# Why Does Kit JS Exist? ## **Comparison** If we compare Kit JS with Alpine, Angular, React, Vue, or even HTMX, the truth is — Kit JS wasn’t born to compete. Honestly? It’s not as powerful as those tools. That’s because **Kit JS isn’t trying to be a full-stack framework**. Its purpose is to **hydrate** HTML on the client-side, following a philosophy of **fast, light, and simple** — a mindset I “borrowed” from **Golang**, the language I’ve been exploring. In a way, it’s similar to Web Components. I even developed a similar system years ago using the same philosophy — entirely written in JavaScript. But here’s what sets Kit JS apart: - It has a **compile system** reminiscent of **AngularJS (Angular 1)**. - It’s written purely in JavaScript. - It doesn’t use `eval` or `new Function`. Many modern frameworks avoid these functions during build time. Kit JS? It runs **directly** — no build, no custom config. Performance-wise, the evaluation might be slightly slower without `eval` or `new Function`. But in return, you get **safety, clarity, and independence from build tools**. ## **What Is Kit JS?** **Kit JS** is a small, lightweight JavaScript framework/library built to **enhance (hydrate)** HTML elements already rendered from the server. It doesn’t replace frameworks. It doesn’t recreate the DOM. It doesn’t require a build. It simply **breathes life into static HTML**, making it interactive and responsive to client-side data. In my ecosystem, the server (written in Go) handles rendering and routing like a full-stack framework. Kit JS focuses **solely on client enhancement**, keeping HTML dynamic without complexity. ## **Why Not** `eval` **or** `new Function`**?** The answer is simple: It’s my **personal philosophy** and vision for the next step in creating (or finding) a tool that fits me. ## **Journey and Philosophy** I’m a web developer — or someone who touches all things website-related. And I always ask slightly odd questions: > “Why can’t a website run anywhere?” I’ve tried a lot: - **Wails**, **WebView** for running web like an app - **PWA / TWA** to turn web into mobile apps - Learning how **React Native** or **Flutter** build interfaces But in the end, what I truly needed was much simpler — like writing a **vanilla JS Chrome Extension**. If you’ve ever done that, you’ll know the feeling: **pure simplicity and elegance**. It’s like putting a static website online: one `index.html` file, upload, and it works. For me, it’s even simpler. > Just copy a single JS file to the server — > like Steve Jobs’ iconic “drag to trash” action. For a demo, I just copy the file via **SSH in VS Code** — bam, the website comes alive. ## **Why Do This?** If you’ve ever searched for a tool to build a personal blog, you’ll understand: **websites need SEO**. Nowadays, most JS frameworks handle SEO well. But back when **JAMstack** was still unknown, I was transitioning from Angular to Go. I had one goal: > “Publish a website as **simply and quickly as possible**.” Later, I wanted **better management for all my websites**. That’s when I realized: > “Different goals require different tools.” I’m not saying React or Vue are outdated. They just solve different problems. Just like over **50% of websites still use jQuery**, and many PHP developers still find work easily. No language is perfect. Only the language — or tool — **fit for your purpose**. ## **The Real Purpose** If you know **HTMX**, you might wonder: > “Why create this when Vue or React exists?” The truth: **Every tool, library, or framework is created to serve its creator first.** Kit JS is no different — it serves me first. ## **Target Audience** Let me reiterate the concept of **hydration**. Kit JS is perfect for SSR websites like **PHP (WordPress, Laravel), Liquid, Django, Flask, Golang Templates…** All of these already render the DOM. Kit JS just makes it **smoother, more fluid, and easier to interact with**. Need to build a Chrome Extension as quickly as a static website? Kit JS works. No bundling. No package. No NodeJS. If you, like me, manage multiple small websites/products, you understand: **you don’t want to build and deploy each one separately.** You just want to copy **one file to the server and go**. Kit JS is a package I extracted to **share the #buildinpublic story**. Everything else in my system is managed via **Go**. Finally, Kit JS is for anyone who wants to **research, share, and learn**. I open-sourced it so others can **read, understand, customize, or clone**. > “You don’t need to explain. Just let me read your code.” Whatever language you write in, if I can read your code, I can rewrite it in **Golang** — my favorite language. Just like I once read an open-source PHP project and rewrote it in Go — not to learn PHP, but to study the algorithm inside. That’s what I pursue. ## **And Finally — I Am a Dreamer Developer** Why “dreamer”? Because experiences and circumstances differ. I’ve coded and deleted. I’ve chased deadlines without pay. I’ve done things just to **learn**. I’m not better than anyone. I’m just walking a slightly different path. I share this story for other **builders out there** — those quietly creating something: > “Keep your passion. Keep being a little foolish.” [**https://github.com/kitmodule/kitjs**](https://github.com/kitmodule/kitjs) ### **NOTES** - Article posted in 2025 and reposted - AI-powered translation - Read the original Vietnamese version here: [https://hnq.vn/blog/tai-sao-kit-js-ton-tai](https://huynhnhanquoc.com/blog/tai-sao-kit-js-ton-tai) ### **More About Me** - **Blog:** [huynhnhanquoc.com](https://huynhnhanquoc.com) - **GitHub:** [github.com/huynhnhanquoc](https://github.com/huynhnhanquoc) - **Open Source:** [github.com/kitmodule](https://github.com/kitmodule) - **Buy me a Coffee:** [buymeacoffee.com/huynhnhanquoc](https://buymeacoffee.com/huynhnhanquoc) - **Keep me Dreaming:** [ko-fi.com/huynhnhanquoc](https://ko-fi.com/huynhnhanquoc) Thanks for reading Huỳnh Nhân Quốc’s article! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.