jQuery v4.0 Beta (blog.jquery.com)

Article summary

The jQuery team has released jQuery 4.0.0 beta, which includes bug fixes, performance improvements, and breaking changes such as the removal of support for Internet Explorer 10 and older. The team has also removed deprecated APIs and dropped support for some legacy browsers. A comprehensive upgrade guide will be published before the final release to help with migration. The beta release is available on the jQuery CDN and npm package manager.

Main themes

• jQuery 4.0 release
• legacy code and browser support
• native JavaScript alternatives
• fetch API and async/await
• library vs native API
• developer preferences and experience
• project-specific needs and goals

What commenters say

• Some developers still prefer using jQuery due to its ease of use and familiarity, despite the availability of native JavaScript alternatives.
• The use of jQuery is often driven by legacy code and the need to support older browsers, rather than a desire to use the library for new projects.
• Native JavaScript alternatives, such as fetch and async/await, are not always considered superior to jQuery by some developers, who prefer the simplicity and consistency of the library.
• The design of the fetch API and async/await is criticized by some for being overly complex and prone to errors, while others see it as a necessary improvement over older approaches.
• Some developers believe that the benefits of using jQuery, such as its easy event handling and chaining functions, outweigh the drawbacks of adding an extra dependency to their projects.
• Others argue that the native DOM API has improved significantly and can now handle many tasks that previously required jQuery, making the library less necessary.
• The decision to use jQuery or not often depends on the specific needs and goals of the project, as well as the personal preferences and experience of the developers involved.