A 4 part series on how JavaScript broke Us public services
Alex Russell's series "Reckoning" critiques excessive JavaScript use in frontend development, highlighting accessibility issues and urging a shift towards mobile-first design and user experience to improve public service performance.
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The series "Reckoning" by Alex Russell critiques the excessive use of JavaScript in frontend development, arguing that it has led to significant accessibility issues, particularly for public services. Since 2016, Russell has urged the frontend community to prioritize user experience and mobile-first design, rather than succumbing to the allure of complex frameworks that externalize costs onto users. He highlights that many teams are unaware of the detrimental effects of their choices, often feeling isolated in their struggles with performance issues. The series emphasizes that modern websites can be improved by moving away from client-side rendering and legacy frameworks like React and Angular, which contribute to slow performance on essential services like SNAP benefits. Russell calls for a shift in focus towards user needs over developer convenience, advocating for better practices that enhance accessibility and efficiency.
- The excessive use of JavaScript in frontend development has created significant accessibility challenges.
- Many teams are unaware of the negative impacts of their technology choices, leading to performance issues.
- Public services are particularly affected by slow websites due to reliance on complex JavaScript frameworks.
- A shift towards mobile-first design and prioritizing user experience is necessary for improvement.
- The series advocates for abandoning client-side rendering to enhance the performance of essential services.
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