this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2025
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Web Development

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As a backend developer, where do I even start with frontend? Feeling major choice paralysis (feddit.dk)
submitted 6 days ago by SorteKanin@feddit.dk to c/webdev@programming.dev
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I'm an experienced backend developer. To me, the backend world seems super simple compared to the frontend world.

It seems like there are a million options and I don't have the experience to say what's good and what's not. I'm hit with major choice paralysis, basically.

I don't have any special requirements - I "just" want to build a pretty standard, responsive, modern-looking UI. Ideally without too much boilerplate, in a framework that "feels good", in a way that might at some point attract other contributors as well, if I get to the point of open sourcing.

Of course I could just reach for the most popular thing i.e. React, but that doesn't seem to be the "hip" thing to use nowadays (or maybe I'm wrong? What do I know, I'm a backend dev).

But even if I choose a framework, there's a million other libraries out there to choose as well. For instance, which UI library to choose? What about observability and state management and authentication and so on?

Sorry if this is a bit ranty. I am honestly just looking for an experienced frontend developer to point me in some direction (i.e. some set of frameworks/libraries; a "stack" if you will), so I can get out of this choice paralysis.

What would be your go-to stack for a new frontend project today?

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[–] SorteKanin@feddit.dk 3 points 6 days ago (3 children)

It just doesn't seem like best practice to do raw JS/CSS/HTML from what I read online? I get that for maybe small sites where you just need mostly static pages, that might be fine, but if you want any complexity and flexibility, isn't raw JS/CSS/HTML sort of limiting? I.e. you'd end up doing lots of complicated stuff that you'd build yourself instead of using a framework.

[–] sobchak@programming.dev 3 points 5 days ago

Web components exist.

[–] entwine@programming.dev 3 points 6 days ago

What's "complicated stuff"? Your business logic will probably be complicated regardless of what you use. A framework will just add a few more layers of complexity and introduce a (usually fragile) build process.

Idk what you're trying to build, but from this:

I “just” want to build a pretty standard, responsive, modern-looking UI. Ideally without too much boilerplate,

It doesn't sound like you need a framework. Want responsive? Learn how to use flexbox. Want a "modern" look? Learn design, or find some CSS templates to start from.

If you're trying to make a SPA (which a lot of beginners/insane people seem to think is a good default, which it definitely is not), then a framework might make it easier, or it might not. It depends on what you're building. You may be able to use HTMX with a light sprinkling of JavaScript, or may need a full-blown batteries-included framework.

So. What are you building?

[–] tapdattl@lemmy.world 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago)

Look into Tailwind CSS and Alpine.js for some pretty uncomplicated foundational level systems to build off of