mrtwebdesign

# January 16, 2013 at 7:49 am

I make custom themes. HTML, CSS and some Javascript. I rarely write my own js. I usually use as little a possible and add libraries and plugins for specific functionality. If it’s fancy I try to do it in PHP, HTML or CSS first.
I’m running across more javascript libraries that are installed as node.js components.

My question is.. do I bite the bullet and learn the whole node.js on the server thing.. or just stick to js files I can link to old-school? I have lots of work right now and I’m not looking for a long detour.

Andy Howells

# January 16, 2013 at 7:52 am

Node.JS is something all the cool kids are doing. In the real world of client work there is nothing wrong with just having vanilla scripts or calling in specific libraries.

Node.JS is really intended for applications rather than front end sites, or those that need to do quite a lot of scripting, realistically, does anyone need that for a standard website? Not really, PHP/HTML/CSS and regular JS do the trick.

jamygolden

# January 16, 2013 at 8:42 am

Node.js is a backend language and is equally as important to a front-end developer as Python/Ruby/PHP. PHP is just the most widely used (based on my experience) and is easiest to get a web page up and running on from “scratch”.

mrtwebdesign

# January 16, 2013 at 2:04 pm

or.. as equally unimportant as Ruby/Python, etc, to a front-end designer. I’ll use it when I need to. It appears that the javascripts in question are being added as a component of node.js out of convenience. I learn as I go and I will learn it eventually. For now I think I’ll just add what I need with a script tag.
Thanks!