In the fast-paced world of web development, quick rendering and optimal performance are essential. While React is widely used for building apps and websites, its virtual DOM lacks the speed and support needed for some advanced applications.
Million.js is the best-suited solution for such scenarios. This virtual DOM library improves rendering speed in JavaScript applications by up to 70%.
This post provides in-depth information about Million.js, its features, and applications.
Let us get started.
Million.js Overview
Million.js is an open-source, minimalistic JavaScript compiler that enhances the performance of React to a great extent.
Founded by Aiden Bai, this framework is designed to manage DOM elements. Unlike conventional frameworks, Million.js does not update the entire DOM every time. On the contrary, it revises only the crucial parts of the DOM. It naturally minimizes the memory usage and improves the overall rendering speed.
Million.js uses a unique concept called blocks. These are lightweight Higher-Order Components (HOCs) optimized for rendering speed.
Key Features of Million.js
React is a powerful library. Nevertheless, it struggles to accommodate apps with complex UI updates. Million.js provides several features, making it a reliable choice for a high-performance virtual DOM.
Let us get to know some key features of Million.js.
Fine-Grained Update Control
Million.js offers fine-grained control over updates. Developers can optimize a specific part of the user interface. With traditional VDOM libraries, users had to perform full component updates.
Since Million.js allows targeted updates for separate DOM nodes, developers can avoid unnecessary re-renders. It boosts the overall performance of an application.
Better Developer Experience
Million.js provides a lightweight and straightforward compiler for React applications. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned developer, setting up and using Million.js is straightforward. Furthermore, its developer-friendly API is intuitive and easy to learn.
If you have prior experience in Virtual DOM implementations, things will be easier. You do not need to learn new codebases to use Million.js.
Compiler-First Approach
Million.js is known for its blazing-fast speed, thanks to its compiler-first approach. It precomputes updates for static components.
During the runtime, changes are applied only to dynamic components. It reduces the diffing time significantly.
Million.js employs specialized data structures. It calculates and compiles React code automatically into optimized HOCs before rendering them.
Easy Integration
Million.js provides seamless integration with React. You can leverage its optimized Virtual DOM without rewriting your existing application.
Million.js lets you use its library as a drop-in replacement for React’s default VDOM engine. You do not need to make significant changes to the codebase.
Besides React, Million.js is compatible with various frameworks, such as Astro, Vue, Preact, Gatsby, and Next.
Lightweight Library
Million.js is a lightweight library with a small bundle size. It has a gzipped size of less than 3KB. Therefore, it improves the initial load time of your application. React’s VDOM library weighs around 40-45 KB.
Use Cases for Million.Js
Million.js is ideal for scenarios where performance and efficiency are essential.
Some use cases of Million.js include:
Single-page Applications
Single-page applications, or SPAs, are popular in modern web development. They offer a seamless user experience by loading a single HTML page.
Most single-page applications rely on JavaScript to manage user interactions.
Million.js is the best option to manage single-page applications. Its virtual DOM library has numerous features that improve the performance of single-page applications.
Performance-Critical Applications
If you are developing a React application that demands high performance, choosing Million.js can be your best bet.
Whether you are building a real-time application or compound data visualization tool, Million.js can boost speed by reducing the overhead of virtual DOM updates.
Interactive Applications
Million.js can also help you build powerful interactive applications like quizzes, simulations, and real-time collaborative tools.
These apps need frequent updates to the user interface. Consequently, they need decent performance to maintain a smooth, real-time experience.
Million.js is highly capable of handling frequent updates with minimal overhead.
Apps with Nested Data
Million.js is suitable for web applications that use nested data. These applications feature multi-level structures and manage data in a parent-child relationship.
Some common examples of nested data include CMS websites, e-commerce platforms, database-driven applications, and social media applications.
Due to tree traversal, nested data takes time to render. Nevertheless, Million.js optimized blocks help them render faster.
Mobile-First SPAs
Developers optimize mobile-first single-page applications for small-screen devices such as mobile phones, tablets, etc. These apps prioritize performance and fast load times.
Pinterest, Instagram, Trello, and Twitter are notable mobile-first SPAs.
Million.js can manage these apps dynamically without reloading the entire app. It helps apps remain responsive even when users are interacting with complex task lists and forms.
Limitations of Million.js
Million.js offers tons of features. However, it has some drawbacks as well.
Limited Community Support
Since Million.js is a new tool, it has limited ecosystems compared to other established frameworks. You might struggle to find in-depth documentation and 3rd party plugins.
Limited Debugging Tools
Undoubtedly, Million.js has several advanced tools. However, it does not have extensive tools for debugging.
Conclusion
So here is a quick guide on Million.js. Considering everything, we can say that Million.js is one of the best open-source JavaScript compilers. If you are looking for a minimal yet powerful Virtual DOM library, you must give Million.js a try.
