Vite is basically replicating what one would expect as normal behaviour from the JDK + IDE has been doing since years. Javascript was meant to be readable for an open web, nowadays it is compiled into a puddle of text.
It is OK to reinvent the wheel, it just doesn't look much better than the old one.
Works great.
But the requirements of "modern" software are always changing. Sure, the static table might be enough, but then some business person says, "It sure would be nice if I could check a little box in the table row or assign this user here..." and now you're adding little JS hacks. Again, not impossible, but at a certain scale, the ability to have infinite access to client driven reactivity becomes a real business empowerment.
Given the interest in the JS working group to add reactive Signals to the core language, I suspect this will only become _more_ prevalent in the future. Maybe it will need less input from frameworks to do the same work and we can move back towards using built-in browser APIs, but the programming model itself works really well (so much so that SwiftUI uses a very similar reactive UI programming model).
Again, I don't disagree with your point, just at a certain scale, it becomes a huge hassle to maintain. If people are going to use these tools and frameworks anyway, it helps the entire web to make them more efficient.
I have this set-up where .NET ViewHelper would do `RenderReactComponent('complexTableComponent', '.complex-table-component')` and it would load bundled react as 1st script and then this component as second script. If page does not need no react components it does not load any. If you have more than one it will still load the react itself only once. It is really amazingly working very, very well.
And yes, if I would to build some kind of dashboard/email client or something I would say use React or Angular and API. But for regular website rendered HTML is king.
It is so different when compared to Java/.NET where organizing large code blocks and making sure the pieces work well together is so easy. Very frustrating as there is so much that can be done on a browser but hampered by a development environment not much different from only using a text editor.
It pains me that so many SaaS go for Next.js based SDKs, but at least it is the closest to Spring/Quarkus/ASP.NET in spirit.
Hot take but: it took 20 years for Next.js to catch up to 10% of WebForms offered.
But if people want whatever Next.js offers to build their copycat SaaS with shadcn/ui, so who am I to argue.
Productivity is now wasted trying to make sure that buttons work when pressed or scratching the heads why box is not aligned with another programatically.
You mean many developers want. Actual customers, the ones who pay for your work don't even know what Next.js is and are extremely happy with whatever works. The hard part is to sell the idea that - no, next.js is not the best for your SEO heavy website :)
I’ve been in situations where a non-technical founder asked me to use Angular just to fit in.
With technology becoming about trends, clueless founders more and more are pushing for certain technologies.
Recruitment and developers just follow.