Transform jQuery to JavaScript: The Ultimate Guide 2024

JavaScript has always been the backbone of web development, but in the early 2000s, jQuery emerged as a popular library to simplify JavaScript tasks. It made things like DOM manipulation, animations, and AJAX a breeze. However, as JavaScript evolved, many of the functionalities provided by jQuery became native to browsers, reducing the need for an external library. So, why not convert jQuery code to pure JavaScript? In this guide, we’ll walk through the process of converting jQuery to JavaScript / jQuery to JavaScript converter and explore why making the switch is a good idea.

Understanding the Basics of Jquery to Javascript converter

Before diving into the conversion process, it’s important to grasp the key differences between jQuery and JavaScript. While jQuery is a lightweight library built to simplify JavaScript, pure JavaScript has grown more powerful with newer versions (ES6 and beyond). JavaScript is faster because it doesn’t require loading an external library, and it’s fully supported by all modern browsers.

jQuery vs JavaScript: Key Differences

• Library vs Language: jQuery is a library built on top of JavaScript, whereas JavaScript is the core programming language.
• Syntax Simplicity: jQuery offers shorthand syntax, making things like selecting elements or handling events easier, but at the cost of extra overhead.
• Performance: Pure JavaScript is generally faster, as it runs natively without relying on an external library.

Replacing jQuery Selectors with Vanilla JavaScript

Using $(document).ready()

In jQuery, you often see the following code:

$(document).ready(function() {
   // Your code here
});

In JavaScript, we can use the DOMContentLoaded event to run scripts after the HTML document has been fully loaded:

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
   // Your code here
});

Selecting Elements ($() vs document.querySelector)

In jQuery, selecting an element by ID looks like this:

$('#myElement');

In pure JavaScript, you use getElementById:

document.getElementById('myElement');

To select by class in jQuery:

$('.myClass');

In JavaScript:

document.querySelector('.myClass');

Selecting Multiple Elements

jQuery lets you select multiple elements like this:

$('div');

In JavaScript, you can achieve the same with:

document.querySelectorAll('div');

This returns a static NodeList, which you can loop through using forEach.

Event Handling

Attaching Events in jQuery

In jQuery, binding events is simple:

$('#myButton').on('click', function() { alert('Button clicked!'); });

In JavaScript, you use addEventListener:

document.getElementById('myButton').addEventListener('click', function() { alert('Button clicked!'); });

DOM Manipulation

Adding and Removing Classes

In jQuery:

$('#myElement').addClass('active'); $('#myElement').removeClass('active');

In JavaScript:

document.getElementById('myElement').classList.add('active');
document.getElementById('myElement').classList.remove('active');

Creating and Appending Elements

In jQuery, creating and appending a new element looks like this:

$('<div>Hello</div>').appendTo('body');

In JavaScript:

let newDiv = document.createElement('div'); newDiv.innerHTML = 'Hello'; 
document.body.appendChild(newDiv);

Removing Elements

In jQuery:

$('#myElement').remove();

In JavaScript:

let element = document.getElementById('myElement'); 
element.remove();

AJAX in jQuery vs JavaScript

Using jQuery’s $.ajax()

Here’s how AJAX calls are made in jQuery:

$.ajax({
   url: 'https://api.example.com',
   method: 'GET',
   success: function(data) {
      console.log(data);
   },
   error: function(error) {
      console.log(error);
   }
});

In JavaScript, you use the fetch() API:

fetch('https://api.example.com')
   .then(response => response.json())
   .then(data => console.log(data))
   .catch(error => console.log(error));

With fetch(), we work with Promises, which allow for cleaner asynchronous code handling.

CSS Manipulation

Setting and Getting CSS Properties

In jQuery:

$('#myElement').css('color', 'blue');

In JavaScript:

document.getElementById('myElement').style.color = 'blue';

Form Handling

Serializing Form Data in jQuery

jQuery makes form serialization simple:

let formData = $('#myForm').serialize();

In JavaScript, you can use the FormData object:

let form = document.getElementById('myForm'); let formData = new FormData(form);

Animations

jQuery’s .animate()

jQuery provides the .animate() method to perform custom animations:

$('#box').animate({ width: '200px' });

In JavaScript, similar effects can be achieved using CSS transitions or the requestAnimationFrame() method.

Effects and Hiding/Showing Elements

In jQuery:

$('#myElement').hide(); $('#myElement').show();

In JavaScript:

document.getElementById('myElement').style.display = 'none'; 
document.getElementById('myElement').style.display = 'block';

Traversing DOM Elements

jQuery makes traversing the DOM easy with methods like .parent(), .children(), and .find():

$('#myElement').parent(); 
$('#myElement').children();

In JavaScript, you can achieve this using:

element.parentNode; 
element.childNodes;

Handling Arrays and Objects

Iterating Arrays: $.each() vs forEach()

jQuery provides a quick way to loop through arrays with $.each():

$.each(array, function(index, value) { 
  console.log(index, value); 
});

In JavaScript, you can use forEach():

array.forEach(function(value, index) { 
  console.log(index, value); 
});

Working with Objects: $.extend() vs Object.assign()

In jQuery:

$.extend({}, obj1, obj2);

In JavaScript:

Object.assign({}, obj1, obj2);

Plugins and Extending JavaScript

jQuery is known for its plugin ecosystem. However, many of these functionalities are now available natively in JavaScript, or through smaller, more focused libraries. When transitioning, look for lightweight JavaScript alternatives to your favorite plugins.

Debugging Tips for Transitioning from jQuery to JavaScript

Converting from jQuery to JavaScript can introduce some issues, especially with older browsers or complex DOM interactions. Use browser dev tools (like Chrome DevTools) to inspect elements, view JavaScript logs, and debug code.

Conclusion

jQuery to JavaScript converter can significantly improve the performance of your website and reduce dependency on external libraries. With modern browsers offering native support for many of the features jQuery once provided, it’s worth taking the time to learn pure JavaScript. While jQuery still has its place in certain projects, mastering JavaScript opens up more opportunities for building efficient, high-performance applications.

FAQs

1. Why should I convert my jQuery code to JavaScript? JavaScript is faster, has better performance, and removes the need for external libraries in modern browsers.
2. Is JavaScript faster than jQuery? Yes, since JavaScript is natively supported by browsers and does not require loading an external library like jQuery.
3. What is the best way to learn JavaScript after using jQuery? Start by converting jQuery code to JavaScript and studying modern JavaScript features (ES6+).
4. Can I still use jQuery in modern web projects? You can, but it’s often unnecessary as most features are now natively supported in JavaScript.
5. How long does it take to convert a large project from jQuery to JavaScript? It depends on the complexity, but you can start by converting simpler interactions like selectors and event handling.

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