Core HTML/CSS/Javascript Frameworks

Question

I'm trying to improve my web development skills. I'm already familiar enough with HTTP, HTML, CSS, and Javascript, but I'd like to take advantage of some frameworks/helpers for site layout, CSS, and Javascript support.

What are the best HTML/CSS/Javascript web tools/frameworks out there? (In this question, I'm not looking for scripting-language-based frameworks like PHP, Ruby on Rails, or Django - but more "raw" HTML/CSS/Javascript frameworks.)

So far, I've done a quick look at things like YUI, jQuery, Prototype, Scriptaculous, and a few others, but I'm curious to know what people have had good experiences with.

One item per answer would be nice!

Answer 1

I (and many many other people) recommend jQuery.

It's simple and extremely powerful, and has a very large userbase.

Answer 2

I've always really liked Prototype/Scriptaculous despite some involved work with YUI and to a lesser extent jQuery. Perhaps it's because Scriptaculous "gets out of the way" best.

Answer 3

jQuery is the most popular (especially but not exclusively on Stack Overflow), but I don't have much personal experience with it.

Dojo is the second most popular (measuring by search hits on the web for "X javascript" for various framework names as X) and my personal favorite (highly modular, clean "pythonic architecture", rich, always in the vanguard providing browser-independent access to new features such as [[in the recent past]] browser-local storage &c).

Answer 4

There's a old, but still pretty relevant article at Smashing Magazine on CSS frameworks: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/09/21/css-frameworks-css-reset-design-from-scratch/

That said I've found Blueprint CSS to be great for HTML wireframes and prototyping, but basically write raw CSS with no framework for every project. Designs are so unique that it really makes sense to write the CSS on a per-project basis.

I tend to start out using reset.css as a baseline and then creating a site-specific screen style sheet.

Answer 5

... as far a css frameworks go, *{padding: 0; margin: 0} works fine, beyond that projects vary a little too much for me.

... +n for jQuery! Does the job just fine with sprinkles of hand rolled js.

IMHO, after a while there comes a point of diminishing returns when trying to rely too much on frameworks. What was originally making life easier can turn into a hammer.

Answer 6

JavaScript

According to Google trends (and SO trends), jQuery is the framework of choice.

After using it for a very large project, I do not recommend Dojo, aside from its package management and perhaps its internationalization.

CSS

I recommend Blueprint CSS.

Answer 7

Prototype is still the superior framework if you care about closures and each. JQuery is good for simple projects but when you have to do more than just manipulate DOM elements you're better off with Prototype.

Some good reading

Answer 8

I prefer JQuery, but if you are looking for a really robust UI framework you should check out ExtJS.