vue is the better option. Namely:

• When you want something quick and convenient. Vue differs from Svelte in that it has an excellent router (Vue-router) and data management (Vuex) that is taken care of. Although this framework provides the chance for these components to be rebuilt, having this choice is wonderful if you are pleased and want to start to work.
• When you need a lot of flexibility and excellent integration capabilities. One benefit is that you may build the templates in any language you choose (HTML, JS, JSX), and they have excellent CSS module integration. Vue becomes a global framework as a result. When contrasting Svelte.js with Vue, the latter is more likely to function together easily because it simply uses JavaScript and is a well-known framework.
• If you want your team to be able to grow swiftly. Finding a programmer to expand your team will be much simpler because Vue is the framework that more developers are using. Additionally, you might engage remote developers if there are no professionals available in your nation. On the other hand, Svelte is a rare bird, and it will be difficult to locate someone with experience.
• The market for Vue.js is now larger than the market for Svelte, thus it would still be simpler to completely outsource app development rather than simply hiring programmers. The decision you make is based on the skills of your internal staff. Svelte and Vue are comparable when it comes to availability, however, the older frameworks come out on top. Take this into account while choosing the framework.

Recommendations

Regarding frontend development, both frameworks offer benefits and drawbacks. You should think about the kind of website or web app you want to create as well as the resources that are accessible. Here are a few suggestions.

Vue is most suitable for developing:

• Progressive web applications;
• Single page applications (SPAs);
• Dynamic landing pages;
• MVPs as interactive prototypes.

Svelte functions well when developing:

• Custom code and reusable components to integrate into other web apps;
• Responsive landing pages;
• Minimum Viable Products (MVPs);
• Mobile-first web applications;
• Fast static web apps.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a Javascript framework is not a simple task, as you can see. You must establish your goals and choose which features are most crucial in your software development process because both Svelte and Vue have many benefits and some drawbacks.

The kind of website or web app you intend to create should also be taken into account, since both Vue and Svelte work better in various environments and are appropriate for various projects.

Despite the positives that Svelte offers to the table, many developers just aren’t ready to shift to it yet, largely due to its lack of flexibility and little community support.

Svelte is unquestionably a fast framework, but Vue has had years and a lot of support to integrate and enhance these features. Svelte is a very young framework that is currently attempting to establish itself in the market.